Eat, It's Good for You!

While those observing Lent may be solemnly fasting, there are others who have holidays to celebrate, with much feasting.

The first is Purim, which takes place this weekend. For this, your menu might include chicken soup with kreplach, brisket, poppy seed cookies, honey cake, and a lot of Manischewitz wine. (Although, as Gerry Altman once reminded us, "It doesn't matter how much bagels and lox you eat, it won't make you Jewish.")

The next great national holiday on our list is St. Patrick's Day, March 17, and one hopes that even for Lent observers, this will be a feast day. To honor St. Pat: boxty, colcannon, and, of course, corned beef and cabbage. Start brining that corned beef now.

Those of us who read George McManus's "Bringing Up Father" with Maggie and Jiggs will remember that Jiggs was a regular patron of Dinty Moore's saloon, where he enjoyed the Irish stew, and perhaps a drop or two of Old Bushmills or Johnny Jameson's. Didn't even have to be St. Patrick's Day.

Eat, already! Sing! Enjoy!