Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Today's sunny skies, after this bleak, did I say, bleak, overly long winter (or so it seemed), makes St. Patrick's Day, that bellwether of spring to come in less than a week, welcome.

There's no better way to start the day (or perhaps finish it, if you're prone to overpartying tonight) than the Irish way, with a nice, strong cuppa tea. (The Irish drink more tea, per capita, than anyone.) Can you say, relaxation?

photo by Xavier Snelgrove

A strong cup of Irish breakfast tea, that malty, delish tea that's hearty enough for coffee drinkers, without the stomach upset. Popular Irish brands like Bewley's and Barry's are available online, as well as at local stores like The Irish Walk in Alexandria, a wonderland of all things Irish.

Not having an Irish-style meal, though (no colcannon tonight), but instead a meal inspired by Portugal, a caldo verde style stew.

Then again, that just goes to show the things different cultures can have in common, as there's both kale and potatoes in colcannon and caldo verde. And both dishes hit the spot.