“The BV”

18” x 24” acrylic on canvas, framed

$450

On a cold night in 1943, a Pan Am flight was forced to return to Foynes, a remote airport in Ireland. Passengers were freezing, exhausted and stranded. Chef Joe Sheridan created something simple but brilliant - he added Irish whisky to hot coffee with sugar and cream…and handed people comfort. Irish coffee was born.

Fast-forward to 1952: Travel writer Stanton Delaplane brings the idea to the United States, and Buena Vista Cafe in San Francisco. He worked with the owner Jack Koeppler to recreate the recipe. Not just the drink, but the experience.

This is the most widely accepted account of the origins of Irish coffee and its journey to the United States. While further research has uncovered possible alternative roots, most agree the drink originated in Ireland in the 1940s. After that, it became a matter of who could tell the best story. Irish coffee didn’t become iconic because it was a clever mix of ingredients, it became iconic because the Buena Vista told the story, shared the experience, and marketed it with passion.

During a recent vacation to San Francisco, my wife and I did a fantastic walk across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. We took a ferry back and arrived at Fisherman’s Wharf, where we of course had to pop into the BV. We enjoyed our Irish coffees at the bar, watching the bartenders move with practiced ease while the room buzzed with conversation, history, and the old-school charm that makes this iconic place feel instantly welcoming. We even “stole” a few napkins to include in the painting.