| Country | Bottles Per Person Per Week |
| Czech Replublic | 8.5 |
| Ireland | 7.1 |
| Germany | 6.3 |
| Australia | 6.0 |
| United Kingdom | 5.4 |
| United States | 4.4 |
| Canada | 3.7 |
| South Africa | 3.2 |
| Mexico | 2.8 |
| Japan | 2.8 |
| Brazil | 2.6 |
| China | 1.2 |
Let the record show, Ireland is the second largest country for beer consumption. Oh well, I am half Irish, and I only have an occasional beer. And what exactly is St. Patrick’s day celebration? St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on March 17, his religious feast day and the anniversary of his death in the fifth century. The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for over a thousand years. On St. Patrick’s Day, which falls during the Christian season of Lent, Irish families would traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. Lenten prohibitions against the consumption of meat were waived and people would dance, drink and feast—on the traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage. Growing up I remember my Granparents always taking me to the St. Patty’s day parade in downtown Buffalo. It was always cold, and drizzly. Then they would take me to an irish pub and I had to eat corn beef and cabbage…YUK! I hated it. Now I do love ham and cabbage. I shared some yummy looking recipes down below. Happy St. Pat’s day all! Don’t drink too much…and remember never drink and drive!
Ingredients: For the cupcake:
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3 large eggsLightly grease 24 muffin tins. Divide the batter equally between muffin tins, filling each 3/4 full. Bake for about 12 minutes and then rotate the pans. Bake another 12 to 13 minutes until risen, nicely domed, and set in the middle but still soft and tender. Cool before turning out.
To make the icing:
In a medium bowl with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the heavy cream. On low speed, slowly mix in the confectioners’ sugar until incorporated and smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. Icing can be made several hours ahead and kept covered and chilled.
Top each cupcake with a heap of frosting and dust with cocoa or chocolate sprinkles. You can also use nonflavored green food coloring to make the icing green. Take a bite and say “mmmmmmmmm.” Repeat.
Savory St. Patrick’s Day Potato Muffins
Ingredients
2 medium potatoes (peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes)
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped)
1/2 cup cheddar cheese (grated)
Directions:
Pre-heat the oven to 350. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or use paper liners. In a small saucepan, cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 8 minutes or until just tender.
Drain and rinse under cold water and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt and baking powder. In a large bowl, beat the egg, oil, buttermilk, chives or spring onion and parsley. Stir the flour mixture into the buttermilk mixture until nearly combined. Gently fold in potatoes. Add the cheese. I also added mushrooms. Spoon into muffin tins and bake for 20 minutes.
You can top these with extra grated cheese. Remove pan from oven and cool for 5 minutes. Then remove muffins and cool on rack.
Kathleen says
March 16 at 11:07 amThis Irish gal doesn’t drink at all, so someone else is drinking more to make it average out! LOL
Those recipes look wonderful..I want to try them!
Thanks for joining in the party, Debbie! Now be careful along the crawl! 🙂
Christie Cottage says
March 16 at 11:11 amOh, I agree on the corned beef. Cabbage and bacon is good and the potato muffins look and sound good!
Sailing Simply says
March 16 at 11:11 amHi Debbie! The guiness cupcakes look yummy! Looks like the Irish are pretty close on the polls to me. Well, I posted my first blog. I am totally lost on how to make my site look more like yours and the others. What’s the best resource to learn the quickest way?
Mary
Jemsmom says
March 16 at 11:13 amOh I will be making the Guinness cupcakes!!! Can children eat them??? 🙂 Did you know that Patrick was from Scotland and kidnapped as a teen and taken to Ireland. When he was released he went back, became a priest, and then went back to Ireland to teach Christianity. He taught the Holy Trinity using the shamrock. I am a font of knowledge here! Tom’s great grandmother came from Dublin and my family came from County Antrim in Northern Ireland. We have visited 3 times and I love love love it there! I feel like I am home. We are planning a trip in December to take Tom’s mom for her 70th birthday! We asked what she wanted to do and she said “dance a jig in Ireland”! That is all I needed! I would move there tomorrow! Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
SparkleFarkle says
March 16 at 11:27 amHuh, I’ll be. *light bulb goes on over head* Perhaps there are a lot of Irish people living in the Czech Replublic?
Blackberry Jam Cafe says
March 16 at 11:33 amCute idea for a St. Patrick’s day post!
Susan
kim says
March 16 at 11:42 amI know the Irish do drink heavily in all those pubs over there. Our nephew who is a pilot has to stay in Ireland a lot. He mostly flies our troops over seas to Kuwait and back to Ireland. He said the food over there is awful and that maybe they drink a lot so they don’t taste the food they are eating.lol Not sure about the beer cupcakes, but the potato muffins sound good.
Angie says
March 16 at 11:56 amAlso very Irish! Never have liked the taste of beer though. I wonder how many people will read your post and think “bacon? I thought it was corn beef?” 😉
Haverford House says
March 16 at 12:17 pmGreat recipes – thanks for sharing! I’m going to try the Guiness cupcakes! Happy St. Patrick’s Day! ~Marcy
Wendy says
March 16 at 12:22 pmDebbie, Our answer would be yes! My husbands irish italian family….well I think that is all I need to say!!
Great recipes! Happy St Patty’s Day to you and your family!
Wendy
Denise Marie says
March 16 at 1:28 pmvery nice post. potatoe muffins would be a neat hearty thing for me to do for my boys tomorrow.
JanMary says
March 16 at 1:59 pmPlenty of beer here, and guinness of course, but I am not a fan of either!
Corned beef not a dish served here either – well you can buy very cheap tins of processed meat here called corned beef, but not something you would choose to eat!
Happy St Patrick’s Day from N Ireland 🙂
Matty says
March 16 at 2:08 pmI learned something new today here. Ireland is second….who knew. That green beer looks nice!
Lori says
March 16 at 2:20 pmSo, are the potato muffins an appetizer? I have been known to drink a little green beer on St. Pats day. Also had to eat the cabbage when I was young. Liked it then, still like it. Just not the aroma in the house.
Victoria says
March 16 at 2:39 pmEuropean beer is much stronger than American, even Canadian beer is stronger than here. When my mom had given birth to my brother in England they gave all the nursing moms a pint of Guiness everyday, they said it was good for their milk! Those potato muffins look and sound delicious!
Confessions of a Plate Addict says
March 16 at 3:10 pmHmmm…interesting stats! And yummy recipes, too! Happy week!…Debbie
Willow says
March 16 at 4:22 pmRecipes look good, will have to give them a try. Now I do know that My Grandfather was Irish. HA! HA!
Willow
Mimi says
March 16 at 5:55 pmI love history lessons sprinkled in with the photos…the Guinness cupcakes have me intrigued. I will have to bake some to see how they taste.
Tawny says
March 16 at 6:01 pmMy husband would love to lend a hand to that kind of research 🙂
What cute treats!
I can’t believe that St. Patrick’s day will be tomorrow!!!
Erin says
March 16 at 6:13 pmWell, what do you know?! I reckon with the statistics, I should be an out and out alcoholic(lots of mixing in this genetic makeup)! I drink maybe 2x a year, so I agree with others, someone is packing some beer away! And thanks to Jemsmom, I will have more “useless”(not meant offensively) to impart on others! Gonna have to try those cupcakes!
Pieces of Dreams says
March 16 at 6:23 pmHi Debbie!
The cupcakes and muffins look really good! I’m definitely going to try those…I have some people they would definitely please! Thanks for visiting my blog and becoming a follower. Cheers to you and your family, Karen
linda says
March 16 at 6:57 pmgreat recipes oh and more about st patrick he was an Apostle of Irland and the most successful to convert the irish to christianity well the poll you have didnt mention Buffalo ny irish it would be 100%lol 🙂
♥ Sonny ♥ says
March 16 at 7:45 pmmy daughter will love that potato recipe.. they look fabulous.
Holly says
March 16 at 8:03 pmOh my…Guinness cupcakes..I am very intrigued. I may have to try those for tomorrow. The potato muffins look fab too. Love the green. Off to make leprechaun houses.
Angie says
March 16 at 8:25 pmHA! That is your pillow!! I had to go back through your home tour and see! Love what you did!! It’s going to take me a bit to get everything done- but I’ll post little teasers along the way! 😉
p.s. Great minds think alike huh??
Velvet Over Steel says
March 16 at 8:45 pmOh my goosh you’ve been busy, Debbie! First decorating for Easter and now St. Patricks day. Beautiful and fun! Hope you have a Great St. Patty’s day tomorrow!
Hugs,
Coreen
PS. Thanks for the comment on my new post. I’ll keep my ‘new friends’ posted on my other ‘new’ friend. 🙂
Barb~Bella Vista says
March 16 at 8:48 pmHi Debbie, what a fun and informative post!!!!
Barb ♥
The Warrior in ME says
March 16 at 9:06 pmAh! Thank you for telling me what this day is all about. Everyone has been blogging about it and i’ve been too lazy to google it.
People drink 8.5 BOTTLES of beer in a week on a regular basis?? I’m a little stunned at the statistic. When do they drink water?
Your recipes lead me to one more Question- if the icing is prepared in advance and refrigerated, am i allowed to stay in there and guard it from.. umm.. predators? Just asking.
The potato muffins sound simpler if i ever give it a try. You don’t understand- i was only born to eat, with a frenzy.
I’m so glad i’m reading at 6 40 am- the stores will open soon! Yay!
bj says
March 17 at 12:38 amUmmm, those Potato Muffins sound wonderful..I just copied the recipe.
This has been such fun…I love seeing all the Irish tables and everything..
xo bj
Andrea at Opulent Cottage says
March 17 at 10:17 amThe potato muffins look yummy – I may try those tonight! And I love the chart about the beer – so funny. Have a happy St. Patty’s day!
Cheers, Andrea
Rettabug says
March 18 at 6:38 amThis was a really informative post for St. Patrick’s Day, Debbie. Thanks for the recipes…maybe next year. I’m barely recovered from last night’s party & I didn’t drink a bit, either! Lots of hand washing of the dishes yet to do today.
Merrie says
March 19 at 6:52 pmI’m Irish too and I hate beer. Can’t pass up a bottle of Baileys though.
Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti says
March 22 at 3:45 pmSorry I missed this post — I was in Colorado for over a week and although I posted for Kathleen’s crawl I couldn’t comment on many blogs do to limited computer time.
I love the Guinness cupcake recipe and potato muffins recipes ..thanks!