Ever wonder how St. Patrick's Day became associated with drinking?
The custom of imbibing alcohol on St. Patrick's Day comes from an old Irish legend. As the story goes, St. Patrick was served a measure of whiskey that was considerably less than full. St. Patrick took this as an opportunity to teach a lesson of generosity to the innkeeper. He told the innkeeper that in his cellar resided a monstrous devil who fed on the dishonesty of the innkeeper. In order to banish the devil, the man must change his ways. When St. Patrick returned to the hostelry some time later, he found the owner generously filling the patrons' glasses to overflowing. He returned to the cellar with the innkeeper and found the devil emaciated from the landlord's generosity, and promptly banished the demon, proclaiming thereafter everyone should have a drop of the "hard stuff" on his feast day.
This custom is known as Pota Phadraig or Patrick's Pot. The custom is known as "drowning the shamrock" because it is customary to float a leaf of the plant in the whiskey before downing the shot.
Here are some recipes that are guaranteed to give you more than a leprechaun sized hangover!
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SHAMROCK Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients:
3 Dashes Green Chartreuse
1 Part Dry Vermouth
1 Part Irish Whiskey
3 Dashes Green Mint Liqueur
1 Whole Green Olive
Fill a mixing glass with ice cubes. Add all ingredients. Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a green olive.
Sparkling Shamrock
Sure, this cocktail was designed as a St. Patrick's Day drink, but it is also ideal for refreshing sipper all spring and summer long. It focuses on a combination of fruit, including fresh cucumber and lemon with pear vodka, and the herbs elderflower and mint.
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Drunk Punch Love
Ingredients
1 gal limeade (frozen and prepared or bottled)
2 liters Sprite
3 cups dark rum
Lime sherbet
Pineapple juice or other
citrus to taste
Mix all ingredients in a large pitcher or cooler, top with scoops of the lime sherbet or top each glass with a scoop.
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Sparkling Shamrock
Sure, this cocktail was designed as a St. Patrick's Day drink, but it is also ideal for refreshing sipper all spring and summer long. It focuses on a combination of fruit, including fresh cucumber and lemon with pear vodka, and the herbs elderflower and mint.
1 1/2 parts GREY GOOSE® La Poire Flavored Vodka
1/2 part St. Germain® Elderflower Liqueur
2 parts juiced cucumber
1/2 part lemon juice
1/2 part simple syrup
Lemonade or club soda
Mint leaves for garnish
Cucumber slices for garnish
Lemon zest for garnish
Preparation:
In a cocktail shaker, mix all ingredients.
Shake vigorously and double strain.
Serve in a highball glass with cubed ice and garnish with mint, cucumber slices and lemon zest.
Top with lemonade or club soda.
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