Food.com
In 1942, a man named Joe Sheridan invented Irish coffee at his restaurant at Foynes Airport, near today's Shannon Airport. The drink was created to relieve the Irish damp chill for passengers flying to the United States. Stanton Delaplane, a writer for the San Francisco Chronicle, tried Irish coffee at Shannon shortly after the war. He enjoyed it so much that he brought the recipe home. The first Irish coffee in the United States was served at Buena Vista Cafe on November 10, 1952. Soon after, more Irish coffee was being consumed in San Francisco than Ireland. This drink might be responsible for single-handedly saving Irish whiskey. Irish coffee consists of coffee, sugar, Irish whiskey, and soft whipped cream. The drink traditionally does not have a maraschino cherry or green creme de menthe on top.
