ArcaMax

Celebrating St.Patrick’s Day

People ask me how I celebrate holidays and how I spend my free time. So today I thought I’d let you in on how I celebrated St. Patrick’s Day.

I pretty much saved myself for an evening out. I didn’t go out drinking and partying like many do on St. Patrick’s Day. I used to do that, but this year I just didn’t have it in me. On Saturday I found all the drunk people cruising the streets of Chicago rather annoying. I didn’t have any interest in joining them. Maybe I hit a midlife plateau. Don’t know.

But I did it up right last night.

We went to a new place called City Winery. City Winery is a bar, restaurant and performance venue all rolled into one. The place is stupendous. It’s a really impressive facility. It’s fun to sit in the bar and just look around. They make their own wine at City Winery so you can see all the barrels and the mechanicals. (I’ve seen this in brew pubs but never a winery in the middle of the big city). They have a guest pour program where they pour other vintner’s offerings and they also have a huge wine list of the big and famous wines too. They have some really cool private rooms for parties. Take a peek.

There is a City Winery in New York City and they are planning possible startups in places like Boston and Toronto. The service in the bar was great. We got into a fun conversation with the bartender who was wearing his family kilt. (He brings it out on holidays and wears it to things like weddings). A true, Irish bartender.

You can dine at City Winery and then also attend a performance. We had a drink in the bar and then had our dinner in the performance venue. The place seats about 300 and for St. Patrick’s Day it was pretty full.

The menu is lots of small plates but also has entrees. We didn’t go hungry. That’s for sure. Food was really good.

The performance last evening was set up for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. Sharon Shannon was the headliner. Sharon is very famous in Ireland. She’s made playing the accordion cool again. She and her piano/guitar player entertained us with many a jig as well as new music.

Chair dancing was my activity of the evening. I can remember when I was in Ireland and watching a band perform in a pub, the revelers all stomped their heels to the music and even tapped out the rhythms on the tables. They really got into it. I did that last night. Most of the audience was fairly tame but I didn’t have any problem bobbing up and down to the music. I love Irish music. It’s definitely in my blood.

Here’s taste of Sharon Shannon’s music. You can find this and lots more on You Tube or go to www.sharonshannon.com to buy music too.

I have a feeling I’m going to be heading over to City Winery a lot.

Enjoy this dessert as my treat. This is low carb so it won’t make you fat like regular cake!

Almond Flour Pound Cake

This almond pound cake is amazing on its own. Once you fry it up and cover it in whipped cream and fruit you have elevated it to a whole new level!

The first time I made this was about 20 years ago. It’s a Southern tradition that popped up in some of the fanciest restaurants. When I serve this at home people are floored by how wonderful this tastes. This can be a holiday favorite or an everyday favorite. It’s so easy!

Servings: 12 servings

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup cream cheese
8 packets of Truvia or 8 tsp
5 eggs, room temperature
2 cups almond flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla extract

For frying:

3 Tbl of butter

To Serve:

Whipped cream sweetened with Truvia

Fresh berries

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Cream butter, cream cheese, and Truvia well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one. Mix almond flour and baking powder. Add almond mixture to egg mixture a little at a time beating well after each addition. Add vanilla extract and beat. Pour into a greased springform pan, ring pan or a nine-inch round pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes.

To Fry:

Melt butter in a sauté pan. Cut the pound cake into wedges (a wedge two inches across at the top is plenty big). Balance each wedge on one side and fry on medium until just beginning to brown. Turn to the other side of the wedge and do the same thing.

To serve:

Place the warm, fried pound cake on a plate. Top with whipped cream and berries. Delightful!

Enjoy!
Cheers,
Zola