Happy St. Patrick’s Day from Brotherhood of the Bean! Thanks to the luck of the Irish, I am sure you have had many a drink with friends and family.
You may be wondering why this post is so late — St. Patrick’s Day is almost over after all. I write today for those of you who have hangovers tomorrow.
Having a bit of the “Hair of the Dog that Bit You” is a common remedy for early morning hangovers.
Many people enjoy a bloody mary’s or maybe even a mimosa’s but we know what you really need… Irish Coffee! That refreshing combination of coffee, whiskey and cream.
A lot of people know about Irish Coffee, but most have little clue about its origin. Let me give you a brief summary that I have collected from various sources.
Back in the early days of flight to Ireland from America, passengers landing at the Foynes, Co. Limerick were very often cold, cranky and generally in the mood for something hot.
Ever the Irishman, Brendan O’Regan (manager of Foynes Catering) believe that something stronger than coffee or tee would be well met. This prompted the head chef at Foynes (Mr. Joseph Sheridan) to develop what would be fondly called — Irish Coffee.
I managed to track down the original Shannon recipe on the Castle Town Press website. For your enjoyment it has been included below:
- Heat a stemmed whiskey goblet.
- Pour in one shot of Irish whiskey.
- Add three sugar cubes.
- Fill with strong black coffee to within one inch of top. Stir gently.
- Top off to the brim with heavy cream slightly aerated.
While this recipe is not anything new, what I really found interesting was some added information regarding the cream on the Castle Town Press site. They had this to say:
Important: Do not stir after adding cream, as the true flavor is obtained by drinking the coffee and whiskey through the cream.
Note: American whipping cream has an additive to increase shelf life. This detracts from ability to stay on top of mixture. Irish cream is delivered daily and has no additive. If you can obtain untreated cream from a farmer you will produce a better Irish Coffee.
So there you have it friends. Everything you wanted to know about Irish Coffee and more. May you enjoy this drink tomorrow and think of us fondly. We leave you now with an Irish Blessing:
There are many good reasons for drinking,
One has just entered my head.
If a man doesn’t drink when he’s living,
How in the hell can he drink when he’s dead?
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