ST. PADDY'S DAY WITH THE MURPHY'S

It turns out that Andy & Teri celebrate St. Paddy's Day every year by cooking a full corned beef and cabbage dinner. This year they invited me over to join in the feast. The table was beautiful with festive shamrock-decorated placemats.

The dinner was delicious, with my favorite turnips in addition to the potatoes, cabbage, and carrots, and, of course, corned beef. I think I hadn't ever seen a whole corned beef before. It doesn't just come sliced in sandwiches! Andy made Irish soda bread, too, which was the piece de resistance.

The candles and lamplight emphasized the good cheer in the room.