Irish coffee can be classified as a digestive and is clearly given the distinction as one of the most enjoyable after meal drinks. A big sip of the lush cream, followed with coffee, aromas of fine Irish whisky and a hint of sweetness of brown sugar makes it a very special cocktail. Irish coffee was invented by a chef called Joe Sheridan who worked in a restaurant at Foynes air base near Limerick, Ireland in 1942. This restaurant was responsible for catering to VIP guests and other tired and cold passengers who were passing through.
It all started one day when Joe made something warm and special for these passengers who became absolutely silent with this warm drink. They raised the question; “is this Colombian or Brazilian coffee?” “No”, he replied, “this is Irish coffee” and from this day forward the hot drink took on the name that is now recognized throughout the world. Joe worked in Foynes for several more years until finally moving in 1952 to San Francisco, USA where he introduced and made famous his Irish Coffee at the Buena Vista café. Today, his Irish Coffee is still famous at Buena Vista where they serve as many as 2,000 cups each day!
Irish coffee is fun to watch and exciting to make. It’s not easy to keep the cream floating on the top and it requires good steady hands to get it just right. In simple terms, “making Irish coffee is an Art”.
At Les Roches Marbella we maintain the tradition of this savored after-dinner digestive by making Irish Coffee in the following way (Featuring a video demonstration by BBA Semester 1 student and Les Roches Marbella Ambassador, Pier Giusto):
Irish Coffee Preparation & Ingredients
Glass: Irish coffee glass – heat resistant
Bar Equipment: Bar spoon
Ingredients/Mise-enplace: Jameson Irish Whisky, brown sugar, 1 cup of freshly brewed black coffee and ½ whipped fresh cream.
Garnish: Coffee beans, chocolate powder
Preparation: Start by pouring 3 tea spoons of brown sugar, then add 2.5 to 3cl of Jameson Irish Whisky. Warm up the mixture by using the steamer of a coffee machine. Next, using a lighter, flambé the mixture and keep stirring with the bar spoon until the sugar is dissolved. This also helps to make the glass warm!! Then add the coffee to the top, leaving enough space for the cream. Then, using the back of the bar spoon, very gently add the cream in such a way that it remains at the top. To finish it off, sprinkle a few coffee beans or chocolate powder on top as a garnish.
(If you enjoyed this demonstration on Irish Coffee from Mr. Moeed Shah, perhaps you would be interested in another cocktail demonstration featuring rum Mojitos)
