Our great grandparents enjoyed a treat that's a rarity today - an old fashioned fountain soda.These were amazing concoctions all made before the birth of Coca Cola and Pepsi. Everything but the kitchen sink went into these lavish hot weather treats. Ingredients were fresh made and full of foamy goodness. Will those days ever come back? Yes thanks to a few dedicated purists..
This was the subject of an article in today's New York Times Dining section. The great Julia Moskin wrote the well researched piece that took her to old fashioned soda fountains. Before the birth of Coke in the 1890s soda, including colas were mixed in pharmacies across the country. After the drink's invention sodas weren't that special anymore and a once a week treat like ice cream sodas could be made at home. Thanks to a few dedicated soda jerks that world is coming back. The name jerk come from the jerking motion of pulling the soda taps and the modern ones are just as proud of the title as their 1890s counterparts were.
During the golden era of home made soda, the egg cream reigned king. This was and still is an amazing concoction that involves cream, chocolate and seltzer. The original recipe is making a comeback as is a strawberry egg cream made with fresh Long Island strawberries. Other creations are calling for fresh huckleberries and locally grown hazelnuts. Fresh milk from Hudson Valley dairies is also used giving the drinks a purer flavor. Artesanal seltzers are also being used. Before carbonation, pharmacists used water mixed with potassium, calcium and magnesium to give it fizz (this water was also made for medicinal purposes as well). Homemade sodas are also made, using the same ingredients as 19th century jerks used.
Nothing beats an ice cream soda on a hot summer's day. Even better is when it's made the old fashioned way with homemade seltzer and fresh ingredients. If there is a true soda fountain in your neighborhood visit it. Enjoy the purity of a real 19th century treat!
Showing posts with label seltzer Brooklyn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label seltzer Brooklyn. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Monday, January 3, 2011
Tough Foodie Resolutions
It's tough being a foodie and dealing with new year's resolutions. After all what's bad for us is usually the tastiest. What's good for us usually isn't. What to do? Try to be good throughout the whole year but throw in a little naughtiness along the way (which I guess can be said for life in general too).
If there's something you crave like soda (my vice) then in once in a while. Slowly wean yourself away from it. Try flavored seltzer which has the carbonation and the taste but no sugar and absolutely no calories. Surprisingly it's a refreshing kick , especially with ice added. There are some great flavors too , like lemon lime, peaches and cream and my fave black cherry. For fast food lovers think about having that burger and fries maybe once a month. That way it's something you can still eat but it;s becomes a treat rather than a habit.
The worst foodie vice - anything dessert or sweet. Candy is just the downfall of anyone making a resolution. You can change your sugar habit Try the extra dark chocolate which is much better for you than the milk. Or better yet. try chocolate covered cranberries and blueberries. Yes. they;re decadent but the dark chocolate and the berries are a little more healthier than those milk chocolate enrobed caramels. Cakes and cookies are another matter. Limit yourself to maybe a treat once in a great while. have a cup cake every so often to satisfy your cravings. That usually does to for many sugar addicted foodies.
I;ts tough making any kind of resolution and sticking to it. Luckily with food there are so man ways t get around it while still resolving . it just takes creativity and a bit of will power.
If there's something you crave like soda (my vice) then in once in a while. Slowly wean yourself away from it. Try flavored seltzer which has the carbonation and the taste but no sugar and absolutely no calories. Surprisingly it's a refreshing kick , especially with ice added. There are some great flavors too , like lemon lime, peaches and cream and my fave black cherry. For fast food lovers think about having that burger and fries maybe once a month. That way it's something you can still eat but it;s becomes a treat rather than a habit.
The worst foodie vice - anything dessert or sweet. Candy is just the downfall of anyone making a resolution. You can change your sugar habit Try the extra dark chocolate which is much better for you than the milk. Or better yet. try chocolate covered cranberries and blueberries. Yes. they;re decadent but the dark chocolate and the berries are a little more healthier than those milk chocolate enrobed caramels. Cakes and cookies are another matter. Limit yourself to maybe a treat once in a great while. have a cup cake every so often to satisfy your cravings. That usually does to for many sugar addicted foodies.
I;ts tough making any kind of resolution and sticking to it. Luckily with food there are so man ways t get around it while still resolving . it just takes creativity and a bit of will power.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Branding Brooklyn
Brooklyn is more than just a borough of Manhattan these days. It;s a brand that is practically slapped on anything that comes out of New York's most famous borough. There are pickles. There are chocolates. There are all sorts of good stuff being made from local artisans and being sold in the local shops there and across the East River in fancy Manhattan.
This was explored in yesterday's New York Times Dining section with an article by Steven Stern. It seems food companies large and small want items with any kind of connection to the latest, coolest inspot.There are many artisanal industries starting there and smaller , privately owned brands always generate a buzz. It's no wonder that these companies would be scooped up by giants like Williams and Sonoma and a few others. Brooklyn has a few good home grown products.There are artisanal pickles and beer coming from there. There are even jelly and jam companies too creating spreads from family recipes.
Luckily there are some Brooklyn manufacturers that have their pride and aren't selling to the big chains. These are the true artists who take pride in their work. They may not be nationally famous or bringing in the big bucks but they have integrity. Not to mention a local fan base that spreads the word about them. Maybe that's what this Brooklyn essence is all about. No fancy campaigns to buy this or that. Just word of mouth advertising that gets customers wanting to try the foodstuffs.
Brooklyn is not just a borough. It's a brand of home made products that reflect the tough grittiness the area emanates. The food may be gourmet, but the feeling behind it is down to earth.
This was explored in yesterday's New York Times Dining section with an article by Steven Stern. It seems food companies large and small want items with any kind of connection to the latest, coolest inspot.There are many artisanal industries starting there and smaller , privately owned brands always generate a buzz. It's no wonder that these companies would be scooped up by giants like Williams and Sonoma and a few others. Brooklyn has a few good home grown products.There are artisanal pickles and beer coming from there. There are even jelly and jam companies too creating spreads from family recipes.
Luckily there are some Brooklyn manufacturers that have their pride and aren't selling to the big chains. These are the true artists who take pride in their work. They may not be nationally famous or bringing in the big bucks but they have integrity. Not to mention a local fan base that spreads the word about them. Maybe that's what this Brooklyn essence is all about. No fancy campaigns to buy this or that. Just word of mouth advertising that gets customers wanting to try the foodstuffs.
Brooklyn is not just a borough. It's a brand of home made products that reflect the tough grittiness the area emanates. The food may be gourmet, but the feeling behind it is down to earth.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Egg Creams A Hot Weather Treat
Happiness is a cold, frothy chocolate-y egg cream. For those who aren't from the New York area this is a wonderful concoction that's perfect for hot summer days. You can get it out at a diner or make one at home . A five year old can make it, that's how easy it is to whip up.
Egg creams are just a mixture of t seltzer, chcocolate syrup and milk. Why were they named egg creams if the main ingredients don't contain egg or cream (although you can put this in if you want a rich dense drinks)? The origins may have stemmed from a common 19th Century practice of putting egg and cream together with flavoring for a nourishing drink. It may have come from the Yiddish word echt meaning genuine or real . This comes from describing the cream. The name could have also come from the French chocolat et creme, a drink that WWII soldiers brought home with them from France. More than likely it's the second explanation with egg creams originating in Brooklyn soda shops. There were variations of it with vanilla syrup being used as well as the San Francisco version that mixes hazelnut and chocolate syrup.
How to make a good egg cream? That hinges on the syrup,. My favourite is the A&P brand which tastes exactly like Hershey's. Some people like Fox-s U-Bet, which is thinner and has a stronger, sweeter taste. As for the milk, just regular will do (don't try any soy or rice milk subs, there won't be the texture or the taste). Some recipes called for whipped cream to be mixed into the syrup and you can do this for a more decadent taste . Then add seltzer. This should all be done in a tall glass ,by the way, so you can have a lovely head of foam. Also make sure the seltzer and milk are well chilled. Adding ice will only dilute the flavor later on when the cubes melt.
An egg cream is the perfect antidote for these dog days of August. Make up one in a tall glass using your favorite chocolate syrup, chilled milk and seltzer. Then insert straw , sit back with your feet up and enjoy!!!
Egg creams are just a mixture of t seltzer, chcocolate syrup and milk. Why were they named egg creams if the main ingredients don't contain egg or cream (although you can put this in if you want a rich dense drinks)? The origins may have stemmed from a common 19th Century practice of putting egg and cream together with flavoring for a nourishing drink. It may have come from the Yiddish word echt meaning genuine or real . This comes from describing the cream. The name could have also come from the French chocolat et creme, a drink that WWII soldiers brought home with them from France. More than likely it's the second explanation with egg creams originating in Brooklyn soda shops. There were variations of it with vanilla syrup being used as well as the San Francisco version that mixes hazelnut and chocolate syrup.
How to make a good egg cream? That hinges on the syrup,. My favourite is the A&P brand which tastes exactly like Hershey's. Some people like Fox-s U-Bet, which is thinner and has a stronger, sweeter taste. As for the milk, just regular will do (don't try any soy or rice milk subs, there won't be the texture or the taste). Some recipes called for whipped cream to be mixed into the syrup and you can do this for a more decadent taste . Then add seltzer. This should all be done in a tall glass ,by the way, so you can have a lovely head of foam. Also make sure the seltzer and milk are well chilled. Adding ice will only dilute the flavor later on when the cubes melt.
An egg cream is the perfect antidote for these dog days of August. Make up one in a tall glass using your favorite chocolate syrup, chilled milk and seltzer. Then insert straw , sit back with your feet up and enjoy!!!
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