Happy St. Pat's Day 2011!

St. Patrick’s Day takes place each year on March 17, his traditional religious feast day. There are 36.5 million U.S. residents with Irish roots. This number is almost nine times the population of Ireland itself (more than four million). 

When March 17th arrives this year, be prepared to raise your glass and toast your Irish friends! Kokopelli's Kitchen has found some recipes for unique southwest drinks that should be fun to share. And rather than simply saying "Slainte", use one of the traditional Irish sayings and proverbs for saying "Cheers" in Ireland that we were lucky enough to find!

FILL YOUR GLASSES WITH a TASTE of the SOUTHWEST

The recipes that we've selected are from the "Grand Canyon Cook Book" by Bruce & Bobbi Fischer. Permission to print granted by Golden West Publishers, 4113 N. Longview, Phoenix, AZ 85014.

Arizona Sangria

• 1 bottle (750 ml) RED WINE
• 1 ORANGE, peeled & squeezed
• 1 LEMON, sliced
• 1 LIME, sliced
• 3 Tbsp. BRANDY
• 1 fresh PEACH, sliced
• 1/2 cup fresh RASPBERRIES
• 1 bottle (7 oz.) SPARKLING WATER

Pour the wine into a large glass pitcher. Peel the orange in a long spiral strip. Put the peel in the wine, with one end of the spiral curled over the spout of the pitcher. Squeeze the orange, and add the juice to the wine along with the lemon and lime slices and the brandy. Allow this to stand in the refrigerator for three hours. One hour before serving add the remaining fruit.

Before serving, add sparkling water. Pour Sangria into tall glasses half-filled with ice cubes. If desired, add additional fruit to glasses.



Frozen Margaritas

• 1/2 cup TRIPLE SEC
• 2 cups TEQUILA
• 2 qts. SWEET AND SOUR MIX
• 2 cups CRUSHED ICE
• MARGARITA SALT
• FRESH LIMES

In a bowl, mix together the triple sec, tequila, sweet and sour mix and crushed ice and place in the freezer for 24 hours. About one hour before the party starts remove the mixture from the freezer from the freezer and allow to thaw somewhat (you want a good, slushy consistency to the mix). Cut the limes into wedges and run each slice around the lip of the margarita glass. Dip the edge of each glass in the margarita salt, pour in the margarita mix and place the lime wedge on the rim. You're now ready to start your party!  Serves 10 - 12.

HERE'S TO THE IRISH 

Some great phrases to toast your Irish friends.

Health and long life to you
Land without rent to you
The partner of your heart to you
And when you die, may your bones rest in Ireland

May your fire be as warm as the weather is cold.

May you get all your wishes but one,
So you always have something to strive for

As you slide down the banisters of life may the splinters never point the wrong way.

May your blessings outnumber
The shamrocks that grow,
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go.

Here's to your coffin....
May it be built of 100 year old oaks which I will plant tomorrow

May the best day of your past be the worst day of your future.

May your neighbor respect you,
Troubles neglect you,
The angels protect you,
And Heaven accept you.

An old Irish recipe for longevity:
Leave the table hungry.
Leave the bed sleepy.
Leave the bar thirsty.

May you live to be a hundred years, with one extra year to repent.

May you never forget what is worth remembering,
Or remember what is best forgotten.

May you be in heaven one half hour before the devil knows you're dead.

May you have the hindsight to know where you've been,
The insight to know where you are,
and the foresight to known when you've gone too far.

May you have warm words on a cold evening,
A full moon on a dark night,
And the road downhill all the way to your door.

May God bring good health to your enemies' enemies

May you never make an enemy
When you could make a friend-
Unless you meet a fox among your chickens.

 (Source: The History Channel website. Retrieved March 2, 2011, from http://www.history.com/topics/topics/slainte-st-patricks-day)