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Some answers via Twitter
Everywhere.
Nearly literally.
Here's some better advice
Eat something good instead.
Also, it's Lent. I don't care what Sean Cardinal O'Malley says, you can celebrate without meat, assuming you don't count fish as meat. Have a fish and chips instead.
Seriously, no one in Ireland eats corned beef. Except the tourists, and only the ones from America at that.
The traditional ould-sod Irish dish is bacon and cabbage,
or what Yanks would call Canadian bacon and cabbage. And the classic presentation doesn't look like a brothy New England boiled dinner, either: more like separate items on the plate, with the back bacon topped with a creamy sauce based on bechamel or the sinus-clearing Coleman's mustard.
Bacon and cabbage is so lovely
Had it in a pub in Cork, but there was no bechemel sauce. Irish bacon is the best.
I suspect the locals would refer to it as "white gravy".
Back when I had the Cheap Eats gig for The Boston Phoenix, I reviewed the bygone Terrie's Place, an ancient City Point diner, and not knowing what smoked shoulder is, immediately marking me as Not a Local. (Well, that, and my Anton Ego navy velvet suit and jaunty scarf.)
Turns out it's cheaper, bonier ham-like product made from the pig's foreleg, not the nicer hindquarter. It's commonly used in the Southie version of boiled dinner instead of corned beef, so it's more of a nod to Irish heritage that way, as Irish bacon is much more like ham in flavor and texture than American-style streaky bacon. Good stuff.
Geez...
Let the guy live!
Deliciousness of corned beef
Varies greatly according to the skill of the chef. It's one of those things that people who can't cook think they can cook. But it will taste better if prepared by someone who knows how to cook.
Sounds like it was awful in your house.
I've had a 6-lb. brisket brining in my fridge since last Friday.
Should be ready for simmering by tomorrow. Pretty easy process, once you track down the necessary Prague Powder #1. Damned if I could find salt with corn-kernel-size grains, though. Had to resort to ordinary kosher salt.
Are you saying my mother can't cook?
Okay, she couldn't boil spaghetti, but real Irish cooking- shepherd's pie, pot roast, and all manner of potatoes- she could do, but I stand my claim. The crap people eat here on St. Patrick's Day is not what will be eaten in Ireland, and not just because it is Friday.
I was guessing
And it looks like I hit the mark.
My point is: corned beef brisket is just one way to cook a brisket. If you can cook a brisket other ways and have it come out delicious, you can cook a corned beef brisket and have it come out delicious too. Corned beef is only crap if you make it that way.
I don't care what they eat in Ireland. In my house, any excuse for a brisket is good enough.
Boil cabbage, however, I will not.
Where can folks find beer
Where can folks find beer downtown on Friday? I don't want to come into the city and be unable to find beer. Suggestions please.
No beer in downtown Boston. Those people are fancy: they
only drink fine wines, rarified spirits, vintage sakes and sojus, and kale/wheatgrass smoothies.
But
But there is something called "microbrew" which I think is similar to beer?
Don't be fooled by "brew" in the name. That stuff
is usually some dumb color like orange or brown, and tastes all bitter and like weird flowers when it doesn't have watermelon or peach flavor in it. It's the devil's malt liquor.
And what's this "Coldbrew"I keep hearing of?
I thought all beer was cold. Except for certain parts of Europe where local savages drink it warm.
cabbage
One thing I found out as an adult--after years of having my main, disappointing cabbage dish of the year on SPD--is that cabbage isn't fucking disgusting. Go figure.
Did you go to Jacob Wirth or something?
(ayyyyyy)
no
But coincidentally the other dish my mother used to make which also helped lead to my aversion to cabbage was sauerkraut. I love kimchi as an adult; it probably comes down to preparation, as boiled/overcooked food in general is pretty gross.
Anna's Taqueria is doing its
Anna's Taqueria is doing its corned beef and cabbage burrito again. I wouldn't consider their Beacon Hill location to be in Downtown as such, but depending on where Popoulis is it might be close enough.