Spiking A Shamrock Shake Is An Irish Tradition

AT THE DRIVE-THRU-- Spring is the air, and just around the corner (and over the leprechaun's rainbow) is St. Patrick's Day, the annual feast day that celebrates Saint Patrick, one of the great patron saints of Ireland. And what better way to acknowledge this hallowed Irish holiday than with a tasty Shamrock Shake...mixed strongly with Irish Cream, Irish whiskey, or some other form of hard alcohol.

Yes, it's a respected tradition...mixing booze with that minty milkshake concoction, the nearly-revered Shamrock Shake. Every year, people seek to blend potent alcoholic spirits with their triple-thick green milkshakes, all in deference to the great Irish saint.

Some Irish purists insist on celebrating the holiday with green beer, choosing to hoist five or six pints of coloured draught on Saint Patrick's Day. They refuse to partake in consuming these "blended" Shamrock Shakes, suggesting that Shamrock Shakes are too filling and cause brainfreeze--although it is said that there are fewer calories in a whiskeyed-up Shamrock Shake than in a pint of Guinness poured over a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Still, millions of North Americans with flasks are seen visiting the thousands of McDonald's restaurants during the first half of March, certainly out of respect and deference for the Irish.

"I love a smooth Shamrock Shake mixed with a few shots of Bailey's [Irish Cream]", said Ryan Coque, an Irish-Canadian who loves pinching people (who refuse to wear green?) on Saint Patrick's Day. "It's a refreshing change from Slurpees and spiced rum, or Orange Crush and Peach Schnapps."

Ryan admits that he loves Saint Patrick's Day, although after a few Shamrock Shakes his wife starts to resemble Uncle O'Grimacey, which he didn't say was a good or a bad thing...