Aah, St. Patrick's Day. Green beer and shamrock-shaped everything. Fluorescent cupcakes and out-of-tune fiddles.
While Americans tend to put a fun — and very commercial — spin on the Irish holiday, for the real Irish folk living here the connection to the homeland is usually far more subtle.
All around the year, members of Tucson's Irish community are to be found scouring certain stores for reminders of the Emerald Isle. Here they share a few of their shopping secrets.
Chris McGrory moved to Tucson from Dublin just over a year ago to run Tír Conaill Irish Dance Academy. Although he loves the city, "I miss a lot of the food (from home) big-time."
Case in point: Heinz Salad Cream, a sweet-tasting salad dressing that, much to expats' annoyance, has never made it into the American diet.
"Heinz Salad Cream is something that's not known of here. It's about the only thing I make sure I have. I get it at Cost Plus World Market. I'll buy my Subway sandwiches with no mayonnaise and bring them home and put the Salad Cream on it.
"I also like 17th Street Market and AJ's Fine Foods, where I get HP Sauce (a brown spicy condiment) and Robinsons Orange Barley Water, which is an orange concentrate you dilute with water. Being a dancer, I don't like fizzy drinks — they bloat you.
"And for St Patrick's Day cards and gifts, Target is the place to go."
Susan Dooley grew up in Chicago, where her Irish grandmother immigrated, then moved to Tucson in 1979. She plans to visit Ireland for the first time in May. When she's not seeking out Irish gifts and food items, she's treasurer of the Emerald Isle Society of Tucson.
"There's a shop called the Irish Gift House in Tempe, and they have everything. I've bought jewelry there, Irish crystal, Guinness T-shirts, and they have coats of arms.
"The places you want to go if you're having an Irish-themed party are Michaels and Jo-Ann Fabrics & Crafts. They have the fabric, confetti, paper plates and napkins.
"I also go to 17th Street Market for British cookies like McVitie's Hob Nobs, and jellies and marmalades."
Alison Doherty moved here from Northern Ireland in 1998 and now knows where to go for her favorite foods from back home. Whereas celebrations were more muted before she came to the States, come St. Patrick's Day this mother of four and her family now turn as emerald green as the rest of them.
"I shop at Cost Plus World Market for British chocolate like Galaxy and Yorkie, and Jacob's Cream Crackers (a British brand). And I go to AJ's Fine Foods for HP Sauce and Robinsons Orange Barley Water.
"I never really celebrated St. Patrick's Day as a kid, although my husband (also from Northern Ireland) did. Now we make sure everything is green for the kids. I add green food dye to juice and cake and give them something with peas.
"This year I'm going to buy them St. Patrick's Day necklaces from Wal-Mart, and they'll wear their Irish T-shirts, sent over from home. On the front are pictures of the Irish seasons. In every one, it's raining."
Tim Patrick Prendiville has gone from church missionary to pest controller to, now, part-time teacher of Gaelic at the University of Arizona. The retiree moved to this country from Ireland's County Kerry in the 1960s.
"There seems to be a revival of interest in Celtic culture here," says Prendiville. Yet, Irish-focused stores in Tucson never seem to survive, he says.
He favors Starbucks for scones that remind him of home, and the Tudor Rose, a British store and tearoom on South Craycroft Road. "I go there for a breakfast of (bacon) rashers and eggs."
As for the Irish tipple, he doesn't have to look far. "Guinness is now sold in just about every pub in Tucson."
Resources
● Cost Plus World Market, 5975 E. Broadway, 571-1460; and 4821 N. Stone Ave., 887-3000
● AJ's Fine Foods at La Encantada, 2805 E. Skyline Drive, 232-6340
● 17th Street Market, 810 E. 17th St., 624-8821, Ext. 145
● The Irish Gift House, 1335 W. University Drive, No. 7, at the southeast corner of University and Priest Drive in Tempe, 1-480-731-9755 or www.theirishgifthouse.com
● The Tudor Rose, 2029 S. Craycroft Road, 790-6888