I have such a fear of being that vegetarian: the one who shows up at a dinner party or holiday feast and realizes that there is nothing for me to eat. That is also known as the “Starving Vegetarian,” or the “Really Quite Put Out Vegetarian.” I try to do my due diligence, and let hosts know ahead of time about my dietary restrictions, even offer to provide my own dish if they don’t have the time or inclination to provide one for me. This is known as being the “Not Completely Obnoxious Vegetarian.”
When a host does ask me to bring my own dish, I’m not too annoyed: it’s another excuse to make my Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie, which I will certainly be doing this March 17th. While I have very fond memories of my mother’s annual St. Patrick’s Day corned beef and cabbage, I’m not sure what would happen to my insides, and subsequently my outsides if I ate it again after nearly two decades of abstaining from meat, which lead me to concoct what I consider to be a happy medium between traditional fare and a dry cleaners bill, “Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie”.
It’s St. Patrick’s Day this week and since I don’t really drink, I figured I would just find ways to incorporate booze into my food. As I have learned from baking with stout in the past, beer is a surprisingly wonderful addition to stews, brewed drinks, and cakes.
Root vegetable. Corned beef. Sauerkraut. Rye. Gedney dills. It all adds up to something Irish. And a little bit Minnesotan.
I love all types of savory pies, but one in particular is very special to me. The first time I ever heard of beef and Guinness pie was during my time studying abroad in London. I was so intrigued that I ordered it at a quaint, tiny restaurant that specialized in pies aptly named the Pie Room. It became the hang-out spot for my group of friends. Over the course of our studies we could not keep away. I had the opportunity to try all of their pies. Beef and Guinness pie made the biggest impression on me and it still remains among my top favorite British foods. I can clearly remember my first bite: a tender cube of meat, a luscious sauce, and a crispy crust. So as St. Patrick's Day neared this month, I decided I wanted to cook something other than corned beef and cabbage.