Everyone’s Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, Even Wine Drinkers

We Americans are such an ingenious population of people. If there’s something that someone else has that we want, we find a way to make it ours. Take for example St. Patrick’s Day; the day is (or was) a solemn day in Ireland. March 17th falls right in the middle of the Lenten Season and so a little leeway was given with what you were supposed to eat and drink. But in reality, if you lived in Ireland you went to church and then spent the afternoon at home enjoying a big family meal.

The first St. Patrick’s Day parade was marched in New York City by Irish soldiers fighting in the Revolutionary War. It was their way of reconnecting with their Irish roots and showing solidarity. Fast forward 200 years and we now have hundreds of St. Paddy’s Day parades all over the country. It’s a day when everyone is Irish even if they’re not. Even in Ireland they have taken a page of “Americana” and turned the day into a cause for celebration.

We all need a cause for celebration and I’m not one to turn down a good St. Paddy’s Day outing. However, I’m also not a big beer drinker, which is overwhelmingly the drink of choice on this auspicious holiday. But I don’t let that deter me. There’s nothing wrong with joining in with a drink of the vine; remember that we’re an ingenious people.

My ingenuity and taste buds allow me to pour myself a glass of Chateau Ste. Michelle Eroica Riesling. Don’t you just love that name? “Eroica.” Sounds exotic and erratic and erotic and it is just that. Its exotic flavors of orange, pineapple and lemon explode in the mouth with erratic ecstasy.

Know what I do to make this lovely little drink more of a cocktail and better suited for the occasion? I add some mint leaves. It’s the perfect touch of green and the minty flavor really draws out the fruit flavors in the wine.

Here’s another little ingenious thing I do for St. Patrick’s; I drink port. Not just any old port but the 20 year tawny from Sandeman. Port is Portuguese but remember that everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day. Sandeman’s 20 year tawny has this sort of peach cobbler drizzled with caramel flavor that goes really well with Irish aged cheddar cheese as well as with thick slices of Irish soda bread. Yummy! Is it St. Paddy’s Day yet?

On March 17th when everyone is guzzling green beer, be a little ingenious and make your own Irish fun.

Note: You may wonder why I feel so knowledgeable about St. Patrick’s Day. I am married to an Irishman who is not only proud of his roots but passes along little nuggets of Irish knowledge to anyone who cares to listen. To those of us who don’t care to listen, well, I married him; so I have no choice.


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