I don’t watch much television. Mainly because, despite the hundreds of channels, the menu is mostly repeats. Every so often, however, something extraordinary airs and I become (dare I admit it?) a Fan. So it was with the now defunct HBO series Deadwood, which depicted the wild and wooly 19th-century Gold Rush days of the Montana Territory. The show regularly drew harsh … [Read more...] about Sláinte!: Go, Big Fan, Go
Slainte Archives
Sláinte!: Comfort & Coincidence
A Wedding Day and Bloomsday Coincide Coincidences never cease to amaze me. Once is, well, coincidence. Twice, will earn a ‘hmmm.’ Three times, sends the eyebrows soaring. But when something happens over and over and over again, there are undeniable patterns at work. What, you may well wonder, has this to do with Irish culture and food? Blame my dear Da for the tangent along … [Read more...] about Sláinte!: Comfort & Coincidence
Slainte: The Irish Wake
Nearly thirty-eight years ago an exuberant friend named Eddie burst into the office where I was working as assistant to a Hollywood producer commanding, “Come with me right now. I want to introduce you to someone.” Fortunately, I was alone and it was almost five o’clock. As I closed up shop, Eddie paced agitatedly about the room singing the praises of Bill, the stranger he had … [Read more...] about Slainte: The Irish Wake
Slainte: Dinner & A Movie
As many readers know, I live in Los Angeles, home to Hollywood and famous for year-round sunshine where even in winter it’s frequently warm enough to get a tan. Personally, I love the dark, cold, wet winter days of more northern locales. A pal from New Zealand – where the climate closely resembles Ireland’s – chides me for belittling LA’s “glorious weather.” Hogwash. We don’t … [Read more...] about Slainte: Dinner & A Movie
Slainte: Holiday Cheer
A family recipe for eggnog that’s smooth as liquid silk, and kicks like a country mule Once upon a time, when the year-end holidays rolled around, no one outdid me in the celebration staging arena. Beginning Thanksgiving weekend, I made dozens of fruitcakes (heavily doused with Irish whiskey and drenched weekly thereafter) and hundreds (sometimes thousands) of cookies. On the … [Read more...] about Slainte: Holiday Cheer