Irish (American) Delights - A St. Patrick's Day List

As St. Patrick's Day approaches, America begins to be interested in all things Irish...or I should say, in all things we THINK are Irish. Americans may not be known for their knowledge of other countries, but we do know how to have a good time. A good deal of Irish blood flows through America, which probably helps with that.

To celebrate my Scotch-Irish heritage this year, I had planned to do some cooking and drink experiments and come our with some new recipes. However, I celebrated too hard on Saturday and can't stand for any length of time. (Actually, I fell and busted my knee marching in the city's St. Paddy's parade, but that isn't as fun of a story to tell.) Instead, I've had plenty of time to read fellow bloggers' posts and I'll curate my favorites for you.

In case you aren't pleased with being considered an ignorant American, Mental Floss has put together 15 Delightful Facts About St. Patrick's Day for you.

Drinks: 

Apparently, anything that is the color green is considered an appropriate imbibe for St. Paddy's.

It's green...

This one wins my vote for the weirdest: The Green Patrick is a green twist on the bloody mary.

This recipe is a godsend to all vegans and people with dairy allergies. My first Irish love, Bailey's Irish Cream - made homemade vegan! Even if you aren't vegan, a look at all the chemicals in store-bought Bailey's is enough to make you want to make your own.

There are those occasional times when you might need a respite from the alcohol, or maybe you're making something for the kids to enjoy, too. This Green Pistachio Smoothie is a good answer to that.

Music:

This is how we roll in Huntsville. Bourbon and Shamrocks outdoor concert (these guys can also be seen jamming while riding in a pirate ship in our St. Patrick's Day parade):

 Great Irish drinking songs:
"Kiss Me, I'm Shitfaced" by Dropkick Murphys
"Another Irish Drinking Song" by Da Vinci's Notebook
and here's one to watch after you've a couple o' pints in ya.

And, as idle hands are the devil's tool, here's something to knit up for next year.
Or, if it's still cold where you live, this is a must have for any drinking adventure: Beer mitt . If you don't knit have someone make it for you, because...awesomeness -- I mean, faith and begorrah!

Because Beer and Mushrooms

Mushrooms may be my most favorite thing to put in my mouth - and you know that's a wide statement. Recently, I ran across a recipe on the internet that combined mushrooms with beer. While I may not be quite as crazy about beer, I do love to cook with it. I simplified the recipe even more and made a batch of mushrooms that melt in your mouth.

I took 24 oz of small button mushrooms, washed them, and tossed them whole in to a wok. Other large skillets would work, too. I then added a cup of beer - this leaves a couple of ounces to just drink and enjoy while the food is cooking. For this particular venture, I choose Yellowhammer Rebellion. It's not to my taste for drinking (just a personal choice; it's a finely crafted beer), but this red ale held the perfect flavor to blend in with the mushrooms.

Turn the stove to a medium heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until most of the beer has cooked out. You can add other spices of course. I added 2 teaspoon of canned coconut milk and a little bit of salt. Butter is another option, but since Yellowhammer is a vegan beer, why spoil things?

Most foods cooked in beer have only a slight bittery aftertaste to them, but these mushrooms go whole hog with the beer flavor. I think Rebellion may be perfection for this but let me know about your experiements with other brands of beer.