Corned beef, a quintessential Irish dish served by all sorts of folks for St. Patrick's Day dinner, takes its name from the grains of coarse salt ("the corns") used in curing and brining the slabs of brisket. According to my beloved Penguin Companion to Food (the most valuable and entertaining resource for quick, comprehensive food information), Ireland's leading food historian Regina Sexton traces the deep Irish love for this meat back to this wonderful quote from an 11th-century text: "Many wonderful provisions, pieces of every palatable food... full without fault, perpetual joints of corned beef."
Seattle is lucky to have its own perpetual joint of corned beef: Market House Meats, a brining mecca and corned beef meat market with hand-painted signs on the corner of Minor Avenue and Howell Street, which celebrated its 60th anniversary two weeks ago. Founded by the Akrish family in 1948, Market House was owned and operated by two generations of Akrishes until 2005, when it was sold to Vic Embry. Embry and his wife, who can be found working at Market House on any given day, kept the Akrish corned beef recipe (which, no doubt, has kept loyal customers—both restaurants and individuals—coming back) and added a deli serving sandwiches and the most potent fresh horseradish in town. On a recent afternoon, a customer (perhaps stocking up for a St. Patrick's Day feast) bought 22 pounds of brisket and was given a Reuben sandwich on the house. 
Market House Meats, 1124 Howell St, 624-9248, Mon–Fri 11am–2 pm.
