No new business venture could have asked for better media coverage than that afforded Graeme McDowell for the opening of his Nona Blue Tavern.

Nona Blue officially opened last Friday and in the intervening six days McDowell’s have coverage you could not equate to dollars.

Of course, www.golfbytourmiss.com has already reported we were there last Sunday, St. Patrick’s Day and articles have since appeared in two leading Irish newspapers – Irish Examiner and Irish Star.

Irish Coffee – Bushmills whiskey, hot coffee and brown sugar – stirred and topped with whipped cream.

McDowell’s also had articles appearing in USA Today newspaper while the PGA Tour’s Brian Wacker has a feature article appearing on the Tour’s webstite.

There’s been feature articles also in local business, tourist and restaurant magazines so much so that McDowell has been overwhelmed by the expression of interest in his new business initiative.

“The Lake Nona area, which I live in Orlando here, is quite an underdeveloped part of town,” said McDowell.

“I’ve been there for eight years on and off but any time we want a nice glass of wine and a nice steak, we’ve got to jump in the car and drive 30 minutes.  So the area was crying out for something.  When I got the opportunity, some good people approached me.  I’m just a part owner.

“I’m a 40% owner in the restaurant, but I’ve got a great team who take care of business when I really don’t have to do much apart from play golf.  Probably have one of the most well‑marketed restaurants in the Orlando area in many, many years thanks to you guys and the networks and Golf Channel and things like that, and the fact that I’ve managed to play well the last few months as well.”

McDowell then revealed he is working on an evolving menu, and one to reflect more of the tastes of Ireland.

“The menu to me is always going to evolve, and I’d like to see a few more tastes of home on that menu,” he said.

“I’m certainly going to have a little bit of input.  It’s just a case of getting this thing off the ground and having some fun with it in the next three to four weeks.  But the menu will evolve and get better.”

And it was then McDowell revealed he is working on serving a ‘special’ Irish coffee.

“I want the Irish coffee to be the most authentic Irish coffee that you can get here in the United States, so watch the space on that one,” he said.

“So, I’m having a lot of fun with it.”

It was than a leading Florida based journalist asked McDowell how to make Irish Coffee.

“Irish coffee, quick recipe, ounce and a half of Bushmills whiskey, some nice strong coffee,” said McDowell.

“It’s got to be strong, because the taste of the whiskey and coffee don’t want to overpower each other.  They have to be balanced.  Little brown sugar in there for sweetness, and the key element is it has to be hand whipped, real whipping cream, and you layer that on top of the coffee.

“It’s awesome.  Dangerous.”