Seltzer in Old-Fashioned Siphon Bottles

[Fat Guy]

I saw a guy delivering cases of the stuff on my block today, and he gave me a couple of refrigerator magnets. Apparently they deliver quite a lot around town.

Castle Seltzer, Inc.

1-888-SYPHONS

[Steve Plotnicki]

When I lived in Forest Hills there was a guy who delivered in my building so of course we signed up. The novelty was better than the seltzer though and we stopped after a few months.  Seltzer is really good for only two things. Making egg creams, of which I am a master with my bank shot spritz off the side of the glass to keep the head creamy. And to spritz a shot into matzoh ball batter to make them come out light and fluffy. Otherwise, the bottles are amazingly heavy and are a pain in the ass to schlep around. Better Badoit if they didn't have those silly tall green Alsatian like water bottles.

[Bux]

There is nothing like the giant throat irritating bubbles that come from a real factory charged siphon. In truth, the fine bubble of Ferrarelle (sp?) is a better accompaniment to dinner, but real seltzer is an addiction. For years we've had seltzer delivered, mostly by Marty the Seltzerman, except for those years he sold his first business and took off for Burma. Our addiction to the syphon ended abrubtly one day when two of the bottles exploded suddenly, sending jagged glass shrapnel flying forty feet and around corners from where the bottles stood. Had there not been walls and cabinets there, I should easily expect the flying glass to have traveled well over a hundred feet on a fly. My guess is that over a dozen of the pieces were capable of delivering a lethal blow and that it was only a matter of luck that no one was seriously injured. I suspect there was a flaw in the first bottle to explode or that the cap was improperly screwed on. I imagine the second bottle was probably knicked in the first explosion and gave way a half hour later. The first one scared us, but didn't stop us from walking in front of where they were kept. After the second explosion, both cases were discharged immediately into the sink and I cringe when I see the syphons anywhere.

[Fat Guy]

Mention seltzer anywhere on the Internet and Bux will be along soon enough with the old exploding-seltzer-bottle story. :)

[JayPeeBee]

I started a collection of old selzter bottles, mostly from antique shops here and in France and off Ebay.  My kitchen and bar are decorated with many of these beauties.  The glass, design and etchings are fascinating and evocative of the past.  The French syphon bottles with the slanted sides and pastel glass are really quite nice, but expensive.  Believe it or not, there is a dealer called Mrs. Seltzer who can sell pratically any kind of bottle.  I like egg creams, so I may have to get the real selzter delivered.

[Bux]

Mention seltzer anywhere on the Internet and Bux will be along soon enough with the old exploding-seltzer-bottle story.

Surely, as a lawyer, you realize my legal obligation. ;)

[Damian]

Slightly off topic, but I had my first ever egg cream last weekend at Katz's; Chocolate milk with a shot of seltzer, right?  Having just moved to NYC, and having heard many a cultural reference to egg creams in my life, I was prepared to be moved.  Instead, eh, no big deal.  What gives with the egg cream mystique and fascination?

[Fat Guy]

Wait a second. You drank watered-down chocolate milk and you weren't moved? What's wrong with you, man?

[Liza]

Now that's not an egg cream...is it?

[Bux]

A pastrami sandwich and an egg cream might move me.

[Fat Guy]

An egg cream is mostly carbonated water, with a little milk and a little chocolate syrup. That's my definition of watered-down chocolate milk (albeit with carbonated water). I suppose there's some agitation provided by firing the seltzer into the milk-and-syrup, but it doesn't save the beverage for me. On the rare occasion that I have an egg cream, I add so much more milk and chocolate to it than is recommended that it's almost impossible to call it an egg cream.

[Damian]

That's exactly what I had, Bux, along with some tasty pickles.  Pastrami on rye - great.  Egg cream - well, it was fine, just nothing that would seem to be worthy of its cultural icon status.  

[Bux]

Like most cultural icons, you really have to grow up with them and learn the taste as a child as they are often not really adult or sophisticated tastes.

I can add that I can think of no drink less suitable to accompany a pastrami sandwich than an egg cream. First it is too sweet. Second it is too rich with milk. With a pastrami sandwich, some will tell you that Celray soda is correct. It's at least got some tradition on its side, but it's still too sweet. A beer or even a glass of wine or just water. At any rate, pastrami and an egg cream is not a traditional New York combination.

[Fat Guy]

Damain, so few things in this world are worthy of their status. That's why people of taste and discernment go through life mostly disappointed.

[JayPeeBee]

Sheesh, and youse guys don't know a really good egg cream when youse find one.  Fox's U-Bet Chocolate syrup (about 2" in the bottom of a tall (12 oz. glass).  Add another 2" of half and half and stir until blended.  Then slowly add selzter or Perrier, stirring to minimize the foam.  When the head is about 2" high at the top of the glass, stop.  Add one or two straws and serve with one or two pretzle sticks.  Or a pastrami sandwich.  Or a kosher salami sandwich.  or......  I use official egg cream glasses from juniors that have the ingredient proportions marked on the side.  Keep at it Damian, and you'll discover what the fuss is all about.

[Jason Perlow]

See the whole point of having a kosher pastrami and salami is to have it with Dr. Browns cel-ray or black cherry. Egg Cream with kosher deli sandwiches is not only categorically by definition sacrelige, but the milk/choco/ combination doesnt help to alleviate the heartburn. Dr. Browns cel-ray is designed to induce burping, to get rid of the gas.

[NewYorkTexan]

Do not forget about Dr. Browns cream soda!  It is sweet, but not as sweet as the black cherry.  A perfect companion to the saltiness of a good pastrami sandwich.

[JayPeeBee]

So who's kosher?  "Not I," said the pappa bear.  CelRay Tonic tastes awful but resounds in the nostalgic memory of a kid from da Bronyx. Dr. Brown's Cream Soda, OK.  Black Cherry...any time anywhere.  For my money, Boylan's is making the best versions of these flavors now.  But I digress.