Irish Tea

Irish tea was invented in the late 1940's by Joe Sheridan, the chef at the old flying-boat base at Foynes, County Clare, near the present site of Shannon Airport. At that time, what little transatlantic air traffic came into Foynes was cold and drafty, and sometimes (if the"flying boat" in question leaked) wet. Sheridan invented this drink as something warming and welcoming to give the cold and tired passengers when they got off the plane. Nowadays, Shannon Airport often tries to take the credit for the invention of the drink, but the cognoscenti know better. The only recognition Joe Sheridan seems to have received is in the naming after him of the new "Irish coffee liqueur", Sheridan's. Many variants of this drink have evolved over many years, but this is Joe's original recipe, and (many people think) the best.

1½ oz Irish whiskey
1 cup black tea, strong (I use Irish Breakfast)
2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. whipping cream or double cream

Heat the glass. Add the whiskey, add the sugar and the hot tea. Float the cream on top of the tea. (Pour into a spoon rested just on the surface of the tea: let the cream flow into the bowl of the spoon and overflow onto the tea. Lift the spoon as the cream builds up, so that a layer of cream builds up on top of the tea.)

Do not try this in tea without sugar in it: it is the presence of the sugar that allows the cream to float successfully.)

Serve hot.

Makes 1 drink.

Note:  The tea is supposed to be drunk through the cool cream, not stirred in.