National Irish Coffee Day

Jan. 25 is "National Irish Coffee Day" so what better way to pay tribute to the luxuriously creamy, cockle-warming beverage than with a hip hip hooray to Irish ingenuity!
In true Irish spirit we choose to celebrate it January 25th, March 17th and Everyday!

We have the cold, damp Atlantic weather and the creativity of a Limerick chef to thank for the invention of Irish Coffee.
Without the chilly, wet air, it’s unlikely Joseph Sheridan would have dreamt up his sweet, boozy elixir originated and served, it’s said, to warm chilled transatlantic travellers when the weather turned miserable.

The Origins of Irish Coffee

The story goes that the weary and cold passengers arrived at the small airport hub in southwest Ireland where Sheridan operated a restaurant. In his attempt to lift their spirits and warm their hearts, he served them the hot coffee beverage topped with a collar of whipped cream. When one asked ‘Is this Brazilian coffee?’ Sheridan replied, ‘No, it’s Irish Coffee’ and so the iconic warm whiskey drink, which Sheridan sometimes called a Gaelic coffee, was born. The year was 1942.

It’s said also that the airport, a precursor to Shannon International Airport, attracted its share of celebrities with Cary Grant, Che Guevara, Marilyn Monroe and her then husband Arthur Miller having been photographed sipping an Irish Coffee.

Irish Coffee Comes to North America

Although the drink was born in Ireland, it grew up in San Francisco. While there’s some dispute as to how Irish Coffee made its way to North America, much has been written about Stanton Delaplane, a travel writer who is credited with introducing San Francisco’s Buena Vista Cafe to the beverage in 1952.
In the years since, the Buena Vista has served over 32 million Irish Coffees and still whips up an average of 2,000 per day.

Irish Coffee from Tourism Ireland

& Irish Coffee at The Buena Vista

The "Original Recipe"

The original recipe as per Joseph Sheridan: "Cream as rich as an Irish brogue; coffee as strong as a friendly hand; sugar sweet as the tongue of a rogue; and whiskey smooth as the wit of the land."

...and in practical terms here’s how to make one:
Pre-heat a clear stemmed glass with very hot water. Empty the water, and add 2 teaspoons of brown sugar. Now add some freshly brewed rich coffee and stir. As soon as the sugar is melted, add a generous measure of Irish whiskey (about 4 to 6 teaspoons). Stir again, and then wait for the brew to still. Now take a hot teaspoon and pour gently whipped fresh cream slowly over the back of the spoon. The cream should be not too stiff and not too liquid. A perfect Irish Coffee should look pretty much like that other famous Irish drink - Guinness! And remember never stir it because the coffee is meant to be enjoyed as you sip the warm, sweet nectar through the luxurious cream.

Follow us on Twitter

http://twitter.com/#!/IrishCoffeeDay

The Origins of Irish Coffee

Irish Coffee Comes to North America

& Irish Coffee at The Buena Vista

The "Original Recipe"

Other "National" Holiday sites:

Follow us on Twitter