Wow!
We love each other. Of course we love each other, we've been married for 19 years. But on that trip we remembered we liked each other. He's pretty darn good company when the kids aren't around! We drove all over Muir Woods National Monument, gazed out for miles across the Pacific Ocean, drove back and forth over the bridge, and ate at all sorts of amazing places. While we liked the s'mores pie at the Buckeye Roadhouse and the chocolate at Ghirardelli Square and the seafood at Scoma's, the thing we loved the most was the famous Irish coffee at the Buena Vista Cafe on Fisherman's Warf. A-mazing.
While neither of us can sneak away to San Francisco right now, and I can't recreate the atmosphere of sharing this coffee on a cold rainy night on the Bay, I can settle for the next best thing (haha) and make Irish coffee on a cool evening in Iowa.
The best coffee at my house comes from my moka pot. While it isn't an espresso maker, it's pretty darn close and it cost WAY less. It's also easier to use and clean up. Just fill the base with water:
Insert the metal filter and add espresso grounds
And screw on the top.
In about eight minutes you've got almost-espresso. If you don't have a moka pot, just make a strong pot of coffee. While it's brewing, add a teaspoon of sugar to your coffee mug.
I have two glass coffee mugs like this one. They're just like the mugs used at the Buena Vista Cafe. I found them at Crate and Barrel, in case you want some too. When it's done brewing, pour the hot coffee on top of the sugar, about 3/4 full.
Top the coffee with a jigger of Irish whiskey. Did you know a jigger is the same thing as a shot? And for those of us who just want a specific amount, that's 1.5 ounces. So now you know. A jigger of whiskey is 1.5 ounces.
I'm sure there are all sorts of Irish whiskeys, but when I make Irish coffee I buy Jameson. It's ridiculously expensive and I have to stand in the alcohol aisle and debate for five minutes on how much I really want Irish coffee before I decide. I'm sure I look like an alcoholic fixating while I make up my mind. I used this blog as the deciding factor for this bottle because I really wanted to share with you. My husband thanks you.
Warm up some heavy whipping cream (about a minute in the microwave) and whip it until it's thick but not at all like whipped topping. I use this milk frother, which is the best thing since sliced bread. I use the moka pot and frother every morning when I make my latte. In case you were wondering.
Here's the only tricky part about making Irish coffee. You want the whipped heavy cream to float on top of the coffee. I'm not perfect at this yet, but practice makes perfect, right? And we don't mind drinking our mistakes around here. This glass turned out pretty well, though I've got a way to go before I reach Buena Vista standards.
The trick is to pour the hot whipped heavy cream over a spoon so it doesn't pour directly down into the coffee.
I should have stopped here, but I poured a little too fast and this happened.
The cream started to mix a little with the coffee. But it all worked out.
Our Irish coffee was layered and lovey. Cream. Creamy whiskey. Sweetened coffee.
While the ocean wasn't a block away, and our four kids were swarming and chattering and busy, for a moment we could remember that time together in San Francisco.
That time when we remembered we still liked each other. You know what I mean.
Slainte!
Irish Coffee
Hot strong coffee
1 tsp sugar per mug
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream per mug
1.5 ounces Jameson Irish Whiskey per mug
Prepare coffee. As the coffee is brewing add a teaspoon of sugar to each mug and heat the heavy cream in a microwave safe container. Briskly whip the heavy cream until it is thick (but not thick like whipped cream or whipped topping). Pour the hot coffee into each mug on top of the sugar. Gently pour a jigger (1.5 oz) of whiskey on top of each coffee. Very gently pour heavy whipping cream on to a spoon above the coffee so that the heavy cream floats on the top of the whiskey. Then enjoy!
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