Category: Holidays
Quintessential Wines to Pair with Your Thanksgiving Feast
Among your list of items to get and ready for the Thanksgiving feast you’re hosting for the family is the turkey, stuffing, cranberry dressing, candied yams and pumpkin or apple pie, among others. Now, let’s take a step outside of the norm and delve into a world of flavor enhancement. And what does a more superior job of bringing out the flavors of a feast than a fine bottle of wine?
Source: http://www.seriouseats.com/images/2014/11/20141106-thanksgiving-wine-for-maggie-3.jpg
The World of White Wine
When you think of Chardonnay, its flavor is at its peak when paired with turkey and any cream-based dishes or that has cream in it. There are an ample amount of chardonnays you can try that are sure to fancy your desires, with obvious dependencies on budget. In terms of budget, there are wines on the market that can range anywhere from $10-15 per bottle to prices that soar well through the roof.
Pinot grigio is, overall, a crowd-pleaser. It might not be that “perfect” match with any specific dish on the Thanksgiving dinner table, but at the same time, it most certainly will not combat any flavors at the same time. Native to Italy is a bottle of Cavit, that won’t break the budget by any means, as a the largest bottle of Cavit can be bought for around $10-15. It’s a solid choice and has done historically well with holiday feasts.
Sauvignon Blanc is a near-natural “go-to” wine, regardless of the meal presented on the table. Contrary to pinot grigio’s limited matchings, sauvignon blanc is the better overall wine selection at Thanksgiving with its herb-filled qualities.
The World of Red Wine
That “perfect marriage” at the holiday table comes with a bottle of Pinot noir as it goes well with just about anything on the Thanksgiving menu and is best overall suited for a Thanksgiving feast. A great example of a perfect red wine at your Thanksgiving meal is a bottle of Oyster Bay which can usually go for about $16 on the shelf.
Zinfandel is another pristine wine selection at any Thanksgiving or holiday dinner table. Some top choices for a zinfandel are a Chilean bottle of Dancing Bull or from California, a bottle of Ravenswood, both which can be had for under $15, generally.
While nothing can beat an excellent Thanksgiving meal, or any holiday meal, let a bottle of red or white wine bring out the incredible flavors of every dish at your Thanksgiving dinner table this holiday season.
The Age-Old Thanksgiving Debate: Turkey Stuffing vs. Turkey Dressing
Peanut butter and jelly, wine and cheese, chicken and waffles, tea and crumpets… all are individual items, but when matched with its counter, becomes a beautiful marriage. Now, enter Turkey and Stuffing, er… scratch that, Turkey and Dressing, er… wait, which one is it? Turkey and Stuffing vs Turkey and Dressing has become a heated debate, debacle and in some circumstances, seemingly an all-out, heated holiday war among family members and friends at the Thanksgiving dinner table. A number of people claim that there is no difference between stuffing and dressing, while on the opposite end of the spectrum, there is quite the difference, nearly a night and day difference, in fact. So, is there really a difference between the two iconic, holiday sides dishes?
Source: http://i2.wp.com/plantingseedsblog.cdfa.ca.gov/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Turkey-and-stuff.jpg
HISTORY
Stuffing, in its basic form, is a seasoned mix that’s created to fill, or “stuff” the inside of the turkey, hence the name, “stuffing”. According to the Oxford English, “dressing” bears a much broader definition as it is referred to as a “seasoning substance used in cooking”. Well, that helps… actually, it confuses the debate even further…
WHAT’S COMMON
Turkey stuffing and dressing recipes are known to be interchangeable. The foundation of the recipe is generally a crumbled bread product of sorts, and this can be anything like cornbread, biscuits or sliced bread. The just of these recipes note the addition of chopped onions alongside celery. A number of recipes call for the sauteing of onions and celery to invoke a more tender taste, while other recipes maintain the firmness of the onions and celery.
WHAT’S DIFFERENT
The differences between the two, and there are a number, are truly what sets these two side dishes apart, finally… One of the main differences is that stuffing is actually “stuffed” into the turkey before it gets places in the oven, making the stuffing, genuinely stuffing. The dressing is generally put into a greased pan, and this becomes baked as well. Further, it is noted in the famous cookbook, “The Joy of Cooking” that the concoction is coined “stuffing” if it becomes cooked inside the turkey. The National Turkey Federation, yes… there is a federation for this bird, tends to think that the terms “stuffing” and “dressing” are quite interchangeable… again, with the indecisiveness.
A number of other ingredients can make these side dishes distinct or similar, and a good bit of the differences between stuffing and dressing could very well be dependent on the region in which they are made, for instance, southern regions of the US generally refer to the side dish as “dressing” while northern regions of the US refer to the side dish as “stuffing”. Additionally, there are recipe deviations across the board that might call for sausage, walnuts, cranberries, and even oysters.
ROUNDING IT ALL UP
When considering all that is on the table, perhaps the debate will continue on for years and even centuries. Perhaps, the age-old debate will never have a set-in-stone answer, and you know what? Maybe it’s best left an open-ended discussion for families, friends and those who appreciate the culinary arts to discuss and debate the similarities and differences for years to come. The main takeaway, though, is that either, “dressing” or “stuffing” are darn good with turkey!
Pumpkin Rolls Will Leave You “Fall”ing For More
As we begin turning the page on the final week of October, we are surely at the heart and splendor of Fall. With Fall, especially as we head through the last week of October and the great, mysterious and trick-filled holiday, that is Halloween, come pumpkins, scarecrows, jack-o-lanterns, costumes, trick-or-treat, Halloween parties, hayrides and many other festivities representative of the holiday also known as “All Hallow’s Eve”.
Before we delve into a fantastic and delicious holiday recipe I’ll share with you, I wanted to take a moment to divulge some of the lesser known history of Halloween. or as it originally was termed, “All Hallow’s Eve”. As we all know, Halloween has become holiday where people of all ages dress up in costume, go around their neighborhoods, and ring the doorbell of any house whose porch light is on and say “trick-or-treat”. The door would then open (hopefully) and the trick-or-treater would be greeted with candy or chocolate or any other kind of Halloween treat. People of all ages would do this on Halloween night until their hearts were content with the amount of Halloween goodies that had aggregated over the entirety of the night. Because of this tradition of going from house-to-house, saying trick-or-treat, and receiving treats on Halloween night, this night also became known as “Beggers’ Night”.
Now for the untold story of Halloween, and while many are versed in this story or are familiar with bits and pieces of the story, allow me to divulge the history of Halloween, in a nutshell, of course. Halloween was original called, “All Hallow’s Eve” and had more religious and spiritual meaning than it does today, as commercialism has taken over the holiday, as it does with most. The original intent of “All Hallow’s Eve” which still is observed today, for the most part, was to wear costumes and masks to disguise oneself in order to thwart off and frighten the evil or “malignant” spirits that, according to legend, roamed the world of the living for one night, “All Hallow’s Eve”. This night had a connection to the Christian Holy Day of “All Saints Day” which falls the day after Halloween. So, for all intents and purposes, All Hallow’s Eve was a night in which people dressed up to disguise themselves in mask and garb in order to scare off any evil spirits that may “stain” the purity of the Holy Day of All Saints Day. Through the years and centuries to come, as you can see, All Hallow’s Eve garnered much attention, especially through commercialism and transpired into what is known today as Halloween.
To celebrate the spirit of the holiday, here is a famous recipe for Pumpkin Rolls. A recipe that will have you begging for more!
Photo: http://foodnetwork.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/food/fullset/2012/11/19/1/YW0202H_pumpkin-roll-recipe_s4x3.jpg
What You’ll Need:
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, divided
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 stick butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
What To Do:
- Preheat oven to 375° F. Coat a rimmed 10″ x 15″ baking sheet with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and pumpkin pie spice.
- Stir in pumpkin and eggs. Pour mixture onto prepared baking sheet, spreading evenly.
- Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and invert onto a clean kitchen towel that has been sprinkled with 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar.
- While cake is still hot, roll it up in the towel jelly roll-style from the narrow end; cool on a wire rack.
- When cool, unroll cake and remove towel.
- In a small bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and remaining confectioners’ sugar.
- Spread onto cooled cake and immediately re-roll (without towel).
- Place on serving platter and refrigerate until ready to serve. Cut into slices just before serving.
- To give this the final touch, sprinkle on some confectioners’ sugar just before serving.
Recipe Source: http://www.mrfood.com/Cakes/Pumpkin-Spice-Roll
Remembering Memorial Day: More Than Just Picnics and Cookouts
Like every good American, I look forward to any holiday that falls on a Monday, especially during the warmer months, because like everyone else, I can’t wait for a day filled with cookouts, trips to the beach, and more importantly, no work. While having a day off for fun and relaxation is always nice, too often do we lose sight of the true meaning of the holiday and why exactly we celebrate and commemorate this day; it is not just a day for picnics and cookouts…
Though modern Memorial Day celebrations are centered around barbecues, beach trips, and blow-out sales, the holiday’s history is much more meaningful than that. A tradition that began during the Civil War, Memorial Day was, in its earliest form, the simple practice of honoring fallen soldiers by decorating their grave sites. During the years following the Civil War, the country struggled to come together as a whole again and repair itself from four years of death and destruction, and as a way to start the healing process and honor those who had lost their lives, several southern states began to observe and publicize Memorial Day celebrations. Northern states soon followed suit with their own tradition, Decoration Day, and over the next 100 years, Memorial Day was celebrated nationwide unofficially until it was finally declared a federal holiday in 1971.
Now, over a century later, Memorial Day seems to have fallen out of focus and become less about honoring the past and more about taking advantage of a day off. While the tradition of decorating graves is still alive and well, and many cities host parades and other official celebrations to mark the day, the holiday’s traditions and history seem to have gotten lost in the noise of sizzling hamburgers and kids splashing in the pool.
In case you need a reminder of the meaning of this patriotic holiday, here are 10 Memorial Day facts that will change the way you celebrate.
1. Memorial Day Has Its Roots In The Civil War
The Civil War was the deadliest conflict in U.S. history, and after its conclusion, the country had to create its first national cemeteries to accommodate all the bodies of fallen soldiers. In the late 1860s, Americans began the tradition of decorating the graves of fallen heroes in their towns and cities. From that tradition, Memorial Day was born.
2. Recently Freed Slaves Organized One Of The First Commemorations
In 1865, recently freed slaves, teachers, missionaries, and soldiers joined forces in Charleston, S.C., to honor the over 250 deceased Union soldiers buried in a Confederate prison camp. The group worked together to properly rebury the bodies, and when their work was done, they came together with community members, school children, social and aid organizations, and more to remember the fallen dead and decorate their new burial sites. It is considered one of the earliest Memorial Days in the U.S.
3. Memorial Day Was Once Called Decoration Day
In its earliest days, Memorial Day went by another name in the northern states — Decoration Day. Organizers in several cities and states began the spring tradition of decorating graves of soldiers and taking time to remember their sacrifices.
4. The Holiday Was “Founded” By General John A. Logan
General John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic, a veteran soldier of the Mexican-American and Civil War who would later become a celebrated politician, was the man behind one of the first Decoration Days. In 1868, he started the celebration we now call Memorial Day, a special day he proclaimed was meant to honor Americans who died “in defense of their country during the late rebellion” and beyond.
5. More Than 260,000 Graves Are Decorated In Arlington
While a lot of Memorial Day’s history seems to be often forgotten, one tradition remains: decorating the graves of soldiers. In the Arlington National Cemetery, the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, otherwise known as the Old Guard, has been putting flags on the more than 260,000 graves every Memorial Day for over 60 years. The tradition is known as “Flags In.”
6. Some Southern States Still Celebrate Confederate Memorial Day
Decoration Day in the northern states was meant to honor the fallen soldiers of the Union Army, but southern states wanted to honor their dead brothers and sisters, too. Confederate Memorial Day is still a state holiday in several southern states, including Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Florida, South Carolina, and North Carolina, and its traditions include ceremonies, grave decorating, re-enactments, and church services.
7. Red Poppies Are The Symbol Of The Holiday
The tradition of wearing red poppies to honor Memorial Day started in 1915 and was inspired by a World War I poem by John McCrae, “In Flanders Fields.” After Moina Michael, an American war secretary, read the poem whose lines include “In Flanders fields the poppies blow/ Between the crosses, row on row,” Michael began wearing a silk poppy to honor fallen soldiers and eventually started selling them to her friends and coworkers, and even campaigned for them to become an official symbol of memorial. In 1921, the American Legion adopted the poppy as their symbol, and still sells them on Memorial Day today.
8. Waterloo, New York Is Recognized As The Birthplace Of Memorial Day
May different cities and towns, including Boalsburg, Pennsylvania, claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day, but Waterloo, New York, is officially considered the starting place of the holiday. Thanks to a presidential proclamation in 1966, Waterloo, a town that has held a Memorial Day celebration annually since 1866, is the only town that can make that claim to fame, though many others still try.
9. Activists Use The Day To Bring Attention To POWs And Soldiers MIA
This Memorial Day marks the 29th Rolling Thunder Annual Memorial Day Demonstration, an activist tradition started by Vietnam War veterans that seeks to bring attention to prisoners of war and soldiers missing in action. For nearly three decades, thousands of bikers descend on Washington, D.C., each Memorial Day weekend to not only raise awareness for their cause, but to remember those soldiers missing or lost, to visit memorials, and to hear speeches from other veterans, supporters, and politicians.
10. Memorial Day’s Moment Of Silence Is A Law
When Memorial Day’s moment of silence comes around on Monday, you shouldn’t just observe it because it’s respectful, but because it’s the law. In 2000, Congress passed legislation declaring 3 p.m. local time the National Moment of Remembrance, and in 2010, Barack Obama released a Presidential Proclamation asking all Americans to observe the moment.
SPECIAL EDITION: Mother’s Day Gift Ideas
What better way to show mom you care this Mother’s Day than with a homemade gift from the heart? A gift with a personal touch, a gift that has your love embedded into the materials, because you made it! With the big day just 48 hours away, Martha Stewart shares some last-minute DIY gift ideas mom will love.Martha Stewart shows how to make DIY gifts for Mother’s Day
Splattered pom pom flowers
Sick of spending money on flowers? Try Martha’s Splattered Pom Pom Flowers, and since they are made from tissue paper, you can enjoy them well past Mother’s Day!
Materials: Tissue paper, pipe cleaners, floral tape, fringing scissors and regular scissors, craft paint, spray bottle
Steps:
1. Do a 1-inch accordion fold on three layers of white tissue paper (size 6×20″).
2. Wrap a pipe cleaner around center of folded paper to create a stem.
3, Cut each edge in a pointed or rounded shape (depending on what you want flower petals to look like).
4. Open the folds and carefully separate the three paper layers to create flower.
5. Spritz with water/paint mix and let dry for a few hours.
Heart shadow box
Make your own shadow box using a standard picture frame so mom has a keepsake — it can be used to display your child’s artwork, or showcase a special poem or mom’s favorite quote.
Materials: Craft paint, small paint brushes, picture frame, paper and scissors to make a heart shape, your child’s artwork or a copy of mom’s favorite poem or quotation
Steps:
1. Carefully remove glass pane from the frame.
2. Cut a simple heart template out of paper as a guide. Center the heart template on the glass pane and start tracing the outer edges of the heart with your Large Brush and Craft Paint.
3. Continue to fill in the first layer from the heart outline, out toward the edges of the glass pane. Let dry completely.
4. Apply a second coat of paint. If needed, apply another coat until you end up with an opaque “shadow” box.
5. Use this to frame your favorite artwork from your kids or poem!
Personalized decoupage trays
What mom doesn’t like breakfast in bed? Why not surprise mom not only with homemade meal, but also a personalized serving tray she can keep for years to come. Just print out your favorite photos, cut out paper hearts or pretty pictures from magazines for decoration.
Materials: Tray, decoupage finish, paintbrush, cutout hearts, photos or magazine clippings
Steps:
1. Wipe tray clean with a damp cloth. Let dry.
2. Collect photos of flowers from magazines or print out clip art or personal photos. Arrange placement on tray.
3. Paint decoupage finish onto back of a printout. Paste onto tray. Repeat for each cutout. Let dry, one to two hours.
4. Paint entire tray with decoupage finish. Let dry one to two hours. Then add a topcoat for extra durability.
Smoothie bar
Don’t want to do breakfast in bed? No problem, when mom wakes up, surprise her with a smoothie bar set on the kitchen counter. She can choose her own ingredients.
Materials: Blender, glasses, platter or bowls
Ingredients for your bar:
- 1 cup fresh or frozen pineapple, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup frozen blueberries
- 1 cup frozen strawberries
- 1 cup frozen raspberries
- Fresh ginger, unpeeled
- Bowl of low-fat plain yogurt
- Pineapple juice
- Plain Kifer (or your favorite kind of milk)
- Honey
- Handful of mint
- Bowl of ice
Instructions: Blend favorite ingredients in blender then pour into a glass for tasting.
From Shisler’s Cheese House to your house, wishing all the mothers out there a very happy and enjoyable Mother’s Day and the same to all the dads pulling double duty and doing a tremendous job at it!
Easter: History, Traditions and Foods
Easter, the day in which Christians celebrate Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead, is Christianity’s most important holiday or the “highest feast” of the year. It has been called a movable feast because it does not fall on a set date every year, as most holidays do. Instead, Christian churches in the Western Rite celebrate Easter on the first Sunday following the full moon after the Vernal Equinox, that is, the first day of astronomical Spring. Because of this, Easter is observed anywhere between March 22 and April 25 every year. Orthodox Christians use the Julian calendar to determine on what date Easter will fall and typically celebrate the holiday a week or two after the Western Rite celebrates Easter as the Western Rite follows the Gregorian calendar.
Origins of Easter
The exact origins of the name “Easter” aren’t entirely known, although there is plenty of speculation on it. Some sources claim the word Easter is derived from Eostre, a Teutonic goddess of spring and fertility. While other sources trace Easter to the Latin term hebdomada alba, or white week, an ancient Latin reference to Easter week and the white clothing worn by those baptized during that time frame. It wasn’t until a translation error, that the term later appeared as esostarum in Old High German, which eventually came to be known as Easter in present-day English. In Spanish, Easter is known as Pascua; in French, Paques. These words are derived from the Greek and Latin Pascha or Pasch, meaning Passover. Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection occurred after he went to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover, the Jewish festival commemorating the Exodus of the Israelites out of Egypt from slavery. Pascha eventually came to mean Easter.
In addition to Easter’s religious significance, it also has a commercial side, as evidenced by the mounds of jelly beans and marshmallow chicks that appear in stores each spring. As with Christmas, over the centuries various folk customs and pagan traditions, including Easter eggs, bunnies, baskets and candy, have become a standard part of this holy holiday.
Traditions
EASTER BUNNY
While the Bible makes no mention of a long-eared, short and bushy-tailed creature who hops on its hind legs to deliver decorated eggs to well-behaved children on Easter Sunday, the Easter bunny has become an iconic symbol of the Easter holiday. The exact origins of the Easter Bunny are, again, unclear, but rabbits, known to be procreators, are an ancient symbol of both fertility and new life, quite fitting for the meaning of this great holiday. According to some sources, the Easter bunny made its first appearance in America in the 1700s with German immigrants in Pennsylvania and transported their tradition of an egg-laying hare called Osterhase. The children would make nests in which this creature could lay its colored eggs. This custom eventually made its way all the U.S. The Easter Bunny has been known deliver chocolates and other types of candy and gifts, while the original nests advanced into beautifully decorated baskets. As tradition has it, children often left out carrots for the bunny in case he got hungry from all his deliveries.
EASTER EGGS
The egg, an ancient symbol of new life, has been associated with pagan festivals celebrating spring. From a Christian perspective, Easter eggs are said to symbolize Jesus’ resurrection, his emergence from the tomb. Decorating eggs for Easter is a tradition that dates back circa the 13th century, as source claim. One theory for the painting of eggs at Easter is that eggs were normally a food that was frowned upon during the Lenten season, therefore, people would decorate these eggs to signify the end of the period of penance and fasting and the beginning of the Easter celebration and new life.
Easter egg hunts and egg rolling are two popular Easter traditions. In the U.S., the White House Easter Egg Roll is an annual event held the Monday after Easter. The first official White House egg roll occurred in 1878 under President Rutherford B. Hayes.
EASTER CANDY
Among the most popular sweet treats associated with this day are chocolate eggs, which date back to early 19th century Europe. Eggs have long been associated with Easter as a symbol of new life and Jesus’ resurrection. Another Easter candy, the jelly bean, became associated with Easter around the 1930s. According to the National Confectioners Association, over 16 billion jelly beans are made in the U.S. each year for Easter!
Other favorite Easter candies include: Chocolate Bunnies, Chocolate Crosses, Filled Chocolate Eggs and other Chocolate assortmentments.
Shisler’s Cheese House carries a wide assortment of foods to bring a taste of Easter to your home! Be sure to stop in and find out how we can help!
EASTER PARADE
In New York City, the Easter Parade tradition dates back to around the mid-1800s, when the upper tier of society attended Easter services acrossvarious church along Fifth Avenue, then stroll outside afterward, showing off their new spring outfits and hats. Average citizens started showing up along Fifth Avenue to check out the action as time wore on. The tradition reached its peak by the mid-20th century.
Today, the Easter Parade tradition lives on in Manhattan, with Fifth Avenue from 49th Street to 57th Street being closed to vehicular traffic. Participants often sport elaborately decorated Easter apparel. The event has no religious significance, but sources note that Easter processions have been a part of Christianity since its earliest days. Today, other cities across America also have their own parades.
From Shisler’s Cheese House to your house, wishing you and your loved ones a safe, happy and blessed Easter!
Everyone is Irish on Saint Patricks Day!
“It is sometimes said that everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day. People all over the world celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, especially places with large Irish communities. Every year on March 17th, millions gather to honor the Irish patron saint, St. Patrick. The celebrations are marked by green clothing, parades and parties.” ~ Laurie Triefeldt
The Man
St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was born around A.D. 385. His name was Maewyn Succat,
the son of wealthy Romans living in Britain. Maewyn was kidnapped at the age of 16 by Celtic raiders and sold into slavery in Hibernia (Ireland). He worked on a lonely mountainside as a Shepherd. It was during this time that he began to think about religion and have visions. After six years, he escaped to a monastery in France, where he was educated and later ordained as a priest.
He changed his name to Patricius and returned Ireland as a missionary in A.D. 432. In addition to converting pagans to Christianity, Patrick established schools and introduced the Roman alphabet and Latin literature to Ireland. St. Patrick’s Day is traditionally a day for spiritual renewal and special prayers for missionaries around the world.
The Myth
One of the most famous legends told about St. Patrick is that he banished all the snakes from Ireland. While it is true that there are no snakes in Ireland, St. Patrick had little to do with it. “Driving the snakes from Ireland” is a metaphor for ending pagan practices.
Food Traditions
Besides drinking green beer and other beverages, St. Patrick’s Day also features traditional
Irish food. Some people serve an Irish breakfast of sausage, black or white pudding, fried eggs and fried tomatoes. The most famous St. Patrick’s Day meal is corned beef with cabbage, carrots and potatoes,. Shepherd’s pie, and soda bread are also popular holiday options.
The Shamrock
The shamrock as a symbol for St. Patrick’s Day comes from the story of St. Patrick using it to illustrate the Holy Trinity. Belonging to genus Trifolium, this three-leafed plant was sacred to the Irish pagans as a symbol of spring. The shamrock is probably at the root of the green color theme of St. Patrick’s Day.
According to tradition, four-leaf clovers (which are very difficult to find) bring good luck, especially if
found accidentally.
The Celebrations
St. Patrick’s Day is a religious holiday; so many Irish attend mass before the parties begin. St. Patrick’s Day was first celebrated in the United States in 1737, organized by the Charitable Irish Society of Boston.
The first St. Patrick’s Day parade took place in New York City in 1762. Today, the New York parade is the largest St. Patrick’s Day parade, with more than 150,000 participants. Parade observers are supposed to wear green, or they risk being pinched.
Some cities paint their roads green. Chicago dyes its river green for the festivities. The White House fountain is also dyed green. In some places, the celebration includes the planting of peas. (Their color is right, and time of year is perfect pea-planting.)
Because all things Irish are associated with St. Patrick’s Day, the elusive leprechaun has 
also joined the fray. Leprechauns are small Irish fairies, about two feet tall. They carry a big stick called a shillelagh. According to legend, these little shoemakers can be found by following the sound of their hammering. Following a leprechaun may lead you to his pot of gold.
Whatever your tradition, we wish you a happy and healthy St Pattys Day!
“May the roof above us never fall in, and may the friends beneath it never fall aout” ~ St. Patrick’s Day Toast
