A long time ago — so long that I did not even have a blog — there was a failed attempt at Tom and Jerry cocktails. After the recent article in the New York Times, I felt I needed vindication. Success is at hand, folks.
Tom and Jerry cocktails are popular mostly in the midwest, which is why I tried to make them: Greg remembers them fondly from his yout. They are sort of like eggnog in that they’re made with eggs, sugar and milk. They are sort of not in that they are served hot and usually take both rum and cognac. Yep!
We absolutely loved them. Greg said it was one of the best cocktails he’s ever had. Ever. Of course, they are not for every night of the week. They must be a gazillion calories and they are a meal, rather than an aperitif. But around the holidays? Why not!
The how-to, and the recipe for Tom and Jerry cocktail by our favorite Libation Goddess Audrey Sanders, after the jump.
Make the batter first, then do the drinks later. For the batter, you’ll need eggs, sugar, rum, bitters, vanilla and a bunch of spices.
Separate eggs:
Measure spices:
Beat yolks and sugar and add everything else:
Beat the whites too:
Fold the whites into the yolks. You can refrigerate the batter after this point.
To make the drinks, boil some water and heat your coffee mugs. Bring milk to a boil. Dump the hot water, add booze and batter, then whisk in milk. Grate nutmeg over the top.
Tom and Jerry
Slightly adapted from the New York Times, which adapted it from Audrey Saunders, Pegu Club
For the batter:
6 eggs (yolks and whites separated)
1 pound sugar
1 ounce añejo rum
3 tablespoons vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 dashes Angostura bitters
For each drink:
6 ounces milk (we made our Lactose-Free Tom and Jerry cocktails by using Lactaid Whole Milk)
1 ounce añejo rum
1 ounce V.S. Cognac
Make the batter: In a bowl, beat egg yolks until they are as thin as water. While beating, gradually add sugar, rum, vanilla, spices and bitters. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff. Fold into yolk mixture. If not using immediately, refrigerate batter.
Make the drink: Bring a kettle of water to a boil, then pour the water into the mugs you’ll be serving your Tom and Jerry cocktails in. In a small saucepan, bring milk to boil. Dump the water from the mugs, then measure 2 ounces batter into them. Add 1 ounce rum and 1 ounce Cognac. Fill with boiling milk, stirring briskly with a small whisk while adding, so batter and milk are well mixed. Dust with nutmeg.
YIELD: 1 drink, with batter for about 10 drinks
NOTE: Because batter contains raw eggs, it should be refrigerated when not being used, at no higher than 41 degrees. Batter should be used only on the day it is made, then discarded.
