Edythe Preet looks at the legacy of the Vikings in Ireland, including influences that linger in Irish winter holiday celebrations. One day while searching for I can’t remember what in my foot-thick Webster’s, which has been my word go-to since high school, I stumbled upon a most interesting linguistic factoid. Every single question word in the English language (who, what, … [Read more...] about Slainte! Ireland’s Viking Heritage
Slainte Archives
Slainte!: Blow Winds, Blow!
Memory is a slippery thing. Mine works like a photo album that randomly opens to a moment in time then snaps shut and reopens on another page. Storms have left some of the most permanent imprints. The twin hurricanes Connie and Diane that walloped the East Coast while my family vacationed on the Jersey shore back in 1955 were certainly something that I should be able to recall … [Read more...] about Slainte!: Blow Winds, Blow!
Sláinte!: Feasting with the Angels
Pop quiz: what’s the most popular Irish boy’s name? Odds are, the first one that came to mind was Patrick. Wrong. While Saint Patrick is Ireland’s patron, his name comes in at #18. Go ahead, try again. Did you say Sean? If so, you picked #2, and you get extra credit because Sean is also spelled Shane, Shawn, Shuan, Eoin, Ion, and Ian, all of which rank in the top twenty and … [Read more...] about Sláinte!: Feasting with the Angels
Sláinte: The Bread of Life!
Many scholars contend that our prehistoric ancestors gave up their hunting-and-gathering lifestyle once they learned how to bake bread. Although there is evidence that barley was sown and harvested over 10,000 years ago, why seed was first planted remains a puzzle. In the 1950s, archaeologist Robert Braidwood at Chicago University suggested that discovering bread-making methods … [Read more...] about Sláinte: The Bread of Life!
Sláinte!: Irish Cowgirls and Award-winning Cheesemakers
My friend Vickie’s face blossoms with one of those secret smiles when I tell her she’s a cheesy broad. Truth of the matter is, she’s a cheese guru who, given the slightest opportunity, will launch into a lengthy monologue on the subtle differences between cow, goat and sheep cheeses, the chemistry involved in making cheese, and the why and wherefore of which cheese is best at … [Read more...] about Sláinte!: Irish Cowgirls and Award-winning Cheesemakers