Before there were double frappacinos and caramel macchiato, there was Irish Coffee, perhaps the first popular flavored coffee drink. In fact, the drink was invented back in the 1930s to welcome and to warm up the first transatlantic travelers.

It was the dawn of transatlantic plane travel, when a trip from America across the Atlantic was only possible on an 18-hour flight by "flying boat." On landing, passengers were ferried from these early seaplanes, arriving chilled and damp at Foynes Airport in County Limerick, Ireland. By 1942, a restaurant had been established at the airport to welcome the travelers, which by then included such VIPs as Humphrey Bogart, Eleanor Roosevelt, Edward G. Robinson, Ernest Hemmingway and Douglas Fairbanks.

It was the dawn of transatlantic plane travel, when a trip from America across the Atlantic was only possible on an 18-hour flight by "flying boat." On landing, passengers were ferried from these early seaplanes, arriving chilled and damp at Foynes Airport in County Limerick, Ireland. By 1942, a restaurant had been established at the airport to welcome the travelers, which by then included such VIPs as Humphrey Bogart, Eleanor Roosevelt, Edward G. Robinson, Ernest Hemmingway and Douglas Fairbanks.

Legend has it that one night in 1942, a plane bound for the U.S. was turned back to Foynes due to bad weather. According to historians at the Foynes Museum, this was not an unusual occurrence. But on this night, as Chef Joe Sheridan was serving coffee, he thought a little something extra was needed to warm the tired travelers. He sweetened the hot coffee with sugar, added a dram of Irish whiskey and floated a dollop of rich, delicious, lightly whipped cream on top. Irish Coffee was born - and it created a sensation.

Today, you and your guests can still appreciate an authentic Irish Coffee, made Joe Sheridan's way. Here's how:

1. Fill an Irish coffee glass with very hot water to pre-heat, then empty.

2. Pour hot coffee into hot glass until it is about 3/4 full.

3. Drop in 3 cocktail sugar cubes; stir until sugar is thoroughly dissolved.

4. Add full jigger of Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey for proper taste and body.

5. Top with a collar of lightly whipped cream by pouring gently over a spoon.

6. Enjoy it while it's hot.

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