Shamrock Shake

   It's that time of year again. The snow is melting. The high school championship tournaments are starting. Fast food restaurants are offering deals on fish sandwiches. Shamrock shakes are available.
   I have a lot of foods that I consider to be seasonal. For example pumpkin in the fall and winter (until New Year), eggnog in December, chili and lasagna in the late fall and winter, pasta salad, sloppy joes and fruit salad in the summer. There's no rule that says that you can't have these things at other season, but for me it just seems weird. Chili in July just seems wrong unless it is a topping for nachos (which can be eaten in all seasons) Having lasagna in the spring seems too heavy. Eating sloppy joes with coleslaw seems wrong in the middle of January.
  Then there are the seasonal treats. Cotton candy at fair time. Aplets and Cotlets during the winter holidays. Hot chocolate in the winter. A fresh apple with caramel on it in the fall.
  At this time of year, there is the Shamrock shake.
   I'm not sure when I had my first Shamrock shake. It had to be at a time when I was old enough to buy it myself because I'm sure my mother would never let me have it otherwise. It's not a healthy choice my any means. Ever since then I have craved one every year at about this time.
  The strange thing is that it is not something that I would normally drink. I'm not a huge milkshake fan. I like mint, but usually in a peppermint patty candy, peppermint hard candy and chewing gum. (Although in the interest of fair disclosure, I did like creme de mint ice cream sundaes as a child. I think that was because no one else ate them.) There is just something at this time of year, right around St. Patrick's Day, that makes me crave this treat.
  I'm guessing there are a few out there who think that any green coloured mint shake is a Shamrock shake. It isn't. I have sampled a few impostors and they are not the same. The texture isn't the same and the flavour isn't the same. A Shamrock shake is very creamy and has a slight mint-vanilla flavour. Most of the other shakes I've had were too thick or too minty.
  Since it isn't healthy, I limit myself to one. If I don't exercise some self control, I'd weigh a ton and a half. Fortunately it's only on the menu until St. Pat's day. Then it's gone.
   Today was the day I got my treat. I stopped in and bought one. It no time at all it was presented to me. They had put a squirt of whipped cream on top. Normally I would scrape it off, but I knew the cream would melt into the shake. It would be fine. I got a straw. (Normally I don't use straws, but I do for Shamrock shakes.) I took a sip. It was creamy and tasty and everything I was craving. I savored it as we drove home from running our errands. It was delicious right down to the last sip. It was well worth waiting a year.