1945 – It is also said the original Irish Coffee was invented by Joe Jackson at the Ulster Hotel, which he purchased in 1945, located in Ballybofey, County Donegal. One of the specialties of the house was, and still is, is his Irish Coffee, which was made of strong black coffee, sugar, Irish whiskey, and then a layer of cream on top.
Joe, who was originally from Derry, was in the Merchant Navy during WWII. One night, in the north Atlantic, his ship was torpedoed by an enemy sub. To help him recover from hypothermia, Joe was given a traditional Navy remedy, a mixture of coffee and rum. Later, as he served on ships in the eastern Mediterranean, he tasted a number of drinks made from cream, sugar and various types of spirits.
In the early 1950s, a Scottish motoring magazine published an account of Joe Jackson’s Irish Coffee. The Jacksons maintain that the magazine described Joe’s drink a full year before the other Joe, Joe Sheridan, did his. A framed copy of the article used to hang in the Jackson’s Hotel lobby for many years until it disappeared during renovations.
Sources:
The man who brought Irish coffee to America, by Carl Nolte, San Francisco Chronicle, November 9, 2008
Irish Coffee ... The Rest of the Story, Ulster Heritage Magazine, by Barry R. McClaim.
Jackson Hotel, Ballybofey, County Donegal, Ireland
Who Really Invented Irish Coffee, The Evening Herald newspaper, July 3, 2011.
Authentic Irish Coffee Recipe - Joe Sheridan's Recipe
The next time you’ve got chilly guests, follow Joe Sheridan’s example. Warm their spirits with a spirited beverage that has been a favorite since 1942: Irish coffee.
Recipe Type: Beverage and Cocktails, Coffee
Yields: 1 serving
Prep time: 10 min
Yields: 1 serving
Prep time: 10 min
Ingredients:
Hot teaspoon
1 measure or shot (2 ounces) Irish whiskey
2 teaspoons brown sugar
5 to 6 ounces freshly-brewed strong black coffee
2 teaspoons heavy or whipping cream, lightly whipped*
1 measure or shot (2 ounces) Irish whiskey
2 teaspoons brown sugar
5 to 6 ounces freshly-brewed strong black coffee
2 teaspoons heavy or whipping cream, lightly whipped*
* The cream should be "half whipped - not too stiff and not too liquid)
Preparation:
Place a teaspoon in a bowl with hot water to heat; let sit until ready to use.
Preheat a stemmed whiskey goblet (7-ounce coffee cup or goblet may be substituted) with boiling water so that it is good and hot. Pour out the hot water and discard.
Add the brown sugar in the bottom of the goblet. Fill with strong black coffee to within 1 inch of the top; stir gently until sugar is dissolved. Add the Irish Whiskey; stir again and then let sit until the mixture is still.
Using the hot teaspoon, place the spoon (back side up) in the goblet. Gently pour the prepared whipped cream over the back of the teaspoon (held just above the coffee’s surface). Gradually raise the spoon as you slowly pour in the cream. This will result in a layer of liquid cream that floats on top of the coffee. Do not stir the cream in the coffee.
Drinking the coffee through the layer of cream results in the rich, authentic flavor that the coffee’s drinkers originally enjoyed. Do not stir. Irish coffee is best enjoyed by sipping the coffee through the cream.
Makes 1 serving.
I love handmade bread. I don't make it often enough. My aunt had a great recipe for Stone Ground Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread (recipe to follow). It's one of my favorite bread recipes. Here's another good Soda Bread recipe. It's made in a Cast Iron Skillet, that adds to the goodness and the homemade factor!
4 C flour
3 TBS sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 C raisins ( I use 1 C golden and 1 C dark)
2 C buttermilk
1 large egg, beaten
Grease a 10" cast iron skillet generously with Crisco or any vegetable shortening
In a bowl, combine:
flour
sugar
baking soda
salt
Whisk gently to blend
Stir in raisins to coat well with the flour mixture
Make a well in the center and add the buttermilk and eggs.
Stir until a stiff dough is formed
Mix with floured hands at this stage
Remove the dough and mound it into the skillet to form a round loaf
Lightly moisten hands with water and smooth the top
With a serrated knife dipped in flour, score the top with an X - 1/2 " deep
Bake for 1 hour at 375 degrees
Aunt Faye's Stone Ground Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread.
Summer of 1974 , Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Note:
Stone Ground Whole Wheat flour is best. This makes 1 - 7" loaf. I often double or triple the recipe and make 2 - 3 loaves at a time.
1/2 C all purpose flour
2 1/4 C whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3 TBS butter
1 1/3 C buttermilk
Mix both flours, salt and soda, sift thoroughly.
Cut in butter with fingers.
Make a well in the center of the flour, add buttermilk and stir until blended,
Dough should be dry enough to knead, but not too dry.
Knead the dough on a floured surface about 30 seconds.
Make a 6" - 7" ball and place on a baking sheet with a little cornmeal.
Cut an X in the top with a floured serrated knife.
Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.
Remove, rub the top with butter and cool completely,
Most of the time, I don't wait to cool it. I slice it and serve it hot with butter.
Homemade Irish Cream Liqueur:
This recipe make about 5 cups.
1 3/4 C Irish Whiskey
1- 14 oz. Can of sweetened condensed milk
1 C - (1/2 pint) heavy cream
4 eggs
2 TBS chocolate syrup
2 tsp Medaglia D'Oro instant espresso coffee powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
In a blender:
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Store tightly covered in the refrigerator up to 1 month.
Stir or shake before using.
Chocolate Mint Trifle:
This is an original recipe that I created for St. Patrick's Day in 1985.
It's one of my favorite Trifles. It is a Best of the Best Recipe.
Pudding:
1/2 C sugar
4 eggs
1 quart of half and half
2 squares of unsweetened chocolate
2 TBS Creme de Menthe
Cake:
1 box of Duncan Hines Chocolate Cake Mix
1/2 C chocolate syrup
Creme de Menthe
1 pint of heavy cream, whipped and sweetened with a bit of confectioner's sugar.
Chocolate shavings.
Pudding directions:
In a mixing bowl, combine sugar, eggs and beat with a hand mixer until creamy.
In a saucepan, scald the half and half.
Add squares of chocolate until melted and combined.
Cool
Gradually add half and half mixture to the egg and sugar mixture.
Transfer to a double boiler and simmer until the pudding coats a spoon.
Add Creme de Menthe and continue to cook for just a few minutes.
Cake directions:
Follow the box directions, substituting Creme de Menthe for half of the water.
Bake in a buttered and floured Jelly Roll Pan, at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. (I use my Pan Release Mix), equal parts of Crisco, Vegetable Oil and Flour, mixed well and applied with a pastry brush. I always have a jar of it in the refrigerator).
Cut cake to line the bottom and sides of a straight sided glass Trifle Bowl. Sprinkle with Creme de Menthe, pour syrup over the cake. Add pudding into the center of the cake and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Top with green whipped cream flavored with Creme de Menthe (fold in a bit of the liqueur to make it green) and garnish with chocolate shavings.
Irish Cocktail:
1 1/2 oz. Irish Whiskey
1/2 oz. Frangelico Liqueur
1/2 oz. Bailey's Irish Cream Liqueur
Hot Strong Black Coffee
In a coffee mug:
Whiskey
Frangelico
Bailey's
Stir Well
Top with Coffee
Option: Top with Fresh Whipped Cream
Guinness Stout Bread:
3 C self rising flour
1/2 C sugar
1/3 C molasses
1/8 tsp salt
1 - 12 oz. bottle of Guinness
Butter for greasing the pan and brushing the top
Grease a 9"X5" loaf pan well, with butter
In a large bowl:
Flour
Salt
Sugar
Whisk Well
Slowly pour the beer into the flour mix.
Stir the beer and flour just to combine, don't over mix, but eliminate lumps.
Pour batter into the pan about, it should be about 2/3 full
Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.
A toothpick inserted in the center of the bread should come out clean.
Cool about 5 minutes in the pan.
Remove the bread and transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.
Slather the top with softened butter.
Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!
