Egg Cream Basics

The Times gave a little insight into the history of the Egg Cream, plus some of the seedier, corrupt power plays to be egg cream (and assorted accessories) king of New York. The article says the egg cream was born on the Lower East Side, which surprised Gothamist because for some reason, we'd always assumed it was born in Brooklyn. Perhaps it was perfected in Brooklyn.

An Egg Cream recipe from Chowhound with this warning: "Never ever add chocolate earlier in the process, because if it fraternizes with the milk before seltzer is added, you get a sticky brown head instead of a fluffy white one. Blasphemy." Get the Complete Brooklyn Egg Cream Kit (see, this is why we associate egg creams with Brooklyn, but even the official NYC Tourist site says the egg cream is from Manhattan).

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in Food on August 25, 2003 11:49 AM

Comments [rss]

Charlie

Greetings from Japan! Brooklyn-born baby boomer living near Tokyo. I never tried an egg cream (yeah, I assumed it was made with eggs), but I'm intrigued with the novelty. I plan to gather the ingredients (U-Bet, seltzer, whole milk, soda fountain glasses, long narrow spoon) and try it here.

......P.S. When I climbed Mt. Fuji, I took along Old Glory and a "Spaldeeen."

Vidiot

Little nameless newsstand/hole-in-the-wall place on Avenue A (between 5th and 7th Streets, can't remember exactly where, on the west side of the street next to an Eastern European place) serves THE BEST egg creams and cherry-lime rickeys. Period.

Jen

I like egg creams, but then I realize I'd rather have a milk shake. But at least with an egg cream, I'm less willing to kill myself for drinking a whole milkshake.

Kristen

My parents are obsessed with egg creams, but I just don't get the allure... Call me a philistine I suppose.

Cheshire

Gothamist is invited for a blasphemous* egg cream whenever they find themselves in Emeryville, California.

*on several counts, apparently, but my parents were born in Brooklyn, so maybe I should call it an expatriate egg cream.

Howard

No, but maybe you can buy a case.

This site even sells that killer of young adults -- Dr. Brown's Cel-Ray soda. Nasty stuff.

Brian

They have pretty good Lime Rickeys at Shopsin's. Cherry ones, too. They use really narrow glasses, though, so they don't last long.

Anyone know where to get a Green River in NYC?

Jen

The Lime Rickeys at the Mill, a Korean restaurant near Columbia, are delicious! Granted, I haven't had them elsewhere.

Howard

Jen: Thanks for the dose of egg cream lore. I grew up drinking these things. You could get your head handed to you in my neighborhood if you ever used anything but Fox's U-bet syrup to make this frothy delight.

While egg creams may have been invented on the Lower East Side, there are probably more places that still serve them in Brooklyn than in Manhattan. Here's a partial list -- although it may be out of date.

Has anyone ever had a Lime Rickey? They were popular for a while as well but not with us egg cream die-hards.