Ben & Jerry's offends the Irish world

[Maeve]

Well, you would think that if you saw some of the Irish blogs on the issue...

It seems they came out with a stout-flavored ice cream swirled with chocolate and called after the drink that inspired it--Black & Tan. http://www.benjerry.com/our_products/flavor_details.cfm?product_id=180

Unfortuanately, they were not aware of the British military group that bore that name during the War of Independence http://www.politics.ie/wiki/index.php?title=Black_and_Tans

It will also be noted that the container shows a black and tan coondog, an American breed, on the label (altho dog-flavored ice cream is also bad an concept!)

[Maeve]

1. Update--apology noted

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060421/od_nm/benjerrys_dc_1

[LostinVA]

2. OMG -- that sounds so good....

[htuttle]

3. IIRC, the term 'Black and Tan' originated with a breed of hunting beagles

...and only later became associated with the British military regiments in the post-Easter Rising years (hence, calling them 'Black and Tans' meant calling them dogs).

Nonetheless, I've heard you can safely order a Black and Tan in Dublin, and not find yourself in the middle of a donnybrook as a result. :)

As for ordering one in Belfast, no idea. I probably wouldn't (don't like them anyway...prefer plain old stout).

[chieftain]

4. I asked for a Black and Tan in a pub outside of Tralee

the last time I was in Ireland. The request did not cause an uproar but the bartender replied that the drink was unknown to him. So I asked for a half and half and got the drink I intended.
I was well aware of the history of the Black and Tans but the drink of that name is commonly advertised in Irish-American pubs here in the States. I was somewhat perplexed by the situation so I told what happened to me to a Celtic bartender in a New York Irish bar. His reply was classic blarney and I loved it. As he put my Guinness and Harp combination in front of me , he commiserated with my experience by saying " And what would a whelp of a Kerryman know as compared to a fine gentleman such as yourself. I still chuckle at that comment.