McDonald's Shamrock Shake

Writing about anything from a fast food restaurant isn't a very "foodie" thing to do, but I'm doing it anyway. I haven't had McDonald's annual St. Patrick's Day treat in, I'd estimate, at least 20 years- So this week, on a whim, I decided that I had to give in to this guilty pleasure.

The Shamrock Shake I remember from my youth was a mass of weird green goop served in a tall paper cup that looked just like every other McDonald's beverage. The modern 2012 Shamrock Shake has had a significant facelift- it now sports a clear plastic cup with a domed lid (so there's no mistaking it for a non-green beverage). It is also adorned with ribbons of whipped cream (I think) mixed in with the green stuff, and capped off with a generous helping of the same. It looks considerably more "sexy" than it did back in the 70s or 80s, and it is surprisingly lighter than expected, with a refreshing minty flavor. There's no mistaking this for anything healthy or "high end quality"- but the Shamrock Shake has taken great strides towards outgrowing it's humble roots as a novelty item.

It still is a yearly novelty item, but, I feel, it brings more to the table than it used to- or at least that's how I'm rationalizing my purchase! With March 17th right around the corner, you'll miss your chance to dive into this guilty pleasure if you don't hurry up and get one. Yes, I'm beginning to sound like a commercial, I think fast food has that effect on me, so I'll quit while I'm ahead!