Friday, July 18, 2008

The unheralded Egg Cream

I've been living in Virginia for nearly 20 years now. It was my decision to move lock, stock and battle (or books, books, and books) from my Heimat (New Jersey) to Northern Virginia. I commuted to New York City for about 15 years as a member of the B&T crowd (Bus and tunnel). Loved New York, loved the Mets (still do) and loved Egg Creams. If you are not from the New York Metropolitan area you probably have never tasted the delectable, refreshing egg cream. First things first: no eggs or cream are included in the recipe. It is also easy to make.
The egg cream was probably invented in Brooklyn - and some people call it a cheap ice cream soda ... no ice cream. Singer Lou Reed wrote:
"When I was a young man, no bigger than this
A chocolate egg cream was not to be missed
Some U-Bet's Chocolate Syrup, seltzer water mixed with milk
Stir it up into a heady fro', tasted just like silk
You scream, I scream, We all want Egg Cream"

From the BBC (but the recipe is wrong: you put in the seltzer after the chocolate syrup and milk) http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A533792

Here is a link with a photo of an egg cream: http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/NYEggCreamHistory.htm

Fox's U-Bet is the best syrup for the egg cream but other chocolate syrups will do. Vanilla egg creams are also good. You can mix the selzer with a whisk. Get the straw -- and enjoy!!!!

1 comment:

glamah16 said...

Oh fun. You are getting into some food now. This will be a most interesting blog.