Destination Drinks #12: Irish Coffee
The global novel coronavirus pandemic may have grounded us, but we can still enjoy happy hour. This daily series will provide delicious drink recipes for you to try at home. So call your friends for a virtual sip session and traverse the globe, even if it's only in your mind.
Today's cocktail hails from Shannon, Ireland – Irish Coffee.
What is it?
A balanced blend of caffeine and alcohol, Irish coffee warms you up from the inside out. No wonder it’s popular in both rainy Ireland and foggy San Francisco.
Origins
It was a stormy night in winter ’43: a Canada-bound seaplane departing from Foynes port in south-west Ireland was forced to turn back due to foul weather. Chef Joe Sheridan greeted the chilled passengers with coffee laced with Irish whiskey, and a tradition was born. And in 1952, travel writer Stanton Delaplane was wowed by the drink at Shannon airport and took the secret home to America with him.
You’ll need
2fl oz (60ml) double cream
3½fl oz (100ml) strong hot coffee
2 tsp brown sugar
1½fl oz (40ml) Irish whiskey
fresh nutmeg (optional)
Method
Step 1: Pour some hot water into the glass, just to warm it.
Step 2: With a whisk, gently beat the cream until just thick but not fluffy – it should still slide off a spoon.
Step 3: In a separate glass, combine the coffee, sugar and whiskey and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Step 4: Empty the hot water from the glass, then add the coffee mixture. Gently spoon the cream over the coffee, in a thick layer that fills the glass to the rim. (Some people prefer to ‘float’ the cream by pouring it gently over the back of a spoon).
Step 5: Grate nutmeg over the top, if desired.
Tasting notes
The first sip of a perfectly crafted Irish coffee is a marvel of sensations: first cold, thick cream and perhaps the scent of nutmeg, then hot, sweet coffee, and finally the gentle warmth of Irish whiskey. It tastes best in a wood-paneled pub or otherwise cozy bar, ideally, with a view of the nasty weather you’re avoiding outside. Irish coffee is a sort of magic trick in a glass, as the sugar in the coffee enables it to support the cream. Avoid serving it in a straight-sided mug, as the cream will dissolve too quickly.
Other recipes:
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