No corned beef, St. Patrick should be honored with Italian food

Wednesday is the feast of St. Patrick's Day. It's the day we celebrate Saint Patrick driving the snakes out of Ireland and into the various law offices throughout New Jersey. It's also the day for lots of drinking, both adult beverages and shamrock shakes, and the eating of corned beef and cabbage.

Now if you're looking for some great corned beef and cabbage recipes or just want to ditch the idea of trying this at home and would like to go out, here's a list of places you may want to try.

Not everyone is a fan of corned beef and cabbage. First off, you have to get it exactly right otherwise the meat will be too tough or salty. Cooking the cabbage will make your kitchen smell like your bathroom, and nothing says flavor like a boiled potato. Corned beef and cabbage may be the reason people drink so much.

If not done right, corned beef and cabbage could be an awful meal. Notice none of the convenience stores sell it as a sandwich. Even they are smart enough to turn the cabbage into coleslaw, add Russian dressing and call it a Reuben. And no you can't substitute a Reuben for corned beef and cabbage.

But what you can substitute or should be able to substitute for corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick's Day is Italian food. Why? Because St. Patrick was Italian and if you really want to honor him, you really should be eating the food of his heritage. Given the choice between corned beef and cabbage and your least favorite Italian dish, which would you rather have? I rest my case.

Mangia! It's St. Patrick's Day!

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Steve Trevelise. Any opinions expressed are Steve's own. Steve Trevelise is on New Jersey 101.5 Monday-Thursday from 7pm-11pm. Follow him on Twitter @realstevetrev.