I'm a black velvet fan, myself - or as I usually order it, Guinness and cider (or else risk being brought the Canadian whiskey instead).

The Guinness chocolate cake is to die for!!!

Ohhh, that sounds sinful. Recipe, anyone? :)

When I was growing up, my parents forced me to endure the following "traditions": corned beef and cabbage for dinner, followed by Irish coffee and a screening of The Quiet Man. The only thing good about this was the Irish coffee. Corned beef and cabbage is just straight-up nasty, and The Quiet Man deeply offends me as a feminist - I don't care if it starred John Wayne.

I tossed that "tradition" straight out the window as soon as I left home. This evening, DH (who has zero Irish ancestry) and I got take-out sushi, had a bit of sake (Guinness just doesn't go with raw fish), and watched the pilot episode of Babylon 5.

For years, we had ham and cabbage, and everyone thought we were strange for not eating corned beef and cabbage. Imagine my glee when I discovered that the Irish are more likely to eat ham/bacon & cabbage, not corned beef - which as an Americanization of the tradition!

That and an Irish coffee or two can make my day!

I hate corned beef and cabbage, too. My mom used to make it every year and it would stink up the house. At least she usually made Irish stew, too, which was my saving grace.