Happy St. Patrick's Day!

You don�t have to have a drop of Irish blood to enjoy St. Patrick�s Day. But it helps!

Silver Moon Desserts wishes you a happy St. Pat's with this tasty combination: Guinness Stout poured over Silver Moon's Guinness-infused ice cream! Photo: Ryan Willis Photography.

It�s not a shamrock, but it sure looks like one. Arrange beautiful leaves of cress on top of Salmon with Upland Cress Cr�me Fra�che (below) made with Live Gourmet Cress from Hollandia Produce.

In Ireland and all over the United Kingdom various versions of a drink called a shandy are made. Here in the US, we have Fentimans Shandy: premium hops and malted barley, brewed and fermented before natural lemon juice is added for a full-bodied British-style soda that is 70% beer.

Pat Galvin is an Irish Californian, so he celebrates St. Patrick�s Day with his Vignette Wine Country Soda, made from California wine grape juice. No alcohol, just a lovely fresh taste from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes. Also a Ros�. Photo: Matthew Carden.

Pistachios

�Have you ever been able to eat just one pistachio?�

Shelley's Biscotti. These handmade Pistachio Hazelnut Chocolate Biscotti (above) are ultra crunchy and extra nutty.

If you want your pistachios straight up, these from Maisie Jane's California Sunshine Products are roasted and salted.

Pistachios in a crunchy, zesty brittle. Perfect from Butterfly Brittle (above).

The classic pistachio dessert, of course, is baklava, and Desserts on Us makes three varieties, all sprinkled with pistachios.

Nut oils are the specialty of La Tourangelle, and pistachio lovers will be thrilled with this recipe for Pistachio Mousse.

For an interesting fusion dish, try this recipe from Cypress Grove Chevre: Goat Cheese Prosciutto Maki Rolls (above) topped with pistachios.

What's new on SavorCalifornia.com

Fill your pantry with these products, and you�ll always have the makings of a fine meal.

Two of these companies are affiliated with wine companies as well: Mia�s Kitchen (Don Sebastiani & Sons) and B. R. Cohn Winery.

Mia's Kitchen
Wine reductions, balsamic reduction, and olive oil (above).

Spicy Gravy
Three tomato-based sauces that are �not a hot sauce, and not a pasta sauce � use them on anything.�

B. R. Cohn Olive Oil Company
Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oils from the French Picholine olive variety.
Wine-inspired Vinegars made using the traditional Orl�ans method. (below).

...and for dessert

Bridge Brands Chocolate
One of the collections is Chocolate Lovers Chocolate (below). Rich, dark, decadent. Handy tins with perfect bite-size chocolate disks -- so portable, you never have to be without your chocolate.

It's Spring, tra-la!

In California fruit trees are starting to bloom! The Blenheim apricot blossoms on Jim and Mari Rossi�s B & R Farms in Hollister are beautiful, and promise wonderful fruit this July.

You can order dried apricots online, as well as condiments and sauces made with the dried fruit. Or if you�re in Monterey, just go east over the hills and stop at their charming farm store.