The Beginning of: Irish Coffee

You might think that Irish Coffee is a centuries-old drink, enjoyed by many generations of Irish folk around a hot fire at home or at the pub. But truth be told, it originated in the era around World War II during the dawn of transatlantic plane travel, from 1939 to 1945, when air travelers from America took an 18-hour seaplane (known as a “flying boat”) to Port of Foynes in County Limerick, Ireland. Passengers took a boat from the seaplane to the terminal—the seaplane base preceded the construction of Shannon Airport. By 1942, a restaurant had been established to welcome the travelers, which by then included such luminaries as Humphrey Bogart, Douglas Fairbanks, Edward G. Robinson, Ernest Hemingway and Eleanor Roosevelt.

In cold, damp weather, a hot cup of coffee or tea was appreciated upon arrival. One story has Brendan O’Regan, then the manager of catering, asking Joseph Sheridan, the head chef at Foynes, to develop something “stronger.” Another story is that on a cold night in 1942, a plane bound for the U.S. was turned back to Foynes due to bad weather—not an unusual occurrence—and Chef Joe Sheridan, who was serving coffee, came up with the idea. Whatever the story, the result is what is now known as Irish Coffee—purportedly because an American asked if the beverage was Brazilian coffee and was told in return, “This is Irish coffee.”

 courtesy of http://www.thenibble.com/reviews/main/cocktails/irish-coffee-recipe.asp