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.
