As an American with a taste for good whiskey I've always enjoyed a nice hot mug of irish coffee from the local pub or made at home. The typical version of this drink is a mug of coffee with a double shot of whiskey, topped with whipped topping from a can. I can't stand a few brands of whiskey, so I'd usually specify Jameson's or another smooth whiskey instead of the well whiskey.

My opinion about what makes a good irish coffee changed drastically when I had the opportunity to actually go to Ireland and tour the pubs in the smaller villages. The principal is the same, but the result exceeded my expectations. Here's a recipe I learned for how to make a proper Irish Coffee.

Ingredients:
3/4 of a mug - coffee
1 teaspoon - sugar
unsweetened whipping cream
2 shots - whiskey (Most pubs there used Tullamore Dew, which is inexpensive but worked just fine.)

Procedure:
Take 3/4 of a mug of hot coffee, preferably freshly brewed.
Add a teaspoon of sugar and stir it into the coffee.
Add a double shot of whiskey.
Whip the cream with a whisk until it is thick and creamy, like butter.
Add an inch or so of the cream to the top of the mug
Allow cream to melt into the drink for a minute and serve with a swizzle stick.

Note: The above recipe is not to be confused with the Irishman Coffee (also known as a Bailey's Coffee). For a Irishman's Coffee, just mix three shots of Bailey's Original Irish Cream into coffee and serve.

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