DIY delicious Irish coffee

Weather-related flight delays or cancellations are often the cause of much frustration. However, one timely storm nearly 80 years might just have paved the way for a beloved beverage.

In 1943, Joe Sheridan was working as a chef at the Shannon Airport in Ireland. According to the Foynes Flying Boat and Maritime Museum, on one fateful night, a flight bound for Newfoundland was forced to return to the airport in Foynes due to inclement weather. Sheridan was asked to create a warm beverage for the suddenly stranded passengers.

Quick on his feet, Sheridan brewed some coffee but decided to add a little whiskey. Asked if the beverage was Brazilian coffee, Sheridan shook his head before indicating his newly minted creation was “Irish coffee.” And thus a legendary beverage was born.

This recipe, courtesy of the Foynes Flying Boat and Maritime Museum, can be great for anyone who wants warm up with their own batch of Irish coffee at home.

Step One: Preheat your Irish coffee glass by filling it with boiling water for 5 seconds, then pour the water out.

Step Two: Add 1 teaspoon of brown sugar and a good measure of Irish whiskey into the warmed glass.

Step Three: Fill the glass to within 1/3 inch of the brim with hot, strong black coffee. Stir well to dissolve all the brown sugar.

Step Four: Carefully pour lightly whipped cream over the back of a spoon so that it floats on top of the coffee.

Step Five: Do not stir after adding the cream; optimal flavor comes from drinking the coffee and Irish whiskey through the cream.