On the Homefront: Subtle St. Patrick's Day Table

Darby O'Dall and the little "sheeple"!

The Dalmatian Darby O'Dall's

Hanging out with his favorite pals.

He calls them his "sheeple".

He knows they're not people,

But says they're the best guys and gals!

I have officially come full circle in my tablescaping blog cycle.  I posted my first table last year for St. Patrick's Day, and lo and behold that holiday has rolled around again!  The look this year is subtle with a little less green, and in shades more olive than emerald.  However, my Irish Dalmatian is back (in his emerald-green St. Patrick's Day hat).  This time he is accompanied by some Irish sheep friends as well as a leprechaun's pot of gold.  Certainly a Dalmatian has no need for gold, and he is just keeping watch over the treasure until its rightful owner returns.  Darby O'Dall is much more interested in the upcoming Irish feast, so let's get this party started!  Here is a look at the table:

Dark brown wooden bead place mat from Target; square white dinner plate (Denmark Tools For Cooks) from HomeGoods; Green Bird Dessert Plate from Pier One; white flatware from Target; olive green napkin (bought when we first moved to the Athens, GA, area, but I can't remember where); green goblet (I can't remember when or where I got this one); water glass (bought, I have no idea where, by my husband while on sabbatical in Santa Barbara, CA).

The only emerald green on the table.

A closer look at the centerpiece, with just a few pieces of
emerald green glass as an accent.

Darby's emerald-green hat and the green "grass" pad for the
sheeple stand out on this subtle table.

St. Patrick's Day is on a Monday, so the menu is quick and easy.  The main dish can be made in minutes.  The bread and cake were made the day before, and are actually better the next day!  I found the recipe for the Irish Whiskey Cake here.  If you like coffee (I don't, and my husband won't drink it in the evening), serve up some original Irish Coffee with the cake.  And if you are especially tipsy daring, have a little Bailey's Irish Cream as well!

St. Patrick's Day Menu:

Irish Soda Bread with Raisins and Caraway Seeds

Irish Butter

Potato, Cabbage, and Ham Fry-Up

Irish Whiskey Cake*

*Irish Whiskey Cake

3/4 C. butter
3/4 C. sugar
1 1/2 C. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 C. golden raisins
3 eggs, beaten
2 T. Irish whiskey (such as Jameson)
1 1/2 C. confectioner's sugar
juice of 1 orange (about 1/4 C.)

Cream the butter with the sugar in a large bowl.  Stir together the flour and baking powder, then add to the creamed mixture.  Stir in the raisins.  Beat in the eggs until well blended.  Add the whiskey and mix carefully to a dropping consistency (the batter will be thick).  Spoon the batter evenly into a greased Bundt pan.  Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

Combine the confectioner's sugar and orange juice.  Spread the icing over the warm cake.  Let the cake cool before serving.  Serves 12.

Note: There may be leftover icing, so save it to serve over individual slices of the cake.

As always, some Lindt Lindor truffles can be found on the table (I swear I don't work for them, I'm just a huge fan of their truffles!):

A black pottery "pot" of gold-wrapped white chocolate
Lindt Lindor truffles sits on a lovely white dessert
plate rimmed with shamrocks on a basket-weave edge
(dessert plate is by Global Design Connections
from HomeGoods this year).

Darby O'Dall shows off his pot of gold and little sheeple pals
(the latter are from Pier One).

And what better way to end my post than with a video of Sean Connery singing a little Irish song in the movie "Darby O'Gill and the Little People" (1959), which would be an excellent viewing choice for St. Patrick's Day!

We can ignore the fact that Connery is Scottish, not Irish.  After all, he is Sean Connery, and he sings surprisingly well!  Happy St. Patrick's Day to one and all!  Or as they say in Gaelic:

“Lá fhéile Pádraig sona dhuit!”