Did you know the original Irish coffee was conceived in the 1940s? While variations of coffee cocktails were around at least one hundred years earlier, it's rumored that chef Joe Sheridan first made the drink for a group of American travelers to warm them up on a particularly miserable winter night. When asked what the chef called the drink, he responded "Irish Coffee".
Stanton Delaplane, a travel writer for the San Francisco Chronicle brought Irish coffee to the United States after drinking it at Shannon Airport, in Ireland. He worked with the Buena Vista Cafe in San Francisco where they began serving it on November 10, 1952. Delaplane mentioned the drink frequently in his travel column, helping it gain popularity across the United States. Several others have also claimed to invent, and perfect the recipe over the years. No matter the origin, we're sure glad someone thought of it!
We're thrilled to share two recipes we've created to add a Caffè Umbria twist to the classic Irish Coffee. Try them this St. Patrick's Day, or on any wintery day you need a little extra warming up.
- Add cream, sugar and vanilla to a small bowl
- Whisk until think but not peaked, set aside
- Preheat french press and 2 x 10 oz mugs
- In preheated French Press add ground coffee and sugar
- Pour water to saturate grounds, then add whiskey
- Steep for 4 minutes without lid
- Break grounds and clean from top
- Plunge to the top of liquid, then strain in to mugs
- Pour cream over back of a spoon to cap the coffee
-
Prepare espresso
-
Add sugar and stir
-
Add whiskey
-
Finish the cappuccino with creamy, frothed milk
Enjoy!
Leave a comment