Now is the time to enjoy a sip from a beverage that will warm your soul and improve a sour personality.

In keeping with the festivities associated with St. Patrick’s Day, the drink I am referring to is Irish coffee.

Most of us have some family member or friend who always adds a shot of liquor to their coffee in the mornings.

“Its a jump start,” is what one of my long-time associates has told me about tweaking her coffee with a shot of bourbon.

That is not Irish coffee, though.

Cream, coffee, sugar and Irish whiskey are the basic ingredients for the cocktail.

I have enjoyed the drink in places like New York, Dallas, Savannah, Ga., and even in Lake Charles.

Eventually I wanted to know where this delicious treat was invented. I also wanted to know if it was an Irish-American invention or did it originate in Ireland.

Cocktailtimes.com along with a number of other websites and books detail the drink’s history.

The story goes like this.

Foynes, Ireland, was a primary stop for seaplanes traveling between the United States and Europe during the 1930s and 1940s. Chef Joe Sheridan, who worked at the airport’s restaurant, is credited with making the coffee as a pick-me-up for travelers who were cold and tired from the flight.

“One American passenger asked if that’s Brazilian coffee, and the chef answered, ‘that’s Irish coffee,’ ” according to Cocktailtimes.com.

But the story did not end there.

“In 1952 Jack Koeppler, owner of Buena Vista in San Francisco brought the Irish Coffee recipe back to the United States and made it famous,” the site stated.

That, my friends, is the simple story of how a drink was born.

What follows is supposed to be the original Irish Coffee recipe.

Joe Sheridan’s Irish Coffee

Cream: Rich as an Irish brogue

Coffee: Strong as a friendly hand

Sugar: Sweet as the tongue of a rogue

Whiskey: Smooth as the wit of the land

Directions: Pre-heat a clear stemmed glass with very hot water. Empty the water, and add two teaspoons of brown sugar. Now add some freshly brewed rich coffee and stir. As soon as the sugar is melted, add a generous measure of Irish Whiskey. Stir again, then wait for the brew to still.

Now take a hot teaspoon and pour gently whipped fresh cream slowly over the back of the spoon. The cream should be “half whipped” i.e. not too stiff and not too liquid. A perfect Irish Coffee should look pretty much like that other famous Irish drink — Guinness!

From www.irelandwhiskeytrail.com

Eric Cormier writes about food every Wednesday. Contact him at ecormier@americanpress.com or 494-4090.