Drinking With The Saints

Back Row Media

Mix the Bartender’s Guide and Lives of the Saints, shake well, and garnish with good cheer! Join Michael and Alexandra Foley each week as they look at a feast day from that week's calendar, discuss that saint's life, and mix a cocktail appropriate for remembering and celebrating that saint, all while mixing in plenty of fun and good humor. Drinking with the Saints is a concoction that both sinner and saint will savor.

  1. 10/31/2025

    067 - We're back! All Saints (and a couple broken bones)

    Mike and Alexandra return to the podcast with stories, laughter, and a hearty Manhattan in hand! After a long hiatus, they catch up on a whirlwind year and turn their attention to the joy and meaning of All Saints Day. In this episode they discuss: ● A year of trials and blessings (and one very dramatic broken leg) ● The origin and purpose of All Saints Day ● Why All Saints was moved from May to November ● How the feast celebrates every saint, canonized or not ● The beauty of the traditional Collect for All Saints ● A reflection on gratitude, perseverance, and grace under pressure Drink of the Week: The Manhattan 1½ oz. bourbon ¾ oz. sweet vermouth Cherry for garnish Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry and raise a toast to Mother Cabrini, patroness of Manhattan! Books Mentioned: ● My Drinking and Dining with the Saints Journal ● Abstaining with the Saints: No and Low Alcoholic Beverages for Sober Souls Prayer: “Stay with us O Lord because it is getting toward evening. Bless our drinks and our conversation. Amen.” Find more at: drinkingwiththesaints.com Instagram @drinkingsaints Produced by Back Row Media backrow.fm Instagram @backrowmedia Find the Books: Drinking with the Saints Drinking with St. Nick Drinking with Your Patron Saints Why We Kiss Under the Mistletoe: Christmas Traditions Explained Dining with the Saints Lost in Translation: Meditating on the Orations of the Traditional Roman Rite

    34 min
  2. 01/09/2025

    065 - Lingering Questions About the Magi & Dueling Cocktails

    In this post-Epiphany episode, Mike and Alexandra discuss: Each comes up with a drink to represent the three gifts of the Magi. Which will turn out better? Mike has some lingering questions about the Magi The Epiphany blessing and chalking Drink of the Week #1: Mike’s Original Epiphany Cocktail Golden Cinnamon Schnapps White Rum Grapefruit Bitters Combine ingredients in a shaker full of ice. Shake 40 times. Strain into a cocktail glass. Drink of the Week #2: Alexandra’s Original Epiphany Cocktail Fig Jam ½ of a clementine orange 2 oz Bourbon Cardamom Bitters  Muddle the orange. Combine jam, orange, and bourbon in a shaker without ice. Dry shake 40 times. Add bitters, then add ice, and shake with star anise. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with anise. Join Us on Pilgrimage! June 2025 "Liturgical Living Along the Rhine River" through the Netherlands, Germany, and France. SEE FULL DETAILS HERE AND MORE CRUISE DETAILS HERE - - - - - “Stay with us O Lord because it is getting toward evening. Bless our drinks and our conversation. Amen” Find more at: https://drinkingwiththesaints.com/ Instagram @drinkingsaints Produced by Back Row Media  backrow.fm Instagram @backrowmedia Find the Books: Drinking with the Saints  Drinking with St. Nick Drinking with Your Patron Saints Why We Kiss Under the Mistletoe: Christmas Traditions Explained Dining with the Saints Lost in Translation: Meditating on the Orations of the Traditional Roman Rite

    31 min
  3. 08/01/2024

    060 - Lammas Day and Other "-mas" Days | Wheat Beer

    Mike and Alexandra explore an unofficial feast of the liturgical calendar to discuss: Nonalcoholic beer Sour beer Wheat beer The origin of Lammas Day -mas Days Drinks of the Week:  Martin House Brewing Company “Key Lime Pie Sour Ale” Athletic Brewing Company “Atlética” “Mas” Holidays The definitions of these words, in chronological order, are: Uphalimass, Epiphany, January 6--“up” can mean "completed, over" and “hali” is short for haliday or holiday. Epiphany is the end of the Christmas holidays Twelfthmas Day, Epiphany, January 6 (Anglo-Saxons; see Parker, WITW, 80) Candlemas, The Purification of the BVM, February 2--from the blessing of candles on this day Ladymas, The Annunciation of the BVM, March 25 (although it can also pertain to just about any Marian feast) Georgemas, St. George, April 23 Crouchmas, “Cross Mass,” the Feast of the Finding of the Holy Cross, May 3 Johnsmas, St. John the Baptist, June 24 Petermas, St. Peter [and St. Paul], June 29. Originally, though, it was the Feast of St. Peter in Chains, August 1 Lammas, “Loaf Mass”, August 1. Lammas Day was never officially on the calendar, but it was still a big deal in England and Ireland, when a loaf made from the first grains of the harvest was taken to church and blessed Marymass or Marymas (aka Lady-Day-in-Harvest), The Assumption of the BVM, August 15 Ellenmas, St. Helen, August 18 [1] Latter Marymass. The Nativity of the BVM, September 8. If Assumption Day is the first Mary Mass of the season, Mary’s birthday is the occasion for the “later Mary Mass”--at least before the institution of the Feast of the Seven Sorrows of the BVM on September 15 centuries later Roodmas, The Exaltation of the Holy Cross, September 14.  A “rood” is a crucifix placed on top of a rood screen, that is, lifted high or exalted, as in the "Dream of the Rood". It's amazing how precise our language can be about crosses Michaelmas, St. Michael the Archangel, September 29 Lukesmas, St. Luke, October 18 Hallowmas, All Saints’ Day, November 1 Saumas, All Souls’ Day, November 2 (not to be confused with a “Soul Mass,” i.e., a Requiem Mass) Martinmas or Martlemas, St. Martin of Tours, November 11 Andrewmass or Andermas, St. Andrew, November 30 Christmas or Christenmas, December 25 Childermas, Holy Innocents, December 28 Kermas or Kermis, a “church Mass,” that is, the anniversary of the dedication of a church. The term quickly migrated to an “annual fair or carnival, characterized by much noisy merry-making” or, in the U.S., a festival held for charitable purposes. We would love to hear from you! Send us an email with your comments or feedback to podcast@drinkingwiththesaints.com  Let us know what you think, or share a picture of your drinks with us! Find us on Instagram at @drinkingsaints - - - - - “Stay with us O Lord because it is getting toward evening. Bless our drinks and our conversation. Amen” Find more at: https://drinkingwiththesaints.com/ Instagram @drinkingsaints Produced by Back Row Media  backrow.fm Instagram @backrowmedia Find the Books: Drinking with the Saints  Drinking with St. Nick Drinking with Your Patron Saints Why We Kiss Under the Mistletoe: Christmas Traditions Explained Dining with the Saints Lost in Translation: Meditating on the Orations of the Traditional Roman Rite

    25 min
5
out of 5
68 Ratings

About

Mix the Bartender’s Guide and Lives of the Saints, shake well, and garnish with good cheer! Join Michael and Alexandra Foley each week as they look at a feast day from that week's calendar, discuss that saint's life, and mix a cocktail appropriate for remembering and celebrating that saint, all while mixing in plenty of fun and good humor. Drinking with the Saints is a concoction that both sinner and saint will savor.