Today is St Paddy’s Day. I’m Scotch Irish but from what I’ve heard everyone is Irish today. Throw a little green on your thursday with this recipe. A new take on an old favorite, although given my druthers I’d much rather rock a Pint of Guinness, rinse and repeat.  This recipe is all about big taste, extra strong coffee, a peaty blended Scotch Whiskey as an homage to my heritage, and a dash of Cinnamon for spice!

What will I need?

• 1 Shots Bailey’s Irish Cream (Or Any Cream Liquor)
• 1 Shots Blended Scotch Whiskey
• Espresso Blend Coffee
• 1 tsp Brown Sugar
• 3 oz of Milk
• Ground Cinnamon

First off. Decision time. Coffee or Espresso? I go with espresso, every time hands down, can’t beat the bold flavor and the in-your-face attitude a shot of espresso brings to the table. But lets just say you don’t have a machine or the know-how to rock one out? Well then you go with a dark bold coffee choice and brew strong.

For presentation purposes I start off with a nice clean, warm, clear glass. Why warm the glass? It keeps the beverage warm longer. Throw in a shot of Blended Scotch Whiskey and mix with a teaspoon of brown sugar. The resulting beverage should be Honey colored. (Step 1)

Pull 2 or 3 shots of good quality espresso with a nice even pull. Carefully pour half of the espresso into the glass, attempting to leave the rest and the crema in the mug. Thoroughly mix the espresso and the booze. Add in the rest of the espresso and slide the crema onto the new beverage. (Step 2)

Take a shot of Bailey’s Irish Cream and add it to 3 oz of milk. be sure to stir thoroughly. Then with your mad Barista skills  froth to a nice fluffy texture. Pour very slowly into the espresso cocktail. This should make enough foam for two drinks actually, so share the wealth. Try to keep the froth in the center of the mug.

After you are done you can choose to top the drink in one of two ways, I prefer cinnamon gives it a bit of Irish potato flair. Or you could go with a dusting of coco powder for an offbeat variation. (Step 3)

If you don’t have the ability to froth milk, a substitute I found is to heat the milk in the microwave inside a plastic water bottle, cap off. Then shake vigorously with the cap on. It won’t be the same but it does add some body to the milk, or you could purchase a frothing wand for about 10 dollars.

Stay safe and enjoy!

Our Family Motto: Go Big or Go Home

That is what this recipe is all about, a big taste coupled with extra strong coffee. A dash of cinnamon to offset the sweetness of the drink and you have yourself a great drink

I’m not a big fan of the American version of the traditional Irish Coffee which uses heavy whipping cream to top the drink, its too heavy on my stomach. Nor do I enjoy the plain old Irish Cream and coffee that less than discerning restaurants serve. I’m looking at you Olive Garden, but seriously who would trust and Italian Restaurant to make an Irish drink correctly. I changed the recipe to suite my own needs and those of people who like a little more kick to their coffee.

Today, instead of good old fashion Irish Whiskey we will be using a blended Scotch Whiskey because I’m Scotch Irish, and enjoy the flavor. Read the rest of this entry »

The stories that didn’t quite make it into this CaffiNation all have a similar feel, and I hope that your all enjoying your Green Beer and Comfort food today as you celebrate St Patrick’s Day. And While we aren’t Dyeing rivers like they do in Chicago, and pictured in the photo, we are going to enjoy a nice green beer with dinner. And in the spirit of such comfort I was able to cull these 3 stories and one hilarious video from the mass of stories we get sent every week.

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