Searching for Saint Patrick

This upcoming weekend has me thinking green and searching for Saint Patrick; after all, Saint Patrick's Day is this weekend. My heritage is half Greek, one quarter French and the rest? Well, let's just say, I have  a touch of this and a touch of that. In today's troubled times, I believe we could all do with a bit of unity. It is my belief, we could all also do with a bit of happy. It is not time to build walls but to mend them where necessary and break them down where necessary.

Does it really matter if a person has any Irish heritage to claim Saint Patrick's Day as a unified day to be more happy? I say, "NO." Not only the Irish may lay claim to Saint Patty's Day! As it happens, my husband's heritage is half German and the other is nearly split down the middle between Irish and English. I know what you're thinking, Dear Readers, how do two people from classically hot and cold lineage come together and find a common ground? Easy. Soda bread. Yep. Soda bread. Silly I know, but there is no judging here at Mary's Kitchen. 

As it turns out, soda bread was created, not by the Irish, as is often thought, but by the Native Americans. (Yet another great idea by the founders of our country...) Anyway, that is not relevant but the fact that something easy and quick to make that is served up piping hot and slathered in butter is just plain, well, happy. I turn to a reliable and hearty recipe found at epicurious.com but there is probably one you turn to too. Do you add caraway seeds, raisins, currants or neither. Do you use whole wheat, white or a mix of both. Do you like your soda bread with sugar or without. Does it really matter? Again, the answer is simple, nope. Does it make you and your loved ones happy and satisfied to know you made something, anything, that can be slathered in butter and eaten together? Again, the answer is simple, nope. So, here's to the sharing in a treasured tradition and looking ahead to greener times.