By Natalie Haughton
Food Editor

Irish coffee may indeed be Irish, but on these shores, San Francisco's Buena Vista Cafe has made it famous … and turned it into an institution … for celebrating and toasting on St. Patrick's Day and beyond.

Legend has it that the classic Irish beverage was created in a restaurant in the Foynes Airport in County Limerick, Ireland, one night in 1942 by chef Joe Sheridan. He sweetened hot coffee with sugar, added some Irish whiskey and floated a dollop of lightly whipped cream on top to warm trans-Atlantic travelers who arrived by "flying boat."

Sheridan perfected the recipe by the time the new Shannon International Airport and restaurant opened in 1945, and many international travelers sampled it. Among them was Jack Koeppler, the owner of the Buena Vista Café, who brought it here in 1952.

The story goes that Koeppler challenged writer Stanton Delaplane to help re-create Sheridan's highly touted coffee creation and after much experimentation and a trip overseas, the drink was perfected. The rest is history.

Today the Buena Vista averages sales of 2,000 Irish coffees daily ($7.25 each), notes Michael Carden, general manager. "Sometimes we make 20 or 30 at a time.

"It's important to heat the 6-ounce glass first with very hot water," says Carden. Then drain the water and add two small square sugar cubes and really hot (drip) coffee and stir until dissolved. Pour in the whiskey and don't stir.

"We use 1 1/2 jiggers of Tullmore Dew Irish Whiskey, but you could pretty much use any Irish whiskey."

Pour in the cream over the back of a spoon on top off the glass and serve immediately.

"You have to use heavy cream … ours is 38 percent milk-fat whipping cream … aerated with a milkshake maker to the perfect consistency (until still creamy and runny) … and pour in just the right way to get it to float on top. That way, you get the coolness of the cream and the hot of the coffee. That's real Irish coffee."

There are no variations on the theme at the Buena Vista, but it can be ordered without whiskey for $5.25. "But it doesn't taste the same," adds Carden.

"We get a lot of new people who've heard about it for years," he says. "The cable car drops people off at our doorstep every five minutes."

Although Irish coffee is still served at Shannon Airport, it's a different style, he says. An 8-ounce goblet is used in Ireland, along with a heavier cream that is dolloped on.

Tom Bergin's Tavern in Los Angeles has been serving Irish coffee since 1976, says Chris Doyle, a bartender who's been there for more than 30 years. An Irish coffee will cost you $6 … $3 for a no-whiskey rendition.

"We make ours differently than the Buena Vista, using 3/4 teaspoon superfine sugar instead of sugar cubes," he says. "The sugar is placed in the Irish coffee glass, then slightly less than a full shot of (Powers brand)Irish whiskey is added and it's filled up to within 1/2 inch of the top with(fresh) hot coffee and stirred until the sugar is dissolved."

Don't use four-hour-old coffee or it will taste terrible, cautions Doyle.

"Fill with manufacturers (heavy whipping cream) that has been blended for 10 to 15 seconds. If I had a nickel for every Irish coffee I made, I could have retired by now," he says, laughing. "The beauty about Irish coffee is you can put anything in it."

You can turn the drink into Mexican coffee by making it with rum, Kahlua, coffee and cream (no sugar). Or you can add Bailey's Irish Creme, Grand Marnier or Drambuie to the coffee instead of whiskey … but leave out the sugar.

At the White Harte Pub in Woodland Hills, Irish coffee is simply a mixture of Irish whiskey and hot coffee … no sugar … and whipped cream from an aerosol can is optional on top, says Stacy Taylor, the pub's bartender-manager. "We use 6 ounces of coffee and 1 1/2 to 2 ounces whiskey or other liqueur." Also available is Irish coffee made with half Bailey's and half Irish whiskey.

There is no sugar in any of these drinks, points out Taylor. "Sugar is on the table and we leave it to the customer's preference."

"Around St. Patrick's Day, we get lots of orders for Irish coffee. Everyone is trying to get in the Irish spirit," adds Taylor.

If you want to experiment with making Irish coffee at home … it's really not that difficult … it's feasible to make it in an 8 1/2- to 9-ounce coffee mug or other heatproof glass, providing you adjust the proportions accordingly.

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Natalie Haughton, (818) 713-3692

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PUBS AND BARS SERVING IRISH COFFEE
Robin Hood, 13640 Burbank Blvd., Sherman Oaks, (818) 994-6045.
White Harte Pub, 22456 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills, (818) 224-3822.
Timmy Nolan's, 10111 Riverside Drive, Toluca Lake, (818) 985-3359.
Tom Bergin's Tavern, 840 S. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, (323) 936-7151.
The Buchanan Arms Restaurant & Pub, 2013 W. Burbank Ave., Burbank, (818) 845-0692.
Ireland's 32, 13721 Burbank Blvd., Van Nuys, (818) 785-4031.
Molly Malone's, 575 S. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, (323) 935-1577.

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RECIPES
IRISH COFFEE BUENA VISTA CAFE STYLE
Fill an Irish coffee glass with very hot water to preheat, then empty. Add 2 cocktail sugar cubes and hot brewed (drip) coffee until glass is about two-thirds full. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add 1 1/2 jiggers Tullamore Dew Irish whiskey; don't stir. Top with a collar of lightly aerated (should still be creamy and runny) heavy whipping cream by pouring it gently over the back of a spoon. Serve immediately. Makes 1 serving.

From Michael Carden, Buena Vista Cafe, San Francisco.

KISS ME I'M IRISH COFFEE
FOR EACH DRINK:
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 ounces Irish whiskey
2/3 cup freshly brewed strong black coffee
1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream

In an Irish coffee glass, combine sugar, whiskey and coffee. In a small bowl, lightly whisk cream until slightly frothy. Gently pour cream onto the back of a spoon resting on the surface of the coffee, so that it floats on top of the coffee. Serve immediately without stirring. Makes 1 serving.

NOTE: Getting the cream to float on top of an Irish coffee may require a little luck of the Irish. To ensure success, don't omit the sugar.

From "Some Like It Hot: 50 Drinks to Warm Your Spirits," by Holly Burrows and Katie Walter.

IRISH COFFEE FOR FOUR
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 cups strong, freshly brewed coffee
1/2 cup Irish whiskey
1 cup whipping cream, whipped with 3 tablespoons powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons Irish whiskey

In a 1-quart pan, combine granulated sugar and coffee. Place over low heat and cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat; add whiskey and divide evenly among 4 goblets. Top with the whipped cream mixture. Makes 4 servings.

From "Indulgences," by Lora Brody.