St. Patrick’s Day

As many of you are and will be celebrating the day with green beer and corned beef and cabbage, here are some facts you may not have known:

• Corned beef and cabbage is a traditional St. Patrick's Day dish.  In 2009, roughly 26.1 pounds of beef and 2/3 billion pounds of cabbage were produced in the United States.
• Irish soda bread gets its name and distinctive character from the use of baking soda rather than yeast as a leavening agent.
• In 432, St. Patrick died . . . sort of.  It was uncertain whether he passed away on March 8th or the 9th . . . so church officials added the dates, making St. Patrick's Day March 17th.