Colin McNickle At Large

Weekend essay: An Irish stew

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(Editor’s note: A reprint of a very special Irish essay for this very special Irish weekend.)

The cutting and chopping begin early today to fill two large pots atop the stove.

In each will be layered large and thick slices of white onions and yellow potatoes. They’ll be followed by layers of cubed beef (too-greasy lamb is off the recipe). Then come the green onions, chopped celery, carrots and parsley.

The layers, each salted and peppered, are repeated until the pots are full; a quarter-pound of butter tops each. Then, poured into the pots, large bottles of red wine — the cheaper the better. It’s the only liquid used to produce what six or so hours later (and never stirred) will be this year’s St. Patrick’s stew.

The aroma of the sweet simmerings will mix with the sharper smells of a locust- and maple-filled fireplace, burning low and, just perhaps, mimicking the sod fire of my ancestors. Baking bread in the oven will be the final seduction.

Friends will arrive, uncorking their favorite wines and uncapping the not-too-cold Smithwick’s ale, fresh from Kilkenny. The good conversation and laughter will be every bit as warm as the stew, bread and fire.

About as much of the stew as the brew will remain as the night ends and the dogs curl by the fire, dreaming of the bowls they licked dry in the kitchen as the guests, their bellies and spirits filled, took their leave.

Colin McNickle is a senior fellow and media specialist at the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy (cmcnickle@alleghenyinstitute.org).

 

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Colin McNickle
Colin McNickle

Colin received his B.G.S. from Ohio University. The 40-year journalism veteran joined the Institute in October 2016. That followed a 22-year career with the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, 18 as director of editorial pages for Trib Total Media. Prior that, Colin had a long and varied career in media — from radio, newspapers and magazines, to United Press International and The Associated Press.

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