Spotlight on notable Irish-Americans

There is no denying that Irish eyes are smiling come the month of March. With the widely celebrated and festive Saint Patrick's Day arriving mid-month, the parades and shamrocks might overshadow the fact that there's more to Irish heritage than Saint Patrick's Day. In fact, the entire month of March is dedicated to Irish-American heritage.

In 1840, many Irish people emigrated to North America to escape the great potato famine happening in Ireland. Today almost 40 million people claim Irish ancestry, and there are millions of Irish-Americans making contributions to the United States each and every day, with notable Irish-Americans in all walks of life. Here are just a handful of people of Irish heritage who have made strides in their respective disciplines through the years.

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What is corned beef?

At least once a year people gather to enjoy a dish that is widely associated with Irish culture. Corned beef is a meat that is customarily served alongside potatoes and cabbage. Many people understand the "beef: part of the corned beef name, but do not understand the "corned" part.

Corning refers to pickling meat in brine. Brines, which are composed of salt water, were often used to preserve meats when refrigeration was not available.

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Bake delicious soda bread

Soda bread has become a staple of St. Patrick's Day celebrations. But the tradition of Irish soda bread is a relatively recent one, especially when considering the extensive history of Irish culture.

In the 1800s, yeast breads were practically unheard of in rural Ireland. Yeast bread took a while to make and the results were not consistent to make it a worthwhile venture for many households. Instead, people began experimenting with baking soda as a leavening agent. Not only was it a quick way to produce the aeration necessary for bread, the results also were more consistent than using yeast.

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