Roving Correspondent Mazerati Mike recently stopped by the Buena Vista Cafe in San Francisco for their famous Irish coffee.  Here is their story.

“The historic venture started on the night of November the 10th in 1952. Jack Koeppler, then-owner of the Buena Vista, challenged international travel writer Stanton Delaplane to help re-create a highly touted “Irish Coffee” served at Shannon Airport in Ireland. Intrigued, Stan Accepted Jack’s invitation, and the pair began to experiment immediately.

Throughout the night the two of them stirred and sipped judiciously and eventually acknowledged two recurring problems. The taste was “not quite right,” and the cream would not float. Stan’s hopes sank like the cream, but Jack was undaunted. The restaurateur pursued the elusive elixir with religious fervor, even making a pilgrimage overseas to Shannon Airport.

Upon Jack’s return, the experimentation continued. Finally, the perfect-tasting Irish whiskey was selected. Then the problem of the bottom-bent cream was taken to San Francisco’s mayor, a prominent dairy owner. It was discovered that when the cream was aged for 48 hours and frothed to a precise consistency, it would float as delicately as a swan on the surface of Jack’s and Stan’s special nectar.

Success was theirs! With the recipe now mastered, a sparkling clear, six-ounce, heat-treated goblet was chosen as a suitable chalice.

Soon the fame of the Buena Vista’s Irish Coffee spread throughout the land. Today, it’s still the same delicious mixture, and it’s still the same clamorous, cosmopolitan Buena Vista. Both…delightful experiences.”

Website onbetterliving.com notes that since 1952, The Buena Vista has sold millions of glasses of their delicious original Irish Coffees over the years. On a busy day, they can sell over 2000 glasses and they report that they sell more Irish whiskey than anywhere else in the world.

Not making a trip to San Fran but want to up your Irish Coffee game?

• Warm a 6-oz. heatproof glass with hot water then pour it out
• Fill  a glass three-quarters full (about ⅔ cup) with coffee.  Buena Vista uses Peerless available on Amazon. Add two sugar cubes; stir until they dissolve
• Stir in an 1 1/2 oz (or maybe two) of Tullamore D.E.W whiskey; top with whipped heavy cream by gently pouring over a spoon

For more, see their website http://www.thebuenavista.com/home/irishcoffee.html

– Jet Cannon for Maserati Mike