How to Make the St. Patrick’s Day Bookmark

Materials

• 1 multi-colored paint chip
• Green embroidery floss, about 8 inches long

Tools

• Pencil
• Scissors
• Hole Punch

Directions

1. Using your pencil, draw or trace a clover shape onto the paint chip so that two or more colors show.
2. Cut out shape.
3. Punch a hole in one of the leaves.
4. Fold embroidery floss in half and tie ends in a knot.
5. Wrap embroidery floss through hole, making a slipknot to secure.

Spotted Dog

Photo by Nancy Kennedy/Shutterstock

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ⅔ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ½ cups raisins
• 3 teaspoons caraway seeds
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
• Softened butter for serving

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 9-inch round baking pan.
2. In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir in raisins and caraway seeds. Make well in center and stir in eggs, buttermilk, and butter.
3. Transfer dough to prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour or until top is golden and skewer inserted into center comes out clean.
4. Cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes and then invert bread onto rack, and let cool completely before slicing. Serve slices spread with butter.

Shamrock Barrette

Materials

• Wool felt
• Thread
• Blank barette

Tools

• Sewing needle
• Scissors

Directions

1. Cut four leaves in the shape shown at right. Mine measured about ¾ of an inch tall, and nearly an inch wide. I cut two lobes into each petal and flipped the flower over, because I prefer the shape of the bottom of the flower for the center of the clover.
2. Sew the leaves together as shown above.
3. Tie the threads together tightly at the ends.
4. Sew the clover onto a barrette.
5. Clip into your little lucky charm’s hair.

Irish Guinness Oatmeal Cake

(Makes 8 to 10 servings)

Cake Ingredients

• 1 cup McCann’s Irish oatmeal
• 1 ¼ cups Guinness
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 8 tablespoons unsalted Irish butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup [Domino] Demerara cane sugar
• 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon orange zest
• ½ teaspoon lemon zest

Topping Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons unsalted Irish butter
• ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
• ⅔ cup sweetened condensed milk
• 4 tablespoons slice almonds, toasted

Cake Directions

1. In medium bowl, combine oatmeal and Guinness. Let soak for about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 325° F. Generously grease a 9-inch springform pan.
2. In large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon.
3. In medium bowl, cream butter and sugars with electric mixer on medium until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and then stir in vanilla, orange zest, and lemon zest. Fold in flour mixture, than stir in oatmeal mixture.
4. Transfer batter to prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Remove from oven and transfer to wire rack. Pour topping over cake and let cool. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until topping is set.
5. To serve, remove side of pan and then cut cake into slices. Serve warm with ice cream.

Topping Directions

1. In medium saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, sugar, and milk. Bring slowly to a boil and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until smooth.
2. Remove from heat and stir in oatmeal and almonds.

Shamrock Chapeau – Charles Kaiser

Shamrock Chapeau
Charles Kaiser
March 20, 1943

It is 1943 and you need ration coupons to buy everything from gasoline to sugar to clothing. Aye, and this foolish lass spent her clothing coupons for a Kelly green hat for St. Pat’s Day? Well, the way she looks in shamrocks and green…perhaps she wasn’t so silly after all. Artist Charles Kaiser painted five Post covers in 1942 and 1943. This is one of the prettiest ever.

First Crocus – Norman Rockwell

First Crocus
Norman Rockwell
March 22, 1947

The official title is “First Crocus” but I call this cover, “Hey, Honey!” I am just as goofy and thrilled each year when I see that first bloom peeking through the cold ground. Rockwell worked on this cover in the dead of winter, and it was a challenge indeed to find a crocus. The artist called greenhouse after greenhouse to no avail. He finally had one shipped from a swanky New York florist that specialized in out-of-season blooms. The tiny pot of crocus cost a tidy bundle, but Norman was a stickler for detail.

Young Woman in Wind

Young Woman in Wind
W.H. Coffin
March 13, 1915

Readers have asked if we know who the artist models were on Post covers. The answer is, almost never. But this young lady with the enviably long, thick, wavy hair showed up on several covers by artist W.H. Coffin. This time, she’s holding on to her hat in the March wind. If you have questions on Post covers or Post artists, e-mail me at: d.denny@satevepost.org or leave a comment below.

Wind Blowing Man’s Umbrella Inside-Out

Wind Blowing Man's Umbrella Inside Out
March 19, 1911

A classic cover from March 1911 shows what the March winds can really do. Guess what, mister? A whole century later umbrellas still do this!

St. Paddy Cake for Policemen

St. Paddy Cake for Policeman
March 16, 1940

The Irish cop may be a stereotype, but the boys in the 17th Precinct will love this! If this charming lady wants to bake a cake for our editorial department, we’ll all gladly claim we’re Irish, too. Come to think of it, on March 17th we ARE all Irish. Reprints of Post covers are available at curtispublishing.com and, as always, we enjoy reader comments.