National Irish Coffee Day

National Irish Coffee Day, observed January 25th, celebrates the warm cocktail made from hot coffee, Irish whiskey, sugar, and a float of lightly whipped cream. The drink is credited to chef Joe Sheridan, who is said to have created it in the 1940s at Foynes Port (later Shannon Airport) in Ireland to warm up cold, weary transatlantic flying boat passengers arriving on a stormy night. The drink gained wider American popularity after travel writer Stanton Delaplane brought the recipe to San Francisco's Buena Vista Cafe in 1952, where bartenders spent weeks perfecting the technique of floating cream properly over the coffee, and the cafe remains famous for serving the drink to this day, claiming to have introduced Irish coffee to the United States. The date of National Irish Coffee Day, January 25th, is also Robert Burns' birthday, and the drink is sometimes enjoyed as part of Burns Night celebrations honoring the Scottish poet, blending Irish and Scottish traditions in a shared toast to winter warmth. On National Irish Coffee Day, people celebrate by making or ordering the classic drink, especially as a way to warm up during winter.