Enjoy a Baileys Shamrock Shake through a Straw

Looking for a little inspiration for today’s post, I turned to the National Day list. Hum, we had Chocolate Covered Cherries, Fruitcake Toss Day and Drink with a Straw. I don’t know about you, but after the holidays I’m all candied out. Tossing a fruitcake about might be fun, but we’ve eaten ours. So Drink with a Straw it is.

Why today? The date commemorated January 3, 1888; when the first patent for paper drinking straws was issued to Marvin C. Stone. He wasn’t the inventor of straws, but he did receive the first patent, so that’s something. The oldest drinking straw known to exist was found in a Sumerian tomb that dated back to 3,000 B.C.E. While the straw itself was a reed, it had been gold plated, a mark of importance. The straw was nearly five-feet long, still stuck in a silver vessel. This was so the queen could use her straw in the afterlife.

Ancient straws were not a one-time use. Historians believed that straws were used to allow people to come together to drink from one large vessel as a community. The first straws were probably made of reed. Straws were a status symbol, as the more important the person, the more their straw was adorned with precious metals and gems. And what was the communal drink? Would you believe it was beer. Using a straw allowed people to drink beer that was brewed and served in the same large vats. The by-products of fermentation floated to the top of the vats, and the straws allowed those to indulge in a pure liquid at the bottom.

The idea of communal drinking while using a straw continued to be popular even in the 1950s and 60s. We’ve all seen those pictures of teenagers sharing a malt when mooning over one another.

While my offering in honor of Drink with a Straw Day might not be suited for teenage consumption, it sure is great slurped through a straw.

Baileys Shamrock Shake
3 cups French Vanilla Ice Cream
1/2 cup Baileys Irish Cream
1 teaspoon Crème de Menthe
Kelly Green Food Coloring as needed
Whipped Cream as needed
Maraschino Cherries as desired

Let the ice cream sit out for about 10 minutes to soften. This will make it easier to blend.

Combine ice cream, Baileys Irish Cream and Creme de Menthe in a blender. Add food coloring, a few drops at a time and blend until smooth, with desired color.

Pour into clear glasses to show off the green color; top with whipped cream and a cherry.

Oh, and one more thing about straws. I live in California, where the use of plastic straws are a big no-no. Paper straws collapse, and really don’t work well for something as thick as a creamy shake. We have reusable metal straws. They even come with their own tiny scrub brush, two types of tips and a carrying case. Welcome to my crazy world!

Author: Rosemarie's Kitchen

I'm a wife, mother, grandmother and avid home cook.I believe in eating healthy whenever possible, while still managing to indulge in life's pleasures. View all posts by Rosemarie's Kitchen