1927 Drinks of All Kinds

io6

WINTER DRINKS

Tom and Jerry. I may premise that what led to this excel lent hot drink being invented or mixed is not generally known. The following particulars were communicated to my son by Mr. Jerry Thomas himself, of the Planter's House, St. Louis, and afterwards of his own saloon at the corner of the Sixth Avenue and Broadway, New York. He said; ' One very cold day I was mixing an egg nogg, and was about to add the milk and ice to the mixture, when all at once I thought, " If the nogg is good cold, why should it not on a cold day like this be better hot ?" I determined to try. I put two tablespoonfuls of the batter into a tumbler, and, instead of milk and ice, put in half a pint of boiling water, stirring quickly all the time to keep it smooth. I then added the usual brandy, Jamaica, and Santa Cruz rum, and a dust of nutmeg, and offered it to 'a customer who was present; he tasted, he drank, and at once pronounced it " nectar fit for the gods"; it was exhilarating, and made him "feel warm all over." I also tasted it, and with my acquired taste said, "That will do." ' It soon became known, and when a name was about to be given it a facetious friend who was present suggested that it should be called after myself, "Jerry Thomas," "or better still," he said, "call it 'Tom and Jerry,'" and that is the name it has been known by ever since.' The mixture is made as follows, using a