Luck Of The Irish (Coffee)

By Christine Johnson

Photo by Hattie Foote

I love this time of year where it’s not quite cold enough to be winter and not hot enough for summer. The month of March brings in so many familiar and happy things. Finches on the bird feeder. Hummingbirds and bees pollinating. A brighter sun in the sky and the occasional rainbow after an early spring rain.

In my younger days, I looked at March as SPRING BREAK! That wonderful time to plan a getaway from school and your parents to a beach far enough away where they couldn’t possibly know the bad things you are doing. Spring break is THE bucket list for college students whether the residents of Florida towns where they party like it or not. Let’s also remember the true holiday in March – St. Patrick’s Day. The day where some cities dye their waterways green, and everyone becomes Irish for a day and share another rite of passage: drinking Guinness and whiskey and possibly seeing a leprechaun at the end of the rainbow.

In Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day was a feast to honor St. Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland. As Irish immigrants came to the U.S., the celebration evolved into a more secular one. Traditions of the wearing of the green, funny hats and glasses, and parades to observe the holiday have become what March 17th is all about. There also might be a wee bit of drinking involved!

Whether you are Irish, or pretend to be on March 17th, it is a festive day where friends and strangers come together to just have a great time. I think sometimes we allow too many days to go by where we don’t throw caution to the wind and have a laugh over many green beers.

So, after a long day of looking for four leaf clovers, here is a little something to help you relax and stay warm. May your day be touched by some Irish luck as you enjoy a traditional warm Irish drink.

Ingredients

1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 ½ ounces Irish Whiskey

Heavy cream – slightly whipped

Mixology

Pour hot coffee into a warm glass about ¾ full

Add the brown sugar and stir until dissolved

Blend in Irish Whiskey

Top with a spoonful of the whipped cream

Serve hot