Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I like food! There, I said it in case anyone thought otherwise. Growing up you would have thought I didn't since I was such a picky eater (don't judge me). Everything I ordered was plain, dry, or sweet. Those were the standards in my younger years. I can't say why I was this way (other than the fact that my mom let me), but I do know to this day I have issues with texture (cursed coconut with your delicious flavor and flaky texture!). If it doesn't have a good consistency, I usually don't like it. However, since my wife has been in my life she's introduced me to many different foods (mostly against my will). I can't say I like everything, but my horizons have definitely been broadened (Jessica: "That's debatable.").

All that to say, most people who celebrate St. Patrick's Day will be enjoying the Irish-American tradition of eating corned beef and cabbage. A meal to which I do not like. I can deal with the cabbage and the potatoes and carrots, but it's that corned beef that I cannot stand. I'm not much of a brisket eater since I do not like fatty (sponge-like) portions of meat, so it could be the reason I have such a distaste for corned beef. I can honestly say that I never had it growing up since my mom never made it and I can't ever recall going to someone's house to eat this nasty meat (to which I most assuredly would have declined).

(Interesting fact: In the late 1800's corned beef was originally used as a substitute for bacon by Irish-American immigrants because of the limited supply and cost of pork.)

(Interesting thought: If this were the case, then why not switch back to pork? I mean, I liked Top Ramen noodles back in the day because they were cheap and everywhere, but I'm not eating them anymore if I don't have to. I'm just saying.)

Now, I like pastrami, which I know is the same meat cooked and prepared differently. If that were the tradition I would definitely eat it then. Or maybe if it were bacon and cabbage, like the Irish eat it, then I'd definitely have my portion. But for some reason corned beef doesn't make my list of most desirable food (it's one below eggplant, and two below chile rellenos). So, last night at our regular "Tuesday Night Dinner @ Nana's", we brought our own dinner..........the oh so deliciously tasting......In-N-Out! I know it must be a sin or something to bring your own dinner to a place that 51 out of 52 weeks serves amazingly prepared food, but we did.

So, I think our new St. Patrick's Day traditional meal will now be In-N-Out. I don't think it's such a bad idea. And if In-N-Out would just supply bacon to their burgers it would be perfect!