Syndicated column from week of March 11, 2013. I’ve been keeping an eye on the calendar and noticing that St. Patrick’s Day is fast approaching. In the spirit of Irish foods, I pulled out a traditional recipe for Colcannon. Colcannon is a combination dish of cabbage and mashed potatoes. Traditionally colcannon is served with Irish sausages, called bangers. It makes for a good side dish with roast beef or beef stew also. If you know anything about Irish history, you know the potato was a mainstay in their diet during the 1800s. A blight affected the potatoes harvested in 1845 and caused the infamous Potato Famine that resulted in so many Irish deaths and a large wave of immigration to the United States. What many people don’t realize is that the potato was a vegetable of South American origin. The early European adventurers took the potato back to their native countries with them in the 1400 and 1500s. The potato adapted to the European climate and was popular in many diets. In fact, the potato is so popular that studies show that per person consumption of potatoes in 2011 was 110 pounds. (according to www.foodreference.com) Colcannon   Ingredients: 1 pound … Continue reading →