A Night of Irish festivities

It was held last March 17 to commemorate St. Patrick’s Day. The saint was born in 385 A.D. in Britain. Sixteen years later, he was captured by slave raiders in pagan Ireland and began a lonely life as a herdsman. Seeking God’s intervention, he escaped from bondage, dedicated his life to priesthood, returned to Ireland, converted the residents to Catholicism and baptized about 120,000 people. He founded 300 churches and later died on March 17, 461. 

David Sharpe, Vice Echanson of the Ordre Mondial Des Gourmet Degustateurs, a society devoted to oenology and crafted spirits, organized the festival which was held at The Joker’s Arms Pub, Restaurant and Beer Garden (A.S. Fortuna St., Bakilid, Mandaue City, 505-3193). It is owned and operated by Andrew Sharpe assisted by GM Wenna Bontes. The flyer proclaimed that for P1,000, participants will taste authentic Irish Buffet, two cans of any imported beer, drink-all-you-can Emerald Isle (green beer) made with Stella Artois and a coloring agent, with a DJ playing a mix that included Irish music.

Your favorite food columnist, who is a student of food culture, desires to taste the various cuisines of the world and was very willing to sample Irish cuisine. Beer was the principal drink and my beloved readers are all experts on the topic about beer because they have read my article “Wine Here, Beer There and Distilled Spirits Everywhere.”

For the newcomers, beer starts with barley that is allowed to germinate and the malted beer is roasted, ground and hot water is added; then hops are added then yeast to start fermentation. Guinness, a popular Irish stout has an additional ingredient, isinglass finings made from fish air bladders; in the form of collagen, it is used for the clarification of beer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guinness).

On the Buffet table, the following Irish foods were available:

Guinness Battered Onion Rings, Guinness Chicken Wings, Deviled Eggs, Honey Mustard Glazed Irish Ham, Irish Spiced Corned Beef, Potato Corn and Bacon Chowder, Sausage and Potato Coddle. As usual photo opportunities first, then a small piece of everything to taste, excuse me, before dinner would begin.

The fried onions looked like our calamares, crispy and with the sweet taste of glazed onions. The soup was tasty with the presence of the bacon and very filling. The same is true for the rest of the dishes, ham and beef, delicious but very heavy and my favorite that night was the Sausage and Potato Coddle. I did miss, however, the Champ, which consists of mashed potatoes mixed with chopped spring onions.

When you are eating potatoes, you are eating a part of Irish history. The cold and wet climate of Ireland made the grains like wheat and barley vulnerable to molds during storage. On the other hand, potatoes adapted very well and one acre can yield up to “six tons of potatoes.” Only problem was when a disease known as “potato blight” struck, resulting to the Great Irish Famine (1845-1849).

Back to the festivities, the beer indeed flowed like water and too much beer is definitely not good for one’s health. My good friend David Sharpe came to the rescue with, ahem, a round of Jameson Irish Whiskey. The participants had so much fun that social networks are already suggesting a “St. George’s Day Party.”