COBBLESTONES celebrates it’s 23rd consecutive St. Patrick’s Day today. It’s amazing how Irish one can feel on this day–so sacred to the many true.
I also refer to it as the annual “I-don’t-have-shit-that-is-green-to-wear” Day
It seems like every year, so much the same, though so different. There is now a Ramen joint in downtown, but it will be The Old Court that will be packed.
Majors turned Wicked Irish may be Wicked Empty today now that it is run by a nice German fellow–although who knows–Tobias strikes me as a guy with green in his closet.
Should we put green in the beer? Duh.
Red or Gray? Oops sorry new chef, for telling you right after you ordered the red. (“Who does the gray anyway?” he mused)
How many pounds? 100. Or 120? Last year we had leftover. What does one do with leftover gray corned beef? I’ll’ tell you what we DON’T do…
(On 2nd thought, no I won’t. I don’t want to be made a liar.)
Once upon a time, that number was bigger–maybe 150lbs. There was more green around town–largely worn by the red-white people–and Enterprise Bank would bring in St. Patrick’s Day lunch for all of the employees. Maybe they still do, and just never told us they preferred “red” (no chance!) Or, the #1 Irish party-guy retired. I can’t recall. I do know this…there is a lot less red-face white-hair around town these days, and a lot more of the ‘richer’ colors–if you feel me. (Though let’s not let this become yet another discussion on economics. Not today.)
What’s the difference between Red and Gray? (We are back to corned beef vs complexion, for those who find me confusing!)
It’s a preservative called potassium nitrate that creates the red. “Old school” New England Corned Beef uses just salt. I guess that makes us old school.
Also, the smell. But let’s not go there.
Each year, our GM obsesses about the corned beef being done right. In the good way. She has precedent for worry…that extends beyond me.
Our first Chef nailed it each time, for his 7 years, and his underling Dario–still with us after 20 years–is a trusted back up. But the head chef usually takes the reins on such occasion. One year the “not ready for prime time” Chef didn’t cook it enough. “Shoe leather” would be apropos. The next year, an “old school” chef NOT from New England ordered the red. Big no-no. Then there was the the chef-whose-name-we-don’t-say cut it all with the grain, making it nearly unpalatable. And last year, bless a chef’s hard-working heart, they steamed the cabbage and carrots–something right from the pages of “Eating Light!” Seriously, who steams cabbage?
So on her day off yesterday, as Corned Beef went into it’s 4th hour of ‘production’, Robin texted something like… “At the risk of micro managing a great chef, how’s the corned beef coming? Will you check?”
I texted “Of course” and sauntered (booked it) for the prep kitchen. From a huge stove-top pot of aromatic rolling boil, I sliced and sampled…cuz that’s what I do. I texted “Yum.” She texted “Cabbage?” (Of course she did!)
An hour later, I cruised (booked it!) for moonstones, where the hood fans were not working, therefore, the pilots were not working, therefore, the oven-grill-stoves were not working…but at least it was 4pm. An hour before we are busy to figure this shit out…. (A blog for another day–it was the 16th so some “Luck of the Irish” would have been pre mature…)
An hour after dealing with moonstones issues, I gently prodded Chef Cobblestones with a text; “Can a person over boil Corned Beef so it returns to tough?” (I didn’t offer a “Yes” and “No” check box) Here is his reply:
“If it is a hard boil, the duration in which one would think it tender does not occur since the muscle has been shocked by heat and all sinew tenses, not giving it opportunity for liquids to seep delicately into the meat.
A slow boil, or braise, will still reach the same temperatures, but slower, thus allowing for the liquid to penetrate prior to evaporation.” (Love this guy. Really. But wtf.)
If you would like to taste the answer to that question for yourself, we start simmering around noon….
The potatoes and the Guinness will be perfect, the mustard will be yellow, the music will be Irish. And ALL of our eyes will be smilin’.
Happy St Patrick’s Day Lowell!!
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