Even if you don’t celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with parade-watching and partying, take the occasion to enjoy an Irish Coffee—a simply wonderful cup of coffee enhanced with Irish whiskey and whipped cream.

It will be especially welcome in our neck of the woods: Mother Nature is giving us a wind chill factor in the teens, and possible snow.

You might think that Irish Coffee is a centuries-old drink, enjoyed by generations of Irish folk around a hot fire at home or at the pub.

But truth be told, it originated in the era around World War II during the dawn of transatlantic plane travel, when air travelers from America to Ireland took an 18-hour seaplane to Port of Foynes in County Limerick.

In cold, damp weather, a hot cup of coffee or tea was offered upon arrival. When “something stronger” was requested, Irish Coffee was born.

The name purportedly was bestowed when an American asked if the beverage was made with Brazilian coffee. He was told in return, “This is Irish coffee.”

Irish Coffee. Any glass will do. Photo courtesy Rogers & Cowan.

Here’s the full story.

So get out the bottle of Bushmills, Jameson or Tullamore Dew. You don’t need a special glass handled pedestal mug that evolved to serve Irish coffee; any glass will do.

Here’s the original Irish Coffee recipe plus variations. And if you don’t like coffee, there’s a recipe for Irish Hot Chocolate.

Sláinte!*
 
*Pronounced SLAWN-cha, SLON-che or SLON-tih depending on the area of Ireland, it means “health!” in Gaelic.
  

Baked avocado “fries.” Photo courtesy
Chobani.

This recipe from Chobani is a fun way to enjoy avocado—cooked! Since the avocado will be sliced and baked, it should be firm, not guacamole-soft.

RECIPE: BAKED AVOCADO FRIES WITH
CILANTRO LEMON DIPPING SAUCE

Ingredients

 
For The Dipping Sauce

Preparation

1. PREHEAT oven to 350°F.

2. MIX together bread crumbs, pepper, salt and cumin in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.

3. CUT the avocados in half and then slice them vertically.

4. DREDGE the avocado slices in the flour, then in the beaten egg, then in the breadcrumbs.

5. LAY on baking sheet covered with parchment paper to prevent sticking.

6. BAKE for 10-12 minutes, checking frequently on status (baking times vary between ovens). Meanwhile…

7. MAKE the dipping sauce. Place the yogurt, cilantro and lemon juice in a blender and mix until smooth and creamy in texture.

8. TRANSFER baked avocados to a serving plate and serve immediately with dip.

Alas, leprechauns don’t deliver treats on St. Patrick’s Day (they could take a tip from the Easter Bunny). You’ll have to bake your own leprechaun gingerbread men.

Make your own gingerbread cookie recipe or use this one from Brown Eyed Baker for Grandma’s Molasses:

RECIPE: GINGERBREAD MEN

Ingredients For 30 Cookies

2. SCATTER butter pieces over flour mixture and process until mixture is sandy and resembles very fine meal, about 15 seconds. With machine running, gradually add molasses and milk; process until dough is evenly moistened and forms soft mass, about 10 seconds. (Alternatively, in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, stir together flour, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt and baking soda at low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Stop mixer and add butter pieces; mix at medium-low speed until mixture is sandy and resembles fine meal, about 1½ minutes. Reduce speed to low and, with mixer running, gradually add molasses and milk; mix until dough is evenly moistened, about 20 seconds. Increase speed to medium and mix until thoroughly combined, about 10 seconds.)

3. SCRAPE dough onto work surface; divide in half. Working with one portion of dough at a time, roll ¼-inch thick between two large sheets of parchment paper. Leaving dough sandwiched between parchment layers, stack on cookie sheet and freeze until firm, 15 to 20 minutes. (Alternatively, refrigerate dough 2 hours or overnight.)

4. PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

5. REMOVE one dough sheet from freezer; place on work surface. Peel off top parchment sheet and lay it back in place. Flip dough over; peel off and discard second parchment layer. Cut dough into gingerbread people or round cookies, transferring shapes to parchment-line cookie sheets with a wide metal spatula, spacing them ¾-inch apart. Repeat with remaining dough until cookie sheets are full.

6. BAKE cookies until set in centers and dough barely retains imprint when touched very gently with fingertip, 8 to 11 minutes, rotating cookie sheet from front to back halfway through baking time. Do not overbake. Cool cookies on sheets 2 minutes, then remove with wide metal spatula to wire rack; cool to room temperature.

7. GATHER scraps; repeat rolling, cutting and baking in steps 3 and 5. Repeat with remaining dough until all dough is used.

6. DECORATE with royal icing once cookies are cool. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
 
ROYAL ICING RECIPE

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. SIFT together sugar and cream of tartar.

2. BEAT in 4 beaten egg whites with an electric mixer. Beat for about 5 minutes or until the mixture is thick enough to hold its shape.

3. TINT with food color as desired.

What a great accompaniment to a pre-dinner beer on St. Patrick’s Day! The “shamrock” is made with a shamrock cookie cutter and sliced avocado.

Who’d have thought to pair corned beef and avocado? The California Avocado Commission!

And they’re not just for St. Patrick’s Day. Serve them with a beer anytime with a regular slice of avocado on top; or use a different cookie cutter for other holidays.
 
 
RECIPE: SHAMROCK AVOCADO & CORNED BEEF BITES

Ingredients

1. MAKE the shamrocks. With the peel still on, slice four slices (¼-inch thick) from the sides of the whole avocado. Remove the pit from the center section and slice the avocado in half lengthwise. Then peel the slices.

2. USING a small shamrock-shaped cookie cutter, cut shamrock-shaped avocado pieces for each cracker. Cover the surface with plastic wrap so avocado doesn’t discolor; set aside.

3. PLACE the remaining avocado in a small bowl and stir in the pickles. Spread the avocado mixture on each cracker.

4. TOP with two squares of corned beef, then an avocado shamrock. Serve.
 
 
MORE IRISH-STYLE RECIPES

Vermont Smoke and Cure has added three new turkey flavors to its award-winning RealSticks collection.

Made from all-natural, humanely raised turkey, the new RealSticks flavors include Turkey Ancho, Turkey Honey Mustard and Turkey Uncured Pepperoni. They join BBQ, Chipotle, Cracked Pepper and Original.

For those who want an all natural, grab-and-go meat snack, the one-ounce sticks are easy to carry and easy to eat—no mess. They provide a boost of long-lasting energy for just 70 calories per stick, and 0-2 carbs depending on flavor. The products are gluten free and have no unpopular additives: no antibiotics, no hormones, no sodium nitrite, no preservatives, no soy and no MSG.

The snacks meet USDA school snack sodium guidelines, with 75% less fat and 50% less salt than leading brands.

RealSticks retail for $1.69 per 1-ounce stick or $29.95 per box of 24 sticks. You can find them at natural foods stores, select Whole Foods Markets, specialty outdoor retailers, and online at VtSmokeAndCure.com.