Tom and Jerry (mixed drink)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A Tom and Jerry is a traditional Christmastime cocktail in the United States. It was devised by sports writer Pierce Egan in the 1820s.
It is a variant of eggnog with brandy and rum added and served hot, usually in a mug or a bowl.
Another method uses egg whites, beaten stiff, with the yolks and sugar folded back in, and vanilla extract added. A few spoonfuls are added to a mug, then hot water and rum are added, and it is topped with nutmeg.
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[edit] In literature
Damon Runyon comments on this cocktail in his short story Dancing Dan’s Christmas:
- This hot Tom and Jerry is an old time drink that is once used by one and all in this country to celebrate Christmas with, and in fact it is once so popular that many people think Christmas is invented only to furnish an excuse for hot Tom and Jerry, although of course this is by no means true.[1]
[edit] Onomastics
The name is neither related to the popular MGM cartoon, nor to Professor Jerry Thomas, the author of one of the first bartender's guides, How to Mix Drinks (1862).
Instead, it is a reference to a book by Pierce Egan: Life in London, or The Day and Night Scenes of Jerry Hawthorn Esq. and his Elegant Friend Corinthian Tom (1821) and a subsequent stage play: Tom and Jerry, or Life in London (also 1821). To publicize the book and the play, Egan introduced a variation of eggnog by adding ½ fl oz of brandy calling it a "Tom and Jerry." The additional fortification helped popularize the drink.[2]
[edit] References
- ^ Runyon, Damon (1880-1946). Dancing Dan’s Christmas. The Damon Runyon Society. Accessed 2006-12-27
- ^ Block, Stephen. The History of Egg Nog. Food History. The Kitchen Project. Retrieved on 2006-12-16.
