Tantalizing Thursday

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Although I am not of Irish decent (to my knowledge) I don the color green, wish everyone I greet with a “Happy St. Patrick’s Day”, and don’t mind eating green foods. As this is Tantalizing Thursday, I thought it appropriate to highlight foods to eat and beverages to imbibe on this, the greenest of the holidays.

Certainly there are traditional foods that can be purchased, prepared, and consumed on St. Patrick’s Day. Corned beef and cabbage, Irish soda bread, and beer spring to mind as traditional favorites. I recently tried Irish soda bread and found it to be a lot more delicious than I remembered from childhood when I detested it. The raisin and I, however, have embarked on a new relationship since I entered adulthood and the bread is rather tasty with it being chock full of them! But the rest of the offerings are not really my thing, so this post will showcase my unique way of adding some green into your St. Patrick’s Day celebration. Whether a purist or someone just looking to have a good time, these ideas are all meant to enhance your St. Patrick’s Day.

Bagels with green food coloring, although difficult to wrap one’s brain around, as they look quite rancid, are an acceptable way to start your morning on March 17^th. Take it a step further and add a green cream cheese. Pour a bowl of Fruit Loops and pick out all of the other colors save green. The milk will eventually get dyed green, too! Don’t forget the Dr. Seuss classic green eggs and ham as a breakfast option. “Try it, you may like it. Try it I say.” Some of you are culinary geniuses and may be able to whip up a healthy and delicious green smoothie. Good for you, I just don’t have those superpowers.

For lunch have a green salad (you’re welcome) with Green Goddess salad dressing. Quite frankly, I don’t know what it is or what it tastes like, but I’ve heard the name a lot recently and it must be good.  Other green options include guacamole and chips, green apples or pears, and… blue cheese. Well, I know it’s “blue” but a lot of times it looks green! And, after lunch, when the dreaded 3:00p slump occurs, go buy a pack of M&Ms and, you guessed it, just eat the green ones.

Dinnertime is a time to eat pasta with pesto! If you are a meat and potatoes type, throw some dill on your spuds, and have some frozen vegetables like carrots, peas, and little onions. The colors are the same as the Irish flag! If there is any left, have the guacamole with a Mexican dish instead. Don't forget all of the leafy greens and veggies like spinach, Romaine, broccoli, asparagus, and artichokes. The choices are limitless and you are only held back by your own imagination.

Of course beer is on many people’s minds, but, if you are like me and can’t stand beer, whip up some frozen margaritas! They have a green tint and go well with the guacamole! Limeade is good or a Sprite with a green cherry might be refreshing! I don’t know where to get a green cherry, but they are often in fruitcakes so I recommend cutting the one you still have from Christmas and picking some out to add to your soda. Lastly, when I was in Portugal a few years back I was introduced to Green Wine. It is very tasty, has a lower alcohol content, and a slight bubbliness. It is fantastic and, after having several that I feared would land me in hangover Hell, I was absolutely fine the next morning.

For dessert, whipped cream can be dyed green, the Christmas fruitcake can be recycled if you left the green cherries intact, pistachio pudding can be prepared, or mint chocolate chip ice cream can be savored.  For those of you who enjoy, I understand Irish Crème in coffee is delightful.

Whatever your taste is, wherever your St. Patrick’s Day takes you, I wish you a very happy one, a safe one, and a green one! Enjoy!!