By Yolanda Shoshana 

The most popular holiday in March has got to be St. Patrick’s Day. The celebration is a feast day for Saint Patrick the patron saint of Ireland. Once the Irish made it to America they used the day to honor all things, Irish. The Kiss Me I’m Irish slogan comes from if you can’t kiss Blarney Castle, the next best thing is kissing someone who’s Irish to get the power of eloquence and luck.

St. Patricks Day Drinks

To celebrate this joyous Irish occasion indulge in some cocktails named after famous Irish writers. As we all know the Irish love drinking to their dearly departed.  The following cocktails are inspired by Irish writers who had very interesting love lives.

Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde is one of Ireland’s most influential playwrights. It’s said that he got his storytelling skills from his mother, Lady Jayne, who was known for making an entrance. His first love was Florence Balcombe, but she dropped Wilde to marry Bram Stoker. After proposing marriage to two other women, Wilde eventually married the scandalous woman, Constance Lloyd, who was just as ambitious as he was. They lived a life surrounded by bougie folks. While an affectionate marriage, Wilde ended up preferring the company of young men. As Wendy Williams would say “How you doin?”

Oscar Wilde Cocktail

1 1/4 Ounce(s) Absinthe

3/4 Ounce(s) Fresh lemon juice

3/4 Ounce(s) Simple Syrup

1 Egg White

1 Ounce(s) Chilled Champagne

Freshly grated nutmeg, orange twist

Related Link: Love & Libations: Autumn + Red Wine = Love

James Joyce 

The Irish icon, James Joyce, published his first piece at 9. Some of his most popular works are Ulysses, The Dead and Finnegan’s Wake. While you may not consider those page-turners, there are letters by Joyce that may be up your alley. You may be surprised to find out that Joyce wrote filthy love letters to his wife, Nora Barnacle. Some of them would even make Christin Grey blush. There’s nothing like a good ole fashion naughty love letter to spice things up in a romance. Use Joyce for inspiration to write your own and serve this cocktail.

James Joyce Cocktail 

1 ½ ounce of Irish whiskey

¾ ounces sweet vermouth

¾ ounces Cointreau

½ ounce lime juice

Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange slice

Related Link: Love & Libations: Cocktails Inspired by Halloween

F. Scott Fitzgerald 

Most people have read “The Great Gatsby” since it was required reading in school. It was a very glitzy and glamorous story of prosperous Long Island in the summer of 1922 written by F. Scott Fitzgerald.  While he was born in America, he had had Irish roots. Fitzgerald and his saucy wife Zelda lived a party filled life and had a passionate relationship. Basically, they partied and loved hard.  While there isn’t a cocktail after him, he loved a drink called The Gin Rickey.  His spirit of choice was gin because it was undetectable on his breath. He is known for saying “ First you take a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes you”. 

 The Gin Rickey

Ingredients

2 oz. Gin

½ Lime

Club Soda

Add the gin to the Collins glass full of ice. Add the juice from the lime half, then drop the shell into the glass. Top with soda water.

By Yolanda Shoshana

Some people still miss sipping red wine while watching Olive Pope and her Scandal squad. The show made drinking red wine on Thursday nights a special occasion. While you can still catch Scandal on a streaming site, there are other fabulous shows with characters getting their drink on. Here are some shows paired with some of the hottest celebrity libations to help you get a binge on when you and your partner want to kick it at home.

Sip and Drink for your next TV binge!

Related Link: Love & Libations: Holiday Cocktailing Like A Celebrity

Killing Eve- Ferguson Crest Viognier by Fergie

If you watched the Golden Globes, you know that Sandra Oh won for best actress for her portrayal as Eve Polastri. Oh plays a detective hot on the heels of a sociopath assassin. It’s all so very cat and mouse. She’s so dedicated to her job that it’s hurting her marriage. Who hasn’t had a partner that’s taken them for granted? I think we can all raise our hands.

That means Eve needs white wine from time to time. The Ferguson Crest Viognier would be the kind of wine that helps up unwind with this series. Hopefully in season two Eve gets that assassin and keeps her man.

Related Link: Love & Libations: Autumn + Red Wine = Love

The Bodyguard- Haig Club by David Beckham

Some of you will remember Richard Madden from Game of Thrones. In this show he plays, Sergeant David Budd, working as a specialist protection officer for the police department. He gets assigned to protect the Home Secretary, Julia Montague. When you get a good looking bodyguard protects a sexy cougar something is going in the romance department. Between his PTSD, failed marriage, sleeping with his boss, and bullets, David needs a drink every now and then.

Scotch is the way go to when sipping during this show. It seems fitting to drink, Haig Club, by David Beckham. It’s like having two good looking Davids at the same time.

Related Link: Love & Libations: Royal Reds for the Royal Celebrity Wedding

Ray Donovan- Bob Dylan’s Heaven’s Door Tennessee Bourbon

Liev Schreiber headlines this show which is headed to its 7th season. Ray Donovan is a Hollywood fixer who finds himself in quite a few dangerous situations. He’s like the Oliva Pope of Hollywood ( season six he hits NYC). Then there’s his hot mess of an Irish Catholic family who is more trouble than his clients. However, Ray’s scrappy wife, Abby, is the glue that holds the family together.

The Donovans are very much into whiskey. It just might be in every episode. Watching the show while sipping a Heaven’s Door Tennessee Bourbon, will make feel just like a Donovan.

Related Link: Love & Libations: Date Ideas & Summer Loving With Rosé

Greenleaf- Night Ender by Aisha Tyler

The family is lead by Lady Mae Greenleaf and Bishop James Greenleaf who have been married forever while running a successful church with their children. Their estranged daughter, Grace, comes back home and all hell breaks loose. This show may be focused on a family in the church, but they are as scandalous as they come. Cheating, stealing, incest, and so much more. Did I mention that Oprah shows up in a few episodes? There’s so much drama, I guess you could say all the characters needs Jesus.

The Greenleafs are a lot like the Donovans, they love libations. There seems to be a consistent theme of red wine so Night Ender by Aisha Tyler/Nocking Point Wines is a great choice for a sip and binge.

For more Love & Libations date ideas and celebrity couple predictions from Yolanda Shoshana, click here.

By Yolanda Shoshana

Tis’ the season for cocktailing like the rich and famous. It’s no secret that celebrities love a good party, but then again who doesn’t? As you entertain or spend quality time at home this season channel your inner celeb with one of the following drinks.

While she may no longer be with us, Elizabeth Taylor is an icon. It’s not a secret that Taylor loved herself a drink. Some of her heavy drinking came due to her rocky yet passionate relationship with Richard Burton. In the Golden Age of Hollywood, drinking was a recreational sport to many. Taylor’s favorite cocktail was the “Black Russian”, she added the Hershey’s syrup for her own special touch. This libation would be great with holidays cookies, watching classic Christmas movies and wearing matching pajamas with your partner.

Related Link: Love & Libations: Sparkling Wine for Holiday Date Nights

Taylored Black Russian

1 oz  vodka

1 oz Kahlua

1 oz Hershey’s chocolate syrup

Heat the chocolate syrup until it gets warm (make sure not to burn it). Add the ingredients to a mixing glass or shaker and stir until well combined. Fill the glass with ice and stir until chilled. Stain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.

Related Link: Love & Libations: Royal Reds for the Royal Celebrity Wedding

For years I’d heard about a cocktail called the “Pornstar Martini”. It’s a popular drink in places such as London, though most bartenders around the globe know how to make one. I had the pleasure of meeting the inventor of the cocktail, Douglas Ankrah, at an event in NYC. Since I know the drink is popular in the hottest bars in London, I asked him what famous people had been spotted sipping his cocktail. Let’s just say that the Duchess of Cambridge (who we all know as Kate Middleton) use to enjoy this martini when out with her friends.

This drink is obviously a good choice for a party because it would get the guests talking. It’s Also the perfect libation to serve when you are snuggling in with your boo. It’s a little naughty yet nice. Suggestive cocktails have a way of making couples creative. Besides that, it’s a good drink of Netflix and chill.

Pornstar Martini

2 oz. vanilla vodka

1 oz passion fruit puree

½  oz vanilla syrup

½ oz lime juice

Side shot of Champagne ( or go with Crémant)

Combine vodka, passion fruit, vanilla syrup and lime juice in a shaker filled with ice. Shake it up then strain into a coup. Serve with a shot of Champagne or Crémant.

Related Link: Love & Libations: Heat Up Your Relationship with a Date Night in the Kitchen

In the past few years, Oprah has been showing us her fun side. Lady O mentioned that she makes a mean margarita, but her favorite drink is a Pomegranate Rosé Martini. When you are living a luxurious life like Oprah, the sparkling wine for this libation has to be champagne, of course. Can’t you totally see Oprah and Gayle kicking back with a few of these over the holidays in one of her stunning homes. This cocktail is great for catching up with your girl squad.

Pomegranate Rosé Martini

2 oz vodka

3 oz. fresh pomegranate juice

½ tsp fresh lemon juice

2 oz rosé Champagne

Fill the shaker with ice, vodka, pomegranate juice, and lemon juice. Strain into a martini glass and top off with the sparkling rosé. Garnish with dried star anise.

 For more Love & Libations date night ideas and celebrity couple predictions from Yolanda Shoshana, click here.