Wanna Eat Like St. Patrick? Have Some Gruel, Seaweed

Company red-faced after St. Patrick's Day shoe gaffe

(NEWSER) - Nike has apologized to any Irish people offended by the nickname for a sneaker released in time for St. Patrick's Day. The "Black and Tan" shoe, released along with the "Guinness" shoe, was named after a mixed-beer drink in the US. But Nike was apparently unaware that in Ireland, the name is associated with bands of British paramilitaries that went after civilians in the '20s, the Irish Times reports. More»

Thwarts Obama's attempts to limit them for childrens' health

(NEWSER) - The Senate yesterday subtly thwarted an Obama administration proposal to limit the amount of potatoes and other starchy vegetables school children scarf down, inserting an amendment into an Agriculture Department spending bill prohibiting the Department from setting “any maximum limits on the serving of vegetables in school meal programs." The amendment passed by unanimous consent, the New York Times reports. The administration had wanted to limit “starchy vegetables” to one cup per student per week. More»

Including a 32-mile walk and the world's shortest parade

(NEWSER) - St. Patrick’s Day isn’t just about beer drinking and snake exterminating: there are a wealth of other odd traditions surrounding the holiday. AOL News reports on a few:

• For 35 years now, a Toronto man has walked to a town 32 miles away for a drink, honoring a tradition that dates back to Prohibition. Back then, it was the only place around that served beer.

Famine memorials put too much emphasis on defeat and destruction

(NEWSER) - Irish Americans should be celebrating their successes tomorrow—and every day—instead of looking back to the potato famine that forced many of their ancestors across the Atlantic, writes William McGurn. The Irish have thrived and prospered in America, but in recent years, they've been celebrating that history by erecting famine memorials "that stress our victimhood." Earlier generations of Irish-Americans "didn't build monuments to their woes but, with their pennies, raised up St. Patrick's Cathedral." More»

Peas, parsley, pesto help, and there's guacamole, too

(NEWSER) - Perhaps your grocery store is already out of green food coloring ahead of St. Patrick’s Day, or maybe you’d rather tint your celebratory grub naturally. Ann Hodgman, writing for Slashfood , has suggestions:

• Peas: Adding some to your mashed potatoes will change the color but not the taste.
• Parsley: Want green bread crumbs for a chicken dish? Add the chopped fresh herb to a mixture of breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and garlic.