A Traditional St. Patrick's Day Feast

Are you going to be having a St. Patrick's Day party? If so, then why not go all out with a traditional St. Paddy's Day feast? Whether you have a little "luck o' the Irish" in you, or you simply love Irish food, then the about the only way to celebrate this wonderful holiday is with food and drink! Putting together a feast on this day is surprisingly easy, as long as you follow a few simple guidelines.

• Start it off right! To truly begin your St. Patrick's Day feast, don't wait till dinner time. Start off the whole day right by having a traditional Irish breakfast. The simplest traditional Irish breakfast is going to have a whole lot of fried foods in it though, so be prepared. In fact, about the only thing that isn't fried in this breakfast is the beverage. So if you are in the mood for a traditional Irish breakfast, fry up some sausage, bacon, eggs, tomatoes, and black pudding. If you really want to go all out, add a little bit of fried potato bread, or cakes, as well.
• Meat and potatoes. When envisioning a St. Patrick 's Day feast, you need to think of meat and potatoes. Serve some Irish stew that has been made with lamb or pork, potatoes, and vegetables. Keep in mind some of the fantastic Colcannon, which is made from cabbage which has been cooked in milk and blended together with buttery mashed potatoes.
• No beef. Beef does not play a very large role in "traditional" Irish cooking, except in one instance corned beef and cabbage. Historically, beef was only limited to the wealthier families in Ireland. Cattle were typically only kept for their milk, and where therefore too valuable to be eaten on a regular basis. However, when the Irish began to immigrate to America, beef became more common place. This beef was prepared in the same manner that pork had been for years, which gave rise to the prominence of "corned" beef and cabbage.
• Don't forget the drinks. What Irish feast would be complete without the drinks? For breakfasts stick to teas, milks, and juices. However, for dinner time, keep in mind the Irish love of stout. While some would say beer is the preferred drink, stout is actually the more traditional beverage. While similar in many ways to beer, stout is thicker and has a fuller taste.
• Top it all off with dessert. Top off your culinary masterpiece with a traditional Irish dish, Curach and Irish coffee. Curach is a honey, oatmeal, and cream dish that needs to be tasted to be believed. Irish coffee is a great after dinner drink made from strong coffee, Irish whiskey, and a little bit of sugar.