Brooklyn’s Famous Egg Cream

Photo from VictoriaJarvis on flickr
1904 was likely the first year the Egg Cream was served. Wikipedia states that the inventor was candy store owner Louis Auster. The Brooklyn Paper states that “The Encyclopedia of New York City” claims Yiddish actor Boris Thomashevsky invented it after a tour of Paris. The real inventor of this iconic fountain drink might be unclear, but the one thing we know is that this drink can’t be missed.

Recipes:
Even if you live outside the New York Metro area, you can make your own Brooklyn concoction.

1. H. Fox & Co.’s “U-Bet” is the original chocolate syrup used in egg creams. The company features a recipe for the drink on their website.

2. What’s Cooking America has a personal recipe on their website.

3. Wikipedia has a few versions as well.

4. Here is a Howcast youtube video on how to make an egg cream

If you decide to make your own egg cream and you’re in New York City, please make sure to avoid using using store-bought seltzer. Instead, call up one of the last surviving seltzer men in the area:

Eli Miller’s Seltzer Delivery Service, 718-449-8697

Gomberg Seltzer Works Inc
Address: 855 E 92nd St, Brooklyn, NY 11236
Phone: (718) 257-9369

Ronny Beberman (Currently out of commission, get well Ronny!)

Buying an egg cream
If you’re lucky enough to be in the area, here is a compilation of some of the best surviving egg creme parlors, diners and luncheonettes around:

Brooklyn
Hinsch’s
Tom’s Restaurant
Junior’s
Peter Pan Bakery
Anapoli Ice Cream Parlor

Bronx and Queens
Jahn’s Ice Cream Parlor (No longer there)

Manhattan
Russ and Daughters
The Soda Shop
Katz’s Delicatessen

Gift an Egg Creme Kit

The New York First Company has a gift package that allows you to revive that good old fashioned egg cream anywhere.

Notable Moments in the History of the Egg Cream (15 Minutes of Fame)

Lou Reed made a song about this drink

The lyrics go like this:
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
You stir it up into a heady fro, tasted just like silk

You scream, I steam, we all want egg cream
You scream, I steam, we all want egg cream

Now you can go to junior’s, dave’s on canal street
And I think there’s ken’s in boston
There must be something in l.a.
But becky’s on kings highway, was the egg cream of choice
And if you don’t believe me, go ask any of the boys

You scream, I steam, we all want egg cream
You scream, I steam, we all want egg cream

The only good thing I have to say about p.s. 92
Was the egg cream served at becky’s, it was a fearsome brew
For 50 cents you got a shot, choco bubbles up your nose
That made it easier to deal with knife fights
And kids pissing in the street

You scream, I steam, we all want egg cream
You scream, I steam, we all want egg cream

So the next time you’re in brooklyn, please say hello for me
At totonno’s for pizza and ice cream at al and shirley’s
But mostly you go to becky’s, sit in a booth and say hello
And have two chocolate egg cream, one to stay and one to go

You scream, I steam, we all want egg cream, ah
You scream, I steam, we all want egg cream
You scream, I steam, we all want egg cream

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