Milkshakes, Egg Creams and Ice Cream Sodas

[herbacidal]

I've only had an egg cream once, at Sammy's Roumanian in NYC.

Which inspires me. I should think about making some soon.

Is Jeff's Sodas a

pretty good representation, for a bottled product?

[PoorLawyer]

I had one a couple days ago at Toojay's deli in Florida. I think you can make them at home pretty easily. NOt much too it, I think it is pretty much chocolate syrup, milk and seltzer

[Comfort Me]

An approximate formula:

IN a soda glass, combine:

3 T. chocolate syrup. (Hershey's Dark is quite nice.)

1/4 cup whole milk.

Stir very well. Add 6 or 7 ounces of COLD seltzer.

Is good.

Sometimes I make egg creams for my wife with half chocolate and half coffee syrup. She'll put out for them.

Gotta stop and pick up some coffee syrup on the way home. If I can't find it, I use coffee liquor.

Enjoy.

[greenfield]

3 T. chocolate syrup.  (Hershey's Dark is quite nice.)

For me, Fox's U-Bet Chocolate Syrup is the definitive chocolate syrup for egg creams.

[cakewalk]

NOt much too it, I think it is pretty much chocolate syrup, milk and seltzer

I just think that is such a sweetly naive statement. Yes, those are the basic ingredients for an egg cream. I guess you are unaware of the different ways and combinations those simple ingredients can be put together -- not to mention the good-natured (and sometimes not so) feuding that has continued for years over the PROPER way to make an egg cream.

[Dahomechef]

Egg creams were a staple for me growing up in NYC and environs. At the time there were many soda fountains whose taps were expertly manipulated by soda jerks. The traditional way these egg creams were made (while I was watching, anyway), was with a few fingers of milk in the bottom of a Coke-style glass (narrower at the bottom, flaring out toward the top). Then the seltzer was added, strong at first to foam up the milk. When the glass is full, the chocolate syrup is poured in, settling to the bottom, and here's the key point. A long spoon, dropped into the glass, then stirred the drink at the bottom only. This produced the creamy, chocolate, bubbly drink with a foamy white head. If you add the chocolate syrup to the milk, you won't be able to get the chocolate body with the white head. Good luck! (I'm getting a nostalgia attack. Must. make. egg. cream. now.)

[pjs]

Another method, similar to Dahomechef's.

Three pumps of Fox's U-Bet chocolate syrup into the bottom of a coke glass.

Add about two tablespoons of milk. The milk will sit on top of the syrup. Seltzer was then added but the stream was diffused with the back of a spoon so as not to disturb the syrup. You then stirred the chocolate in from the bottom. This method produced a very white, tight foamy head.

Vanilla eggcreams were also somewhat popular. Goofing off I think we made at least one eggcream with every type of syrup in the shop. Cherry, grape (purple cow), hot fudge, butterscotch, pineapple, . . .

PJ

[hillvalley]

I had one a couple days ago at Toojay's deli in Florida. I think you can make them at home pretty easily. NOt much too it, I think it is pretty much chocolate syrup, milk and seltzer

I know this a little off topic but.....

PoorLawyer, is Toojay's run by the Krupin brothers? I heard one of them opened a deli down in Fla. Otherwise, what's the chance of 2 deli's with the same name?

Oh yeah, I love eggcreams!

[bloviatrix]

I think the key to a good egg cream the method of seltzer delivery. Just pouring seltzer out of bottle doesn't work. You need a strong stream as delivered out of one of the old-fashioned spritz bottles. A good contemporary substitute is one of those carafes that use the CO2 cartridges.

[pjs]

I had one a couple days ago at Toojay's deli in Florida.  I think you can make them at home pretty easily.  NOt much too it, I think it is pretty much chocolate syrup, milk and seltzer

I know this a little off topic but.....

PoorLawyer, is Toojay's run by the Krupin brothers? I heard one of them opened a deli down in Fla. Otherwise, what's the chance of 2 deli's with the same name?

Oh yeah, I love eggcreams!

What's the chance of 18 deli's with the same name?

TooJay's

They are NY style deli's--franchised I think--and not bad. Just don't try comparing them to Katz's, Carnegie or 2nd Ave. Totally different league.

And who the hell orders eggcreams in a deli anyway? You're supposed to get a Dr. Brown's Cel-Ray.

PJ

[hillvalley]

Who knew Here in DC one of the few decent deli's started out as Toojay's, but wasn't a chain.

And as for Dr. Brown's, it's supposed to be a creme soda

[tsquare]

Egg creams were a staple for me growing up in NYC and environs. At the time there were many soda fountains whose taps were expertly manipulated by soda jerks.

Story is, my Dad was one of these - in the Catskills, circa 1935. Wish I knew the name of the "establishment." And we always had seltzer from a spritz bottle growing up.

[SobaAddict70]

Dinner tonight was a beefburger deluxe (romaine, tomatoes, red onion) with fries and a chocolate milkshake.

I've fallen in love with milkshakes and I can't quite get up.

Now, I need to discover how to make them.

Also, someone please explain to me what an egg cream is and why they're called that.

And there's ice cream sodas. I understand these were once popular in New York (and the rest of the U.S.) but are not anymore. What are they and what goes in them...besides ice cream and soda?

And R&W floats. Well...in my book, those have never gone out of style.

So, what's your favorite?

*slurp*

Soba

[winesonoma]

Dinner tonight was a beef-burger deluxe (romaine, tomatoes, red onion) with fries and a chocolate milkshake.

I've fallen in love with milkshakes and I can't quite get up.   :big-grin:

Now, I need to discover how to make them. 

Also, someone please explain to me what an egg cream is and why they're called that.

And there's ice cream sodas.  I understand these were once popular in New York (and the rest of the U.S.) but are not anymore.  What are they and what goes in the...besides ice cream and soda?

And R&W floats.  Weldon my book, those have never gone out of style.

So, what's your favorite?

*slurp*

Soba

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Come to Taylor's Refresher in St Helena  Ca and have a pistachio shake.

Edited January 17, 2005 by winesonoma (log)

[Gifted Gourmet]

Also, someone please explain to me what an egg cream is and why they're called that.

Soba

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While I personally enjoy a chocolate soda made with chocolate ice cream, I did read an exceptional article on egg creams in Gastronomica which delighted me no end!

the egg cream explained ...

In Manhattan's plusher districts customers at brass and marble fountains favored cream sodas (syrup, cream, seltzer) and ice cream sodas (syrup, ice cream, seltzer). The variation came from the flavored syrups, ranging from chocolate to any fruit under the sun to celery, pistachio, sarsaparilla, and on and on. For lunch many shunned solid food for something liquid and rich. A Twenty-third Street soda fountain served "creamed eggs" blended from raw egg, ice cream, syrup, and milk and the similar egg chocolate using egg, cream, chocolate syrup, seltzer, and ice. Depending on how many eggs and what the neighborhood could bear, these drinks cost fifteen, twenty, or even twenty-five cents.

[wesza]

The one thing I know about Traditional New York City "Egg Creams" contrary to the article written by "Gastronomic" is that "EGG CREAMS" have never contained any eggs or cream.

My Uncle Boris owned and operated a corner "Luncheonette Soda Fountain" with a double open street serving window, started by his family on the corner of 2nd Avenue and I thing 6th [ just north of "Ratners"] in the early 1900's that for all I know may still be in business.

They were famous for their "Egg Creams" that were voted as NYC's best Egg Cream not that long ago in the New York Magazine [Cue?] and in many other publications thru the years.

My Uncle attributed the drink being so special due to his "Secret Formula" always used at the shop that made their Egg Creams so special and better tasting then others.

He always used as most Fountains have "Fox's U'bet Chocolate Syrup" to which he added to each Gallon 1 can of Sweetened Condensed Milk.

This Chocolate Syrup was then poured onto the Bottom of a Fountain Glass with a Float of Milk topping the Syrup. Seltzer [Carbonated NYC Water] was added to this bouncing off a long Fountain Spoon held on the side of the glass until it was full with a Head of the Milk rising to the top in Foam. After the Foam settled the Syrup was stirred and mixed into the Seltzer resulting into a NYC Egg Cream.

This was done with many ways of filling the glass, but the better places always made sure the finished Egg Cream always had a White Crown and a Chocolaty Bottom but only at one place was the Sweetened Condensed Milk added.

Now the eGulleter's are privy to his secret formula after 100 years. I introduced it into Hong Kong at my "Lindy's" in 1965 where it became popular.

Irwin

Edited January 17, 2005 by wesza (log)

[Radio7]

The vanilla milkshake is a perfect substance. It is divine.

[naguere]

The one thing I know about Traditional New York City "Egg Creams" contrary to the article written by "Gastronomic" is that "EGG CREAMS" have never contained any eggs or cream. 

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Really great post wesza, informative and heartwarming, brought a smile to my face.

[cakewalk]

He always used as most Fountains have "Fox's U'bet Chocolate Syrup" to which he added to each Gallon 1 can of Sweetened Condensed Milk.

←

That's brilliant.

My grandmother owned a candy store on Southern Blvd. I was just a kid when she sold it, but I remember it. And I remember the egg creams. No eggs, no cream. Ever. Foxx's U-bet syrup for sure, no one would even dream of using anything else. I think the pressure of the seltzer coming out of the fountain had a lot to do with the "head" on the eggcream. Oh my, they were so good.

But the condensed milk, now that's a great idea.

[rich]

My parents owned a luncheonette (Red & Kitty's) in Long Island City during the late 50's and early 60's. I began working there when I was nine and soon became the Egg Cream King - this was before there was a Corona Ice King. People would come from all over the area to have egg creams I made. Even the priests from St. Patrick's Church (two blocks away) would bring the bishop when he came to the parish - hey, it got me to be named head altar boy when I was in seventh grade.

I didn't use condensed milk but had two secrets to ensure a frothy, cream top.

First never, ever, never, ever, never add the chocolate syrup first. This creates a glob at the bottom of the glass that will guarantee a smaller "head" at the top. The syrup should be added last - after the milk and the seltzer in that order. After the syrup was added, it was given a vigourous stir and then the final touch. You had to push the seltzer lever backward to create a powerful thin stream - the head would be perfect and the taste clean and chocolate-ty with no ugly glob on the bottom.

To top it off, I dipped a salted pretzel rod in the glass.

Edited January 17, 2005 by rich (log)

[SobaAddict70]

Do people have any idea why these have disappeared from the scene?

Well, not necessarily disappeared. Smoothies seem to be a recurrance of milkshakes, except in a different form.

Soba

[rich]

Do people have any idea why these have disappeared from the scene?

Well, not necessarily disappeared.  Smoothies seem to be a recurrance of milkshakes, except in a different form.

Soba

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I think Egg Creams disappeared because soda fountains (the way we knew them in the 50's and 60's) disappeared.

To add a line about my above post - I also made Vanilla, Strawberry and UGH! Root Beer Egg Creams. Never did care for the root beer or sasparilla, but some did.

[Holly Moore]

Dinner tonight was a beefburger deluxe (romaine, tomatoes, red onion) with fries and a chocolate milkshake.

I've fallen in love with milkshakes and I can't quite get up. 

Now, I need to discover how to make them. 

←

Making them is brilliantly covered here.

[wesza]

He always used as most Fountains have "Fox's U'bet Chocolate Syrup" to which he added to each Gallon 1 can of Sweetened Condensed Milk.

←

That's brilliant.

My grandmother owned a candy store on Southern Blvd. I was just a kid when she sold it, but I remember it. And I remember the egg creams. No eggs, no cream. Ever. Foxx's U-bet syrup for sure, no one would even dream of using anything else. I think the pressure of the seltzer coming out of the fountain had a lot to do with the "head" on the eggcream. Oh my, they were so good.

But the condensed milk, now that's a great idea.

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I grew up on Southern Blvd. Between 163rd Street/Hunts Point up to Freeman Street was familiar with all the Candy Stores. My Uncle owned the "Associated Supermarket" on Westchester Ave and Simpson Street it was the first 24 Hour Super Market in NYC. Where was your Grandparents Store.

Irwin

[Fat Guy]

Here in New York City, soda fountains have not disappeared entirely. There aren't many, but there are a few. Lexington Candy Shop on Manhattan's Upper East Side and Hinsch in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn come to mind. You can get a comprehensive lesson in all types of soda-fountain beverages by sitting at the counter in one of these places for half an hour.