I don’t know who St. Patrick was or what he did to merit his very own day. I do know, however, that his birth has greatly impacted my life. Were it not for St. Patrick, McDonald’s Shamrock Shake might never have come into existence. This minty green milkshake, known to many (by which I mean me) as nectar of the gods, is the perfect treat to get you into the St. Patty’s day spirit. Unfortunately, Shamrock Shakes are only offered at McDonald’s from mid-February through March. And even more unfortunately, Yale does not have a McDonald’s in its direct vicinity. So I decided to take matters into my own hands and play around with a recipe, in attempts to recreate some of the shake’s Shamrock magic. As it turns out, all you need is vanilla ice cream, milk, mint extract and green food coloring (if you use skim milk, I will punch you). If you’re feeling daring, add a little splash of vodka into the mix. Whipped cream is highly recommended.

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Shamrock shakes

Serves 2

2 cups vanilla ice cream

1 1/4 cups 2% or whole milk

1/4 teaspoon mint extract

8 drops green food coloring

1 oz of vodka (optional)

whipped cream (optional)

Put all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. Top with whipped cream if desired.