Sláinte!

May the road rise up to meet you...

 Irish phrases with wonderful meanings are beautiful.

 But really, on a day like Saint Patrick's Day,

 the only Irish I want to hear is 

"Ba mhaith leat eile Guinness?" 

 And my answer... 

"Yes, I would love another!"

Anyone who knows me, knows that Guinness is my favorite beer.  

There is simply nothing like it.  

The thick, creamy, smooth, slightly sweet goodness.

 Cannot be matched by another.

So once a year I take advantage of my Irish heritage

 and plan my day around my beer.  

I start by making my famous Guinness Stew.
My husband wants to know how I can call it "famous".
Since this is my first time making it. 
It's my blog and I am entitled to a little poetic license!!!!

 My favorite beer-drinker/helper/guy, who just so happens to have 

the Irish name of Dallas, asks me,

 "Whats the thing in the can?"

 as he's talking he is cutting the can open (yes with my good knifes)

 and the he shows it to me.

We do exactly what you expect us to and go to The GOOGLE.

This is what we found out;

it's a nitrogen cartridge so it pours like it does on draught…

Here's the science of it...in Crystal speak…

The can is fitted with a small plastic hollow ball thingy (Guinness calls it a "smoothifier") it sits in the bottom of the can. Said ball thingy has a pocket that is open through a tiny hole in its top. The oxygen is vacuumed from the can, then they fill it with beer. Before sealing the can, liquid nitrogen is added to the beer. The can is sealed and as the liquid nitrogen gets all warm and snuggly, a pressure is created. The pressure forces a tiny bit of the beer and nitrogen into the plastic ball thingy. When the can is opened, the pressure is released and the tiny amount of beer in the ball thingy is forced back through the tiny hole like a volcano spitting lava into the sky after the natives have sacrificed a virgin to Brian, the all powerful volcano god.  This mixes the nitrogen with the beer thus creating the “smoothifier effect”

Next we drink a Guinness (or four )

Stir the stew,

 prepare the bread bowls,  

have another (or two).

Time to eat!

I would like to applaud Guinness for  the following;

Guinness Drops Sponsorship Of New York's

 St. Patrick's Day Parade Over Anti-Gay Stance

Although LGBT participants are permitted in both Boston and New York's St. Patrick's Day parades, they are prohibited from carrying signs or banners identifying themselves as such.

Guinness has a strong history of supporting diversity and being an advocate for equality for all. We were hopeful that the policy of exclusion would be reversed for this year’s parade. As this has not come to pass, Guinness has withdrawn its participation. We will continue to work with community leaders to ensure that future parades have an inclusionary policy.

While writing this, I am enjoying my last Guinness of this, 

most wonderful day of the year, St. Patrick's Day

Slàinte,

       Crystal