May 15: It's Not Easy, But It Must Be Done

May 15

It’s not easy being Catholic, but some days you must do your duty and salute our saints with appropriate drinks.  Today, we must do our duty and honor several saints during cocktail hour with these drinks.

San Pellegrino – Feast of St. Peregrine

            This St. Peregrine is not the more famous St. Peregrine Laziosi who is the patron of cancer patients.   Today, we salute St. Peregrine of Auxerre who was a 3^rd century bishop in Gaul (France).  He was martyred along with his companions when he interrupted the dedication of a new temple to the god Jupiter.   “San Pellegrino” is Italian for  St. Peregrine.    San Pellegrino Terme is the home of this mineral water.  San Pellegrino can be paired with any wine and food, and it can be used in cocktails.   They also offer a Pellegrino Limonata which is a sparkling lemonade that you can add to your vodka.   You can use Pellegrino mineral water in place of club soda or carbonated water since it has more flavor with more tiny bubbles and is not injected with carbon dioxide.

St. Hallvard Liqeuer – Feast of St. Hallvard Vebjornsson (1020 – 1043)

            St. Hallvard is the patron saint of Oslo, the capital of Norway.    This potato-based spirit was named after him.   It is hard to find as it is not imported much out of Norway.

Bloody Bishop Vodka/Sherry – Feast of the 7 Martyrs of Spain

            In the Andalusia region of Spain, these 7 Apostles of Spain are honored today.   Legend says that Peter and Paul sent these 7 from Rome to evangelize Spain.   They did their missionary work in the Andalusia which is famous for its sherry from the province of Cadiz.   In honor of these 7 martyred bishops, we drink a Bloody Bishop.

Christian Brothers Brandy – Feast of St. Jean-Baptiste De La Salle – Founder of the De La Salle Christian Brothers (1651 – 1719)

            In France, Jean-Baptiste founded a teaching order of men called the Brothers of the Christian Schools and were referred to as the Christian Brothers or LaSalle Fathers.   The congregation was teaching in California, and they had a winery for the production of sacramental wine.   This winery grew and became a commercial enterprise with wines and a popular Christian Brothers Brandy.   They helped establish the wine industry of Napa.