Irish Coffee

images courtesy of Iren Schio

​This month, EnJOY features two recipes to honor two saints:  Irish Coffee to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, and Italian-style Chicken Cacciatore to celebrate St. Joseph’s Day, March 19—with the two recipes appearing in separate weeks.
 
I had the pleasure of growing up on Chicago’s immigrant southside (yes, one word) with many Irish neighbors, who attended St. Cecilia’s Church and School, while my Austrian compatriots attended St. George’s Church and School, and we got along well.  The lilt of Irish brogues contrasted with the heavier accent of German speakers.
 
The Irish loved the corned beef my Father brined in our store before St. Patrick’s Day and put in their orders early for their brisket.  Mounds of cabbage and overflowing bins of potatoes were at the ready for our customers.  As in all large cities around the globe, Chicago annually mounts a big parade downtown after dyeing the dark Chicago River a bright luminous green, but the southside Irish hold a separate parade on a separate day as some people, especially politicians, participate in both—all wearing the green.
 
While at this time of the year, newspapers and magazines feature recipes for Irish food, I want to present to you the authentic original recipe for and history of Irish Coffee.
 
EnJOY
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Here are two recipes for Irish Coffee.  One is a poem, and the other a hot libation—perfect for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, March 17.  Both versions were created by the same individual, Joe Sheridan, chef at a restaurant at the Foynes airbase outside of Limerick, Ireland (replaced since by Shannon International Airport).  In the mid-1930s, it was decided by the US and Canada that all eastbound transatlantic flights would terminate at Foynes, which could handle water landings of heavy flying boats.  In 1942, a westbound flight destined for New York had to return to Foynes because a winter storm developed in the North Atlantic.  To warm the disheartened passengers, Joe Sheridan served them Irish Coffee.  As is well known, the Irish are a poetic people as evidenced by their literature and music, so it makes perfect sense for a chef to create a poem to help people remember the ingredients of his simple yet satisfying hot libation.

FIRST, Joe Sheridan’s poem. . .

cream...
coffee...
sugar...
​whiskey...

​Rich as an Irish Brogue
Strong as a Friendly Hand
Sweet as the Tongue of a Rogue
Smooth as the Wit of the Land

NOW, Joe Sheridan’s hot libation. . .

2 teaspoons brown sugar

Spoon sugar into a warmed Irish-coffee glass, mug, or other heat-proof glass.

4 ounces dark coffee--
   brewed to be rich and hot
​

Add hot coffee and stir until sugar is dissolved.

1-1/2 ounces
   IRISH whiskey

Add whiskey and stir again.

1 ounce heavy cream,
   lightly whipped
 
Note:  Do not use canned, pressurized whipped cream.

​Float the lightly whipped cream on top of the hot coffee by pouring cream over the back of a spoon so that cream does not sink to bottom of the glass.  This time, though, do not stir.  Instead, drink the coffee through the cream, but first toast the person who made this libation for you.

Toast like the Irish:  Slainte (health - say slawn-che) — EnJOY