Irish Coffee

Irish coffee is one of my favorites for a nice finish to a meal. The hot coffee, nice Irish whiskey, sugar and cream are the main ingredients. There are numerous variations made depending on where you look.

I have seen recipes using Bailey's Irish Cream in place of whiskey and others will tell you that it is not an Irish Coffee unless you have flamed the whiskey sugar mixture first before assembling the drink. The choices are numerous.

That is to be expected for a drink that has been subject to numerous rumors as to how and even where it was created. There are Irish Pubs in San Francisco that claim to be the start of it but the most believed story has to do with Shannon Airport in Ireland. It is believed that it started there during the war years as a pick me up for people arriving by air in boat planes. They landed on the ocean and were ferried in by boat. To better serve them Irish Coffee was created to remove the chill of the boat ride.

Now as to how to make traditional Irish Coffee with the various variations I have found.

Start with a warmed whiskey goblet (almost all recipes agree that this is the way to serve Irish Coffee properly).

Add sugar appoxiamately 1 tablespoon (although the amount does vary from recipe to recipe and 1 I have found actually calls for brown sugar).

Add 1 shot Irish Whiskey (my personal preferrence is Bushmill's but some even substitute Scotch, Bourbon or Rye whiskeys. There are some who will add Bailey's Irish Cream instead of whiskey too)

This next step is optional and that is to flame the whiskey. Those that prefer it claim it balances the alcohol coffee mix and adds a smoky flavor.

Fill the glass to within an inch with coffee (although some prefer to use an espresso machine for a stronger coffee flavor).

The final step is to top with slightly whipped cream. Do not mix after this just sip the drink through the cream.

Enjoy!!