Winter in Ottawa can be rough. The half-metre of snow on the ground is enough to make you want to stay under the covers and hibernate until May. But, no matter how many times you press the snooze button on your alarm, your 8:30 a.m. class won’t go away.
Since the morning hike to school might seem like an Arctic expedition, add a little splash of warmth to your morning cup of coffee.
While mixing alcohol and coffee is not a new idea, it’s a good one.
As the story goes—according to the Foynes Flying Boat and Maritime Museum—in 1943 a plane departed Foynes airport in Ireland bound for Newfoundland. The weather was terrible but the pilot decided to attempt the passage anyway.
After several hours the plane had to turn back and sent word to the airport telling the staff to be prepared for their arrival. Upon landing, the chef at the airport restaurant greeted the passengers with cups of coffee for everyone.
To take the cold off, he added a shot of whiskey to the drink. When grateful passengers asked him if they were being served Brazilian coffee, he replied “No, that was Irish coffee.”
Esquire magazine’s Drinks Database lists the recipe as follows:
• 2 ounces Irish whiskey
• 5-6 ounces coffee
• 2 teaspoons sugar or brown sugar
• Heavy cream
The whiskey, coffee and sugar should be mixed together in a glass mug. The heavy cream can be then layered on top of the drink. If you, like me, are too lazy to add the cream, don’t worry.
For the original recipe, Jameson Irish Whiskey would be the preferred spirit. It’s reasonably priced and can be found at the LCBO for $32.95 for a 750-millilitre bottle.
But, if you don’t have any Irish whiskey on hand, or want to open your horizons, there are several great alternatives.
Captain Morgan’s Spiced Rum ($28.95) is 35 per cent alcohol content and mixes well with the coffee. Rum is a sugar-based spirit and is quite sweet. If mixed correctly you can drink it without really tasting the alcohol—but then what’s the point?
Another option, for the aristocratically inclined, is St. Remy VSOP Brandy ($24.95). Brandy is made from distilling wine and generally tastes excellent without a mix. It is a smooth spirit and tastes fruity. The coffee ends up taking on the characteristics of the brandy so it’s better to just keep these two separate.
Crown Royal ($27.95) is the best spirit to mix with the coffee. It enhances the flavour of the coffee and still carries enough of a kick. It’s a little bit boozy, so it’s recommended to save this combination for after dinner, rather than after breakfast.
Finally, there’s my mom’s favourite, Baileys Irish Cream ($29.95). It mixes perfectly with the coffee. It carries the delicious combination of sweetness and alcohol, making it my choice for a quiet Sunday morning. It comes in several flavours, including hazelnut and biscotti. But the original is the best.
Adding a shot to your coffee may not end winter, but it may help dispel its chill and extend that holiday cheer into spring.
