Spirits of the Irish

Call me crazy, but I think the Irish have finally caught on to the benefits of spirits. Chuckles aside, I’m talking about their benefits in cooking, not drinking.

Over the course of decades of visiting Ireland, I have been the beneficiary of some of the most spirited cooking the country has to offer. Come St. Patrick’s Day, there’s no better time to enjoy some yourself.

For centuries, the marriage of wine with food has been a happy one, with chefs, food writers and wine critics constantly extolling the perfect partnership and the way that ordinary recipes are elevated to extraordinary dishes with a splash of red or a dash of white.

The late Alexis Lichine, wine grower and author, almost 40 years ago, of the landmark “Encyclopedia of Wines and Spirits” (Knopf), called the use of wine in cooking, “a positive pleasure [in which] the two combine in a gastronomic treat infinitely more delicious than either could provide alone.”

History tells us that in countries without a wine-growing tradition, such as Ireland, beer becomes a nation’s favorite drink — think Guinness or Murphy’s Stout, Smithwick’s Ale and Harp Lager. Like wine, which chefs have long known enhances the taste and flavor of food, Irish stout, beer and ale have long been partners in traditional dishes ranging from plumping up the fruit in a Christmas pudding to tenderizing the meat in a slow-simmering casserole or deep-dish pie.

The malty flavor of Guinness, for example, adds a surprising sweetness to brown bread, a heartiness to onion soup and a serious kick to brownies.

Irish whiskey, which sixth-century monks first distilled and called “uisce beatha” (pronounced isk’ke ba’ha, meaning “water of life”), is another drink that has been spooned into many a kettle and cake. When the soldiers of Henry II first visited Ireland in the 12th century, they were greatly impressed with the liquid but had difficulty pronouncing it. Eventually “uisce” was anglicized to “fuisce” and finally to the word “whiskey” we know today. It’s an excellent flavor-enhancer in marinades for grilled meats and seafood, and the warming touch in Ireland’s famous drink, Irish coffee.

During the Middle Ages, cider was a popular beverage in Ireland, particularly in areas where water supplies were often unreliable and tea and coffee were unknown. As a result, cider, which was often fermented into an alcoholic beverage, became another popular drink, and it, too, found its way into dishes and sauces where a little sweetness was required.

The honey wine known as mead was originally the chief drink of the high kings of Ireland. Its fame as a refreshing drink spread quickly throughout the rest of the country, and soon no medieval banquet or wedding feast was complete without mead to accompany it.

Like cider, ancient mead’s distinctive sweet wine flavor is a terrific addition to many modern dishes, especially chicken and pork. Bunratty Meade is the most popular brand in the United States.

Irish cream liqueurs probably need no introduction when it comes to enhancing a dessert. The first of many brands, Baileys Irish Cream, was started in 1974, after discovering the secret that would allow milk to be separated into double cream and blended with natural flavors, Irish whiskey and neutral spirits. The origin of the drink, some say, harks back to a tradition in the west of Ireland where one “dropped a dab of fresh cream into some Irish whiskey, stirred, shook and tossed it down.”

These days, it’s more likely to find its way into a cheesecake, chocolate pot or adults-only chocolate chip cookies. But who’s complaining? It’s St. Patrick’s Day. “Slainte agus go marfaidh sibh an ciad” — (Good health and may you outlive 100 years).

Irish onion soup

The French may have invented onion soup, but it took the Irish to give it a flavor all its own.

In this recipe, Irish stout gives the traditional soup not only a deep, rich color, but a hearty, malty flavor. Instead of the traditional topping of Gruyere cheese, try it with Kerrygold Swiss or Blarney, two popular Irish brands.

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