Corned beef and car bombs

Written by Mr. Salem on March 17th, 2008 No Comments

I, like many people who live in the greater Boston area, consider myself “Boston Irish”. My grandparents generation came over from Ireland and I grew up eating boiled dinner, bubble and squeak and fried tomatoes with my blood pudding. It should come as no surprise that I am all in favor of St. Patrick’s day being a national holiday and that I make it a point to exploit my heritage on March 17th.

Most years I go to the Southie Parade then spend the day pub crawling through Southie and Dorchester. Once night falls my crew makes its way to see the Dropkick Murphys then end the night at JJ Foleys. The past few years I’ve spent a good chunk of my St. Paddys day in Salem. This year things are a bit different so I’ll be your guide to making the most of your time in Salem on this fun holiday.

First things first, you need to have a plan.

In my days of massive pub crawls its the planning that separates the men from the frat boys. By focusing that you are in it for the long haul (10am to 2am) you prepare for a marathon rather than a sprint. Its not drinking your face off, its about socializing, having fun and keeping your head. Drinking water during your pub crawl and eating something at every other stop assures that you will be more prepared to handle a long night of meeting new people and being thrust into different situations.

Salem doesn’t offer an endless string of Irish bars, and while there are a few great pub crawls (TheSalemInsider.com sponsors one every year) St. Patrick’s day is a bit more laid back here than it is in Boston. With less options it’s easier to make a good solid plan.

1. Bring a buddy
St. Patrick’s day is one of the big three bar days (the others being Wednesday before Thanksgiving and New Years Eve) so it’s best to head out with a friend. Someone to grab the next round when it’s your time to break the seal or to hang with if you are waiting in line to go in somewhere.

2. Dress for Success
Are you Irish? Show it with a cool t-shirt that tells the world. Not Irish, get in the spirit by wearing green or busting out your favorite Guinness shirt. A scally cap or even a shamrock pin will give you some air of authenticity.

3. Know where to go
In Salem there are a couple of options, I usually start out over at The Old Spot then head over to O’Neills. Both will be packed but you will also have the best times here.

4. Think about what you drink
I personally stick to Guinness but there are other acceptable beverages to consume on St. Paddys day. The most well know stout is of course Guinness, but Murphy’s Irish stout is delicious and a bit smoother for the novice stout drinker as is Beamish. If you prefer something lighter, Harp larger or Smithwick’s (pronounced ’smith-icks’) ale. There is some debate on whether a Black and Tan (Guinness and Harp) or a Black Velvet (Guinness and hard cider) are acceptable. They are served in Ireland but are a pain to build so for this outing I would keep my order simple to keep my bartender happy.

Beer is not the only beverage to be enjoyed on St. Patrick’s day. Irish whiskey is also a smooth, easy libation. Irish whiskey differs from Scotch whisky because it is distilled more than Scotch and peat moss is not used in the firing of mash. What does that mean to you? A smoother less earthy tasting beverage. Some Irish whiskeys you will find in Salem are Bushmills, Black Bush, Jamesons, and Tullamore Dew.

5. Eat your fill
One thing about Irish food, corned beef and cabbage or New England boiled dinner in particular, is that it’s comfort food. There’s nothing like coming home to the smell of a giant pot with corned beef, potato, turnip, carrot, and cabbage all boiling up. People with other heritages may find this food a bit bland but if it’s cooked correctly and seasoned with some malt vinegar, boiled dinner is heaven. The key to success in your boiled dinner is pink corned beef not gray and not over-cooking your veggies.

Not everyone can spend the day hanging out listening to Irish music, singing with new friends at the pub and watching the girls to their Irish step dancing. Some people actually have to work. When I had to do the 9 to 5 thing on St. Patrick’s day, I would meet up with some of my friends afterwards and we would have a toast with an Irish car bomb then head out for some dinner. This would inevitably lead to more late night car bombs. What is an Irish Car Bomb you ask? It’s liquid candy.

Irish Car Bomb
3/4 pint Guinness stout
1/2 shot Bailey’s Irish cream
1/2 shot Jameson Irish whiskey

Add the Bailey’s and Jameson to a shot glass, layering the Bailey’s on the bottom. Pour the Guinness into a pint glass 3/4 of the way full and let settle. Drop the shot glass into the Guinness and chug. The Bailey’s will react with the Guinness making it curdle so it’s best to drink this very quickly.

While the Irish have a reputation for being hard drinkers, the celebration of St. Patrick’s day is not a celebration of drink but a feast that celebrates St. Patrick and all things Irish. Unfortunately it can turn out to be amateur hour at the bar, so if you go out keep a good disposition and focus on having fun. Keep yourself and your friends safe and don’t do anything stupid. The best night you can have is the one where you build long lasting memories and get home safe and sound.

Send us a picture of your St. Patrick’s Day celebration in Salem and we’ll post it later this week.

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