cabbage

Tiffany, Shannon, Raf, Roya, Kevin, and I, along with other wonderful friends, celebrated St. Patrick’s Day at Villain Tavern in Downtown Los Angeles. We got there at 2:00 p.m. for an early celebration. This was also Tiffany and Roya’s farewell bash. I didn’t drink alcohol but had one of the most amazing freshly-squeezed orange juices I’ve ever had. I picked on cabbage, carrots, and potatoes from Kevin’s Corn Beef and Cabbage, while I nibbled on my No Kill Burger (veggie patty, tomato, lettuce, and spicy mayo), with a side of fries. I only ate half of the burger, and few fries.

Afterward, we stopped by Little Tokyo for Imagawayaki. We also enjoyed this amazing cup of coffee from Café Dulce, with Spirulina Chewy Bun. I don’t really know much about spirulina but apparently it’s made out of algea (like seaweed) and is the latest health food trend. The bun was pretty good – not your typical bread and has an acquired taste and texture but I really liked it. I only had a sip but I can tell that its coffee is made out of quality beans.

I hope you all had a wonderful St. Patty’s Day!

I am beginning to be a little more open to enjoying culinary traditions that are foreign to me. With exception of Thanksgiving turkey and Fourth of July BBQ, I never really cook special dishes on holidays; however, I wanted to broaden my horizon this year and give corned beef a try for the first time, to celebrate the St. Patrick’s Day!

I found several corned beef and cabbage recipes on the Internet. Some recipes instruct that you bake the brisket in the oven while the others tell you to boil it in water. I went with the latter and boiled the meat for about four hours before adding onions, carrots, and half of a medium-size cabbage into the pot. I had no idea until my fiancée told me at dinnertime that I am supposed to serve the dish with no liquid. I totally thought that I was to serve the dish like a stew or a Pot Au Feu! I am definitely still learning!

I was happy with the way the dish turned out, especially it being my first attempt. The corned beef was cooked with perfect saltiness and the melt-in-your-mouth vegetables made the dish very luxurious – even if it only cost less than $10 for five people! The baked red potatoes that I seasoned with sea salt, pepper, and Herb of Provence, provided the nice starch to the meal.

I hope everyone had a safe and wonderful St. Patty’s Day! Now, go kiss your love ones and celebrate!