All things end, so my friend, we too shall be parting...
It's hard to think that months ago I was begging for a change of scenery and now my time in Italy has officially come and gone. I can't say I'll miss the bureaucracy, or the silly siestas, but the food is going to be hard to cope with. I didn't even love it while I was there, but now I miss it almost as much as I miss Chipotle! God, I am uncultured. Just as shocking, I only have five more weeks left in Scotland's capital. I always seem to leave places just as the weather is starting to look up. Such is life.
This will mark my third St.Patrick's Day celebrated outside of the US. To be clear, Italy doesn't really get it so I'm sure I made some people perturbed. Dublin clearly knows what's going on but was filled with more visitors than locals. Scotland fell somewhere in between; there were hats and green articles, but no Shamrock Shakes. Pity. To add to the shame, I didn't celebrate it until the next day because I can't get my priorities straight. When it did finally come together, a feast was had with traditional and contemporary aspects. There was soda bread, potatoes, and Guinness, but I also made an onion soup and coleslaw with red cabbage, because what can I say, I thrive on excitement and change. Baileys would have been great with dessert, but instead we just had homemade chocolate chip cookies. Green mustaches and shameless selfies capped the evening. It was certainly the most tame of holidays I've had, but it never amazes me to see how much can change and still feel a bit like home.
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Purple Coleslaw
This is best if it sits for at least a day, so plan accordingly. Shred roughly 6 cups of red cabbage very finely. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, add the mayonnaise, marmalade, raisins, and vinegar. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and then add the cabbage and toss to coat. Lastly, roughly chop a handful of parsley and lightly fold it in. This should last for about a week in the refrigerator.
Recipe
6 c red cabbage, finely shredded
1/2 c mayonnaise
3 Tbsp orange marmalade, chopped
1/4 c raisins, chopped
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1/2 cup parsley, roughly chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
