Classic Tom and Jerry

[slbunge]

We are intending to serve Tom and Jerrys (ies?) for family on Christmas Eve. I have a few recipes that will likely be merged but if anyone has a favorite, please post. Mostly, though, I'm curious about how long the base mixture (eggs and spices) keeps. Specifically, can I mix up a batch in the morning for use in the afternoon?

[beans]

Mixing, properly storing (fridge) and the serving the batter later shouldn't be a problem. I've kept a rather large batch of homemade eggnog for a few days longer than anticipated, safely refrigerated, without too many concerns -- other than the guaranteed super sugar headache the following morn.

As far as recipes, I seek out and trust the ones from fellow eG'er DrinkBoy.

recipe here

For variation, consider:

You can easily add more of the spices then listed above, and vanilla, while

not a traditional ingredient, goes really well too. And a friend of mine makes

this at her bar using hot milk instead of hot water.

-Robert

www.Drinkboy.com

http://www.webtender.com/iforum/message.cg...i=tom+and+jerry

Happy Holidays!

[Comfort Me]

We are intending to serve Tom and Jerrys (ies?) for family on Christmas Eve. I have a few recipes that will likely be merged but if anyone has a favorite, please post. Mostly, though, I'm curious about how long the base mixture (eggs and spices) keeps. Specifically, can I mix up a batch in the morning for use in the afternoon?

As long as you keep the batter refrigerated, it will keep from morning to evening wihtout problem.

Enjoy -- my grandfather made Tom & Jerrys for open house on New Years Day. Lots of great memories.

Happy Holidays.

[alacarte]

What happens if you cook the "batter"?

[beans]

What happens if you cook the "batter"?

Most likely reduce the risk of salmonella.

Or some boozy, spicey scrambled eggs?

However, I don't see the purpose as you pour in your portioned batter, a shot of brandy (if not already in the batter, depending upon the recipe) then fill with hot water.

[bostonapothecary]

so i may be making tom and jerry's for three hundred people or so... therefore it better be good... which is making me slightly nervous.

i never liked the recipe for the batter and thought maybe it was made under the artistic constraint that it could be produced ala minute and therefore might not be the best way to do it. in our modern world of herve this i thought it might be good to analyze the recipe and try a different approach to get the same sublime end result...

to get a delicious, spiced, stable, batter of modern sugar tastes i basically ended up making a sabayon... using only the yolks (saving the whites for pisco sours) and having my spices previously infused into the rum. the resulting batter was awsome and integrated into the hot milk so well...

to a hoard of purists will the end result still be a tom and jerry? i thought the new approach to the batter might be something that more modern day people could relate to... ask your pastry chef for some and you will need very little explanation...

any thoughts?

[Mayur]

Hot milk? I thought the T&J was just rum, hot water, and batter.

A sabayon plus spice-infused rum sounds like exactly the right way to go. I might actually do these at one point using that technique!

[bostonapothecary]

Hot milk? I thought the T&J was just rum, hot water, and batter.

A sabayon plus spice-infused rum sounds like exactly the right way to go. I might actually do these at one point using that technique!

←

i think you can go milk or water.

my prefered way from the batch of batter i made was with lemonheart overproof add water then the batter... (if my mixological adventures could be sponsored by any one rum it would be lemonheart!)

this all gets me thinking back to a great dessert wine pairing i did... passito panteleria from marsala paired with peaches poached in rose and an veneto inspired herb sabayon... so a drink for the delicate... dessert wine, hot water, tom and jerry batter... i think i will try it next time i get a chance... 'tis the season...

[slkinsey]

Audrey Saunders has been known as the Queen of the Tom & Jerry around here for some years. I've seen her make up the batter a time or two, which she does quite nicely using a food processor. Her adaptation can be found in Dave Wondrich's amazing new book, Imbibe!

As I recall (I don't have the book in front of me) the yolks are beaten up with sugar, spices, etc. and the whites are beaten up separately. The two are then combined to constitute the batter. Nothing is cooked. Individual portions are made by putting some batter in a cup with the booze, and then adding boiling milk.

bostonapothecary: Thinking of your zabaglione/spiced rum concoction (and leaving aside the fact that I believe the main spirit in a T&J is cognac), it seems like a lot more trouble than Audrey's method, and sounds like it wouldn't be as good. Perhaps this is for long-term stability purposes that you propose this method? I think the method I have described is stable for as long as a day.

Edited November 28, 2007 by slkinsey (log)

[bostonapothecary]

Audrey Saunders has been known as the Queen of the Tom & Jerry around here for some years.  I've seen her make up the batter a time or two, which she does quite nicely using a food processor.  Her adaptation can be found in Dave Wondrich's amazing new book, Imbibe!

As I recall (I don't have the book in front of me) the yolks are beaten up with sugar, spices, etc. and the whites are beaten up separately.  The two are then combined to constitute the batter.  Nothing is cooked.  Individual portions are made by putting some batter in a cup with the booze, and then adding boiling milk.

bostonapothecary:  Thinking of your zabaglione/spiced rum concoction (and leaving aside the fact that I believe the main spirit in a T&J is cognac), it seems like a lot more trouble than Audrey's method, and sounds like it wouldn't be as good. Perhaps this is for long-term stability purposes that you propose this method?  I think the method I have described is stable for as long as a day.

←

spiced bourbon or spiced cognac is a negligible difference. i use what i have on hand most of the time just like they probably did. this method is potentially less trouble and mainly just do to the fact that for many people, they can predict the outcome because the system for the batter is more popular in present times... so if you read JT's recipe but think its weird i give you can option you may be better able to relate to with hopefully the same outcome.

before i gave my pastry chef my proposal for the batter, i gave him the classic recipe and he responded "why would you want to do it that way" and he immediately started making his own adaptations. he tried to refer me to the "settlement cookbook" which at one time was widely popular. apparently they rewrote many very old recipes for modern times and modern technique learned since the recipes were invented... its not good to rely on solely what you inherit...

[bostonapothecary]

last night i made chambord tom and jerry batter for my girl friend... mixed with hot water and eniseli 16 year old georgia brandy. it went over very well... interesting shades of fruit and spice...

i think i want to make a version with alpenz zirbenz stone pine liqueur...

[slkinsey]

bostonapothecary:  Thinking of your zabaglione/spiced rum concoction (and leaving aside the fact that I believe the main spirit in a T&J is cognac), it seems like a lot more trouble than Audrey's method, and sounds like it wouldn't be as good. Perhaps this is for long-term stability purposes that you propose this method?  I think the method I have described is stable for as long as a day.

spiced bourbon or spiced cognac is a negligible difference. i use what i have on hand most of the time just like they probably did. this method is potentially less trouble and mainly just do to the fact that for many people, they can predict the outcome because the system for the batter is more popular in present times... so if you read JT's recipe but think its weird i give you can option you may be better able to relate to with hopefully the same outcome.

I still don't understand this. Your proposed process involves making a zabaglione, which means performing the time- and attention-consuming process of whipping egg yolks over heat, making sure they are areated properly but do not get hot enough to curdle. Then you have to figure out something else to do with the egg whites. Then you have to make a spice infusion into some liquor, which will be a matter of trial-and-error until the proper spice mix, base liquor and infusion time is determined (otherwise, spice infusions are quite hit-and-miss). This is somehow more predictable and easier to do than cracking a dozen egg yolks into a Cuisinart (or 10 dozen egg yolks in to a Hobart) along with the spices and whipping that into a froth, whipping the whites seperately and combining the two? Again: Your process not only sounds more difficult, but doesn't really sound as good.

Here's Audrey's recipe that was published in the NY Times Style magazine some while ago (via):

Tom & Jerry

Batter:

    * 12 eggs

    * 3 tablespoons vanilla extract

    * 2 ounces Bacardi 8 rum

    * 4 dashes Angostura

    * 2 pounds sugar

    * 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

    * 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

    * 3/4 teaspoon ground allspice

    * 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

For the drink:

    * whole milk

    * Bacardi 8 rum (or use another full-bodied rum, like Appleton Extra)

    * Courvoisier or other cognac or decent brandy

To make the batter: separate the eggs. Beat the yolks, then add vanilla, rum, bitters, sugar and spices. In another bowl, beat the whites until stiff. Fold the whites into the mix until it has the consistency of pancake batter. You can refrigerate this–and should, if you’re not using it right away–but use it the same day.

To serve: heat the milk, and boil some water. Stir your batter, then pour 2 ounces of it into a toddy mug. Add 1 ounce rum and 1 ounce cognac. Fill the mug with equal parts hot milk and boiling water. Dust with freshly ground nutmeg.

I've seen Audrey make a recipe of this batter, and nothing could be more simple and easy. With all due respect to the pastry chef at your place, beating eggs/whites separately with flavorings and sugar and recombining them is a pretty elementary technique that is used extensively today -- I'd hardly call it a technique crying out for "modernization." Perhaps he has reasons for wanting to tinker with recipes, but sometimes complicating a classic in the name of "updating" it is a step backwards and we should hew closely to what we have inherited lest we find ourselves with a different (and oftentimes inferior) product.

last night i made chambord tom and jerry batter for my girl friend... mixed with hot water and eniseli 16 year old georgia brandy. it went over very well... interesting shades of fruit and spice...

i think i want to make a version with alpenz zirbenz stone pine liqueur...

See? Now this is part of what I'm talking about. Why call every single hot drink made with eggs and spices a "Tom and Jerry"? Chambord and pine liqueur just don't belong in a Tom and Jerry, or we start to lose track of what it is that we're drinking. Call it a Hot Chambord Flip, if you must.

Edited November 30, 2007 by slkinsey (log)

[bostonapothecary]

last night i made a classically spirited "tom and jerry" for an old italian women i know whom is known for thorough knowledge of esoteric italian specialties as well as just being an incredible chef...

well she loved it. and told me she hadn't had something like it since she was 15 and her mother would make something incredibly similar but with fernet branca as the spirit... i think i'm gonna try some fernet tonight using the "tom and jerry system"... last night i got as far as mirto liqueur which was complex, warming, and with awsome texture...

[bostonapothecary]

i went to nine park for last call and saw they were rocking the classic "tom and jerry" batter... finally got one with fernet, hot milk, and the batter...

wow.

i'm no longer scared of the new england winter...

[thirtyoneknots]

So how stable is the 'batter' here? I've been reading up on Tom and Jerry, trying to figure out how practical it would be fr our drink program, and there are items stating or implying everything from use the same day to a week or more. Of course the relatively involved procedure of batter creation would be less than ideal if it has to be made more than once a week. I'm going to start expeimenting with this later in the week, but I was wondering if I could get any firsthand account of the longevity of the batter. We do respectable but not brisk business in cocktails (primary focus is on wine) although that could change soon. The recipes seem like they'd be easy enough to scale down if necessary, but again for various reasons the daily manufacture of batter isn't going to be terribly practical.

Failing that, anything similar that anyone can recommend? I see that Imbibe! has an individual eggnog recipe as well, and one with cider. Anyone try the cider one and/or have any recommendations on cider brands?

-Andy

[slkinsey]

AFAIK, at Pegu it's made fresh on the day it will be used. You can see Audrey's recipe above. I've seen her make the batter in a food processor in less than 10 minutes.

Honestly, I think probably the best way to dispense T&Js is to give them out for nothing on an especially cold and snowy day, or in any event push them heavily as a "rare Wintertime special you won't want to miss out on." That way, the next time there's a hint of snow in the air, people may find themselves wending their way to Veritas for some of that hot eggnog thing they only serve a few times a year. I know that when I get the word that Audrey's thinking Tom & Jerry season is soon upon us, I try to get down there when it snows. I'm not aware of anyone around here who offers Tom & Jerrys throughout the winter as a staple menu item.

[thirtyoneknots]

AFAIK, at Pegu it's made fresh on the day it will be used.  You can see Audrey's recipe above.  I've seen her make the batter in a food processor in less than 10 minutes.

Honestly, I think probably the best way to dispense T&Js is to give them out for nothing on an especially cold and snowy day, or in any event push them heavily as a "rare Wintertime special you won't want to miss out on."  That way, the next time there's a hint of snow in the air, people may find themselves wending their way to Veritas for some of that hot eggnog thing they only serve a few times a year.  I know that when I get the word that Audrey's thinking Tom & Jerry season is soon upon us, I try to get down there when it snows.  I'm not aware of anyone around here who offers Tom & Jerrys throughout the winter as a staple menu item.

←

If snow or the threat of it were the criteria for serving them, then we'd sell Tom & Jerry 2-3 times a decade, so that won't do . I did make a batch of batter last night, working off the Audrey Saunders version in Imbibe!, which is of course pretty close to the JT version as well, altering mine just a tad in the spice category. Having never had the thing itself before, I must admit it's one of the most delicious hot drinks I've ever encountered. The one problem I kept coming up against as I made them to experiment and for interested parties at the bar, was how quickly the batter would separate. Is this normal? It didn't affect the flavor of the finished drink, so long as you stirred and folded everything back together with a spatula, but having to stop and do this would be more than a minor hassle on even a moderately busy night. The JT recipe recommends cream of tartar to stabilize the batter...does this work? At any rate, the batter is in the walk-in now, I'm going to be making a T&J once a day to see if it will hold up at all, I mean it seems concievable with the rum, sugar, and refrigeration that it could last a week, but I'll be sure to be the guinea pig myself just in case. Any tips on how to keep hot milk on hand? I was measuring and mixing the batter and milk, then heating with the steam from the espresso machine, which worked pretty good, and allowed some control over the temperature, but I was wondering if there was a better way.

[slkinsey]

You'll notice that Audrey's recipe as posted above (don't have Imbibe! handy, so don't know the extent to which it might differ in there) doesn't have much booze in it. If you whip the yolks until well-thickened, then beat and fold in the whites, you shouldn't get too terribly much separation. How fast is it separating on you?

I think the hot milk could be heated up quickly and in small amounts in a tweaked (stepped-down) small electric hotpot or kettle. Most places around here seem to use an electric hotpot or kettle for their hot drinks.

Cream of tartare should help the egg whites to bind.

Edited November 12, 2008 by slkinsey (log)

[bostonapothecary]

if you don't have the economies for historical accuracy, i'd recommend the zabaglione method... what ever the whites do for the batter is synthesized by creating a foam with the heated yolks, some "water"(booze has water in it), and sugar... you achieve more or less the same aesthetic goal after it starts to dissolve in your hot liquid but with more stability...

[thirtyoneknots]

You'll notice that Audrey's recipe as posted above (don't have Imbibe! handy, so don't know the extent to which it might differ in there) doesn't have much booze in it.  If you whip the yolks until well-thickened, then beat and fold in the whites, you shouldn't get too terribly much separation.  How fast is it separating on you?

I think the hot milk could be heated up quickly and in small amounts in a tweaked (stepped-down) small electric hotpot or kettle.  Most places around here seem to use an electric hotpot or kettle for their hot drinks.

Cream of tartare should help the egg whites to bind.

←

The recipe in Imbibe I think most significantly doubles the vanilla, which actually will increase the amount of alcohol in the batter...could this be contributing? It's somewhat ambiguous to me, especially after reading these other versions (I researched several before proceeding) wether there is supposed to also be Cognac in the batter or if, when listed in the recipe, it is intended to go into the finished drink (I omitted it from my batter). For the rum I used Appleton Extra, and I subbed an ounce or so of homemade pimento dram for the allspice, since there was none ground in the kitchen when I was making this. So far as I can tell, I followed the recipe instructions fairly precisely, with some minor help from the sous chef. Thoughout the course of the evening I was messing with the batter every few hours and it always had to be re-folded with a spatula before using; the foamy whites were floating on top of a thick, rich brown paste on bottom. Once it was stirred, no problem.

As far as the kettle goes, my backbar is taken up with wine dispensers, and the rest is pretty crowded...not sure if I could find room for one although it does seem like a good solution. Having tried it both with milk heated on the range and with the premixed batter and milk warmed with the espresso machine, I think I actually prefer the more consistent texture of the latter. In the end, it'll be determined by what works for service efficiency.