Mmmmmm!

While in La Jolla, we have a few dishes we like to have. One of our favs is Peasant Soup. I made it here the first time, so we have to have it when we come. It has ham, cannelloni beans, carrots, cabbage & garlic. Tradition is, you pour in a splash of red wine in the last dregs of broth and throw it back. It warms your tummy. Even the girls insist on it. (Picture a tiny splash, before you freak out!) Our sweet neighbor Joan joins us for a bowl before Poppa heads out for the airport.

Often, we’re here for Spring Break, meaning St. Patty’s day- when we have to have corned beef. In the past, I’ve struggled to find a nice flat cut of brisket if I don’t plan ahead and one year I had to go to two stores to get cabbage! For some strange reason, we got it in our minds that we had to have it if we could find it. I was thrilled to find it this time. It took a few days to realize we had our holidays confused! Nonetheless…we enjoyed a beautiful corned beef, slow cooked in Guiness with roasted red potatoes and steamed cabbage. No Saint Patrick’s Day/ New Year’s festivus would be complete with out Irish Soda Bread. Here’s a pix of our warm loaf fresh out of the oven. It never really cooled off much…since we polished it all off.

And nothing can top the joy of the hash that follows the next morning. Life is so, so good!