Cream sodas, egg creams, and floats bubble with nostalgia for the good old days before bottled sodas, when carbonated beverages were dispensed from the local soda fountain, usually located at the corner pharmacy.
The term soda fountain originally referred to the tap that dispersed sparkling mineral waters from underground springs, and it was adopted by Samuel Fahnestock in 1819 when he patented the first commercial man-made carbonation machine. In 1825 the first commercial soda fountain opened in a pharmacy in Philadelphia, thereby establishing the connection between the dispensing of sparkling water and drugstores, and in 1832 John Matthews, a British immigrant living in New York, built a small carbonating machine for pharmacies that would bring the soda fountain to every corner drugstore in the country.
The healthy attributes of sparking spring water made the connection between carbonation and health a natural for pharmacies. But the soda fountain became such a popular section of the pharmacy that it soon evolved from a place to get healthful waters to a center for social gathering. With that shift, it was only a short step from carbonated water to flavored carbonated water. One of the first and most popular flavors was vanilla, which became known as vanilla cream soda, probably because of the creamy head that developed when carbonated bubbles became coated with the natural oils in vanilla syrup. Some pharmacists added milk for extra richness.
The story of the first ice cream soda has been so oft repeated it is hard to know which part of it is history and which part pure delight. The story is told that in 1874 entrepreneur Robert Green was selling cream soda, a mixture of vanilla, milk, and carbonated water, at the celebration of the semi-centennial of the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. Sales were okay. One day, when he ran out of milk, he substituted vanilla ice cream (this sounds so suspicious), and a classic was born. Who knows if this is true? There are several others who claim to have invented the pairing of ice cream and flavored carbonated water under similarly dubious circumstances. At any rate, all the claims stem from the same time period, and it was around that time that ice cream sodas became popular.
Just as there is no egg in a New York Egg Cream, there is no dairy in a cream soda. Or is there? One of the earliest fountain sodas (introduced in 1854), cream soda originally was carbonated water flavored with sweetened vanilla syrup. Some historical sources say that the “cream” moniker came about because vanilla-flavored soda was the fizzy beverage of choice for an ice cream soda. However, the ice cream soda wasn’t introduced until almost 20 years after cream soda, so that seems unlikely. Today, bottled cream sodas are vanilla-flavored and often have ingredients added to give them a silky mouthfeel, but no cream.
Some soda fountain cream sodas and many home recipes for cream soda include the addition of half-and-half or cream, but the classic cream soda recipe includes only carbonated water and sweetened vanilla syrup. When it comes to cream soda, I’m a purist; I do not add dairy, or any additional ingredients to change the texture, and I use vanilla bean, not vanilla extract. When a preparation is this spare, the type and quality of every ingredient is important.
ENOUGH FOR 3 SERVINGS
Combine the water, sugar, and vanilla bean in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, and then remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Strain out the vanilla bean.
This syrup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
TO MIX WITH SELTZER1 SERVING
Pour the syrup into a tall glass. Add the seltzer and stir just until blended. Add ice and serve.
TO CARBONATE WITH A SIPHON3 SERVINGS
Pour the syrup into a 1-quart siphon. Add the water. Charge with CO2 according to the manufacturer’s directions. Siphon-charged sodas can be stored in the siphon in a refrigerator for up to 5 days. Disperse as desired into tall glasses filled with ice, and serve.
When I’m using a flavor other than or in addition to vanilla, I often add milk to cream sodas. Not only does milk add protein to the drink, but its natural sweetness allows you to reduce or eliminate the sugar in your recipes. If you’re thirsting for something closer to an ice cream soda, you can substitute half-and-half for the milk.
ENOUGH FOR 4 SERVINGS
Combine the strawberries, milk, honey, and vanilla in a blender or food processor and purée. Strain to remove the strawberry seeds.
This purée will keep in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours, but is best used immediately.
TO MIX WITH SELTZER1 SERVING
Pour the purée into a tall glass. Add the seltzer and stir just until blended. Add ice and serve.
To my palate, the combination of honey, vanilla, and a little almond is completely sublime: floral, fruity, musky, and sweet. It takes the flavor elements of vanilla, which is the soul of cream soda, and ignites them into a beverage that is both simple and spectacular, like the quiet librarian who takes off her wire rims and unpins her bun, setting free the siren inside.
ENOUGH FOR 3 SERVINGS
Combine the honey, milk, almond extract, and vanilla, and stir until smooth.
This syrup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
TO MIX WITH SELTZER1 SERVING
Pour the syrup into a tall glass. Add the seltzer and stir just until blended. Add ice and serve.
TO CARBONATE WITH A SIPHON3 SERVINGS
Pour the syrup into a 1-quart siphon. Add the water. Charge with CO2 according to the manufacturer’s directions. Siphon-charged sodas can be stored in the siphon in a refrigerator for up to 5 days. Disperse as desired into tall glasses filled with ice, and serve.
Think of sipping the essence of banana cream pie (minus the crust) through a straw and you have an inkling of the creamy rich satiety of this soda. The way the soda foams and filters through the honeyed banana purée is similar to how it behaves in an ice cream soda, giving you the sensual pleasure of an ice cream treat with a fraction of the calories and a lot more nutrition. Note: The banana purée does not keep, so gather some friends for a treat and finish it all off right away.
ENOUGH FOR 3 SERVINGS
Combine the honey, milk, banana, and vanilla in a blender or food processor, and purée until smooth.
TO MIX WITH SELTZER3 SERVINGS
Divide the purée among 3 tall glasses. Add 1 cup of seltzer to each glass and stir just until blended. Add ice and serve.
TO CARBONATE WITH A SIPHON3 SERVINGS
Pour the purée into a 1-quart siphon. Add the water. Charge with CO2 according to the manufacturer’s directions. Disperse as desired into tall glasses filled with ice, and serve.
In this drink, the richness of cream soda and the refreshment of lemon join forces. The fragrant oils in the lemon zest emulsify throughout the soda, giving it a creamy mouthfeel that is reinforced by the scent of vanilla. I don’t use lemon juice because its tartness might interfere with the creamy sensation.
ENOUGH FOR 3 SERVINGS
Combine the sugar, water, and lemon zest in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Strain out zest and stir in the vanilla.
This syrup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
TO MIX WITH SELTZER1 SERVING
Pour the syrup into a tall glass. Add the seltzer and stir just until blended. Add ice and serve.
TO CARBONATE WITH A SIPHON3 SERVINGS
Pour the syrup into a 1-quart siphon. Add enough water to fill the siphon. Charge with CO2 according to the manufacturer’s directions. Siphon-charged sodas can be stored in the siphon in a refrigerator for up to 5 days. Disperse as desired into tall glasses filled with ice, and serve.
The Creamsicle has been an inspiration for countless beverages, alcoholic and otherwise, so I guess I might as well get in line. My version is a little bit nutritious (half the dairy is yogurt), a little bit rich (the other half is ice cream), very flavorful (equal parts orange and vanilla), and ultimately refreshing (carbonation titillates every time). This is one of the most filling sodas in the book, and it’s best served as a snack or a dessert.
ENOUGH FOR 4 SERVINGS
Combine the orange juice, yogurt, and ice cream in a blender or food processor, and purée.
This purée will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, but it is best if used immediately.
TO MIX WITH SELTZER1 SERVING
Pour the purée into a tall glass. Add the seltzer, stir just until blended, and serve.
Imagine the flavors of a crème brûlée — toasted caramel, slight bitterness, and a touch of sweetness, washed with a lush flood of cream and the innocent scent of vanilla. That’s what you get in this sippable caramel custard.
ENOUGH FOR 4 SERVINGS
Combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and water in a small heavy saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until the mixture turns dark amber, washing away any sugar crystals clinging to the inside of the pan with a damp pastry brush. (See next page for more detail on making this liquid caramel.)
While the sugar is caramelizing, heat the milk to a simmer in another saucepan or in the microwave. When the sugar is fully caramelized, stir the warm milk into it. The sugar will immediately crystallize, and the milk will vigorously bubble and steam. Stand back so you don’t get burned. Then, as the bubbling subsides, stir the caramel until it becomes smooth and fluid again. Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla, and let cool for 5 minutes.
This syrup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, but must be warmed until liquid before using to make a soda.
TO MIX WITH SELTZER4 SERVINGS
Divide the liquid caramel among four tall glasses. Stir 1 cup seltzer into each. Fill the glasses with ice and serve.
Caramelizing Sugar is a little tricky. If you’re not careful the caramel can crystallize, becoming grainy. This usually happens right when the caramel is almost finished. At that point the concentration of sugar in the liquid caramel is so close to saturated that a single grain of sugar falling into the caramel can trigger a chain of crystallization. To prevent this from happening, it is advisable to wash any stray sugar grains clinging to the side of the pot into the caramel with a wet pastry brush as soon as they appear. When the sugar is melted and caramelized, you’ll add the milk, which will bubble and steam angrily at first. At the same time the caramel will turn rock hard. But within a minute or two the bubbling will subside and the caramel will return to a liquid state, and you will have the most delicious soda base imaginable.
This completely nondairy creamy soda is enriched with canned coconut milk. The fat content of coconut milk is similar to that of whole milk, but coconut fat contains a good amount of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, as well as some monounsaturated fat, so it’s pretty heart-healthy. The rich coconut flavor and texture are seasoned with a sprinkling of cinnamon and a bit of vanilla.
ENOUGH FOR 3 SERVINGS
Combine the sugar, water, and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Stir in the coconut milk and vanilla.
This syrup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
TO MIX WITH SELTZER1 SERVING
Pour the syrup into a tall glass. Add the seltzer and stir just until blended. Add ice and serve.
TO CARBONATE WITH A SIPHON3 SERVINGS
Pour the syrup into a 1-quart siphon. Add the water. Charge with CO2 according to the manufacturer’s directions. Siphon-charged sodas can be stored in the siphon in a refrigerator for up to 5 days. Disperse as desired into tall glasses filled with ice, and serve.
Creamy peanut butter sweetened with sugar syrup and blended with half-and-half is not unlike peanut butter ice cream, which is one of the great ice cream inventions of recent decades. Adding carbonation transforms it into the closest thing to a peanut butter ice cream soda, which could be the confectionery claim to fame of the decade to come. It’s got my vote!
ENOUGH FOR 3 SERVINGS
Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and stir in the half-and-half and peanut butter. Let cool to room temperature. Stir in the vanilla.
This syrup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
TO MIX WITH SELTZER1 SERVING
Pour the syrup into a tall glass. Add the seltzer and stir just until blended. Add ice and serve.
TO CARBONATE WITH A SIPHON3 SERVINGS
Pour the syrup into a 1-quart siphon and add the water. Charge with CO2 according to the manufacturer’s directions. Siphon-charged sodas can be stored in the siphon in a refrigerator for up to 5 days. Disperse as desired into tall glasses filled with ice, and serve.
This potentially fat-free (depending on the fat content of the milk you use) facsimile of a root beer float has all the tangy-sweet dairy flavors of the soda fountain classic without its diet-busting downside.
ENOUGH FOR 4 SERVINGS
Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and stir in the milk and root beer syrup. Let cool to room temperature.
This syrup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
TO MIX WITH SELTZER1 SERVING
Pour the syrup into a tall glass. Add the seltzer and stir just until blended. Add ice and serve.
TO CARBONATE WITH A SIPHON4 SERVINGS
Pour the syrup into a 1-quart siphon. Add the water. Charge with CO2 according to the manufacturer’s directions. Siphon-charged sodas can be stored in the siphon in a refrigerator for up to 5 days. Disperse as desired into tall glasses filled with ice, and serve.
Dulce de leche (caramelized sweetened condensed milk), the ubiquitous sweetener in Latin American desserts, is the base for this effortless carbonated beverage. Dulce de leche soda is so naturally delicious that it is remarkable to me that no one has thought yet to bottle it. If you want to cut some of the calories, and all of the fat, it is fine to use fat-free condensed milk.
ENOUGH FOR 4 SERVINGS
Combine the condensed milk and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until the mixture turns pale amber, stirring often. Let cool to room temperature, then remove the cinnamon and stir in the vanilla.
This syrup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, but must be warmed until liquid before using it to make a soda.
TO MIX WITH SELTZER1 SERVING
Pour the syrup into a tall glass. Add the seltzer and stir just until blended. Add ice and serve.
TO CARBONATE WITH A SIPHON4 SERVINGS
Pour the syrup into a 1-quart siphon. Add the water. Charge with CO2 according to the manufacturer’s directions. Siphon-charged sodas can be stored in the siphon in a refrigerator for up to 5 days. Disperse as desired into tall glasses filled with ice, and serve.
Just as cream sodas have no dairy products, egg creams don’t actually contain egg. The name refers to the foam generated when milk and carbonated water are mixed together. The bubbles of CO2 get trapped in milk protein, causing it to expand in the same way that the protein of egg whites can be inflated by beating it with a whisk. In this dark chocolate creamy Fudgsicle of a soda, the bubbles take on a luxurious silken consistency.
ENOUGH FOR 3 SERVINGS
Combine the sugar, cocoa powder, and water in a small saucepan, and whisk together until smooth. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and stir in the milk and vanilla. Let cool to room temperature, then chill.
This syrup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
TO MIX WITH SELTZER1 SERVING
Combine the syrup and crushed ice in a tall glass. Add the seltzer, aiming it toward the side of the glass to encourage a large white head of foam to rise to the top.
Though the term egg cream did not appear in print until 1954, these sweet soft drinks became popular soda fountain treats in New York City in the 1930s and have continued to weave their mythology ever since. The first egg creams were chocolate, made from chocolate syrup mixed with ice-cold milk and carbonated with seltzer. Soda jerks in New York practiced in the art of the egg cream were known for their technique. To make a proper egg cream, the milk must be so cold that it is flecked with shards of ice, and the soda must be added under pressure to create a bulging white head of foam.
For this gourmet version of the vanilla egg cream, a split vanilla bean is simmered in milk and sugar until the seeds from the vanilla pod scatter into the milk, making a sweet custardlike base speckled with real vanilla. When combined with carbonated water, a typical egg cream foam cascades skyward, launching jets of vanilla-scented spray.
ENOUGH FOR 3 SERVINGS
Combine the milk, sugar, and vanilla bean in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Remove the vanilla bean, and scrape the seeds from the beans back into the milk for a little more flavor. Chill.
This syrup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
TO MIX WITH SELTZER1 SERVING
Combine the syrup and crushed ice in a tall glass. Add the seltzer, aiming it toward the side of the glass to encourage a large white head of foam to rise to the top.
In this subtly sweet, richly caramelized soda, browned sugar syrup is enriched with milk into liquid candy. Simply add seltzer and a pinch of fleur de sel, and you’ve got the effervescent equivalent of a salted caramel.
ENOUGH FOR 2 SERVINGS
Combine the sugar and water in a small heavy saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until the mixture turns pale amber, washing away any sugar crystals clinging to the inside of the pan with a damp pastry brush. (See here for more detail on caramelizing sugar.)
While the sugar is caramelizing, heat the milk to a simmer in another saucepan or in the microwave. When the sugar is pale amber, stir the milk into the pan. The sugar will immediately crystallize, and the milk will vigorously bubble and steam. Stand back so you don’t get burned. When the foaming subsides in a few seconds, stir until the caramel becomes smooth again. Remove from the heat and stir in the salt.
This syrup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, but must be warmed until liquid before using to make a soda.
TO MIX WITH SELTZER1 SERVING
Pour the syrup into a tall glass. Add the seltzer, aiming it toward the side of the glass to encourage a large white head of foam to rise to the top. Add the crushed ice to the glass and stir briefly.
Real egg nog always includes some booze (nog is Old English for ale), but this family-friendly version has all the flavor of the real thing, but with carbonation taking the place of inebriation. Egg nog is a stovetop custard sauce that is traditionally thinned to drinking consistency with rum. In this recipe, rum extract provides the flavor and carbonated water the drinkability.
ENOUGH FOR 3 SERVINGS
Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. While the sugar syrup is heating, combine the milk, rum extract, nutmeg, and egg yolk in a small bowl, and whisk together. When the sugar syrup reaches a boil, remove it from the heat and slowly pour it into the milk mixture, whisking continuously until the mixture thickens lightly. Let cool to room temperature.
This syrup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, but it is best used immediately.
TO MIX WITH SELTZER1 SERVING
Pour the syrup into a tall glass. Add the seltzer and stir just until blended. Add ice and serve.
TO CARBONATE WITH A SIPHON3 SERVINGS
Pour the syrup into a 1-quart siphon. Add the water. Charge with CO2 according to the manufacturer’s directions. Siphon-charged sodas can be stored in the siphon in a refrigerator for up to 5 days. Disperse as desired into tall glasses filled with ice, and serve.
The latte is the New York egg cream of the twenty-first century, hiding its simplicity behind a complex mythology of barista technique and professional equipment. It seemed only fitting to merge the two, and the technique that wins out is that of the 1930 Brooklyn soda jerk, not the coffee geek pulling shots and scooping foam.
ENOUGH FOR 4 SERVINGS
Combine the coffee, sugar, and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Remove the cinnamon stick. Chill.
This syrup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
TO MIX WITH SELTZER1 SERVING
Combine the syrup and milk in a tall drinking glass, stirring to blend. Add the crushed ice. Add the seltzer, aiming it toward the side of the glass to encourage a large white head of foam to rise to the top.
Because raspberries have to be seeded, sweetened, and cooked before they can be liquefied and drunk, I have streamlined their preparation by using raspberry jelly, which is nothing more than fresh raspberries that are already seeded, sweetened, and cooked. I love when an ingredient meets you halfway.
ENOUGH FOR 4 SERVINGS
Combine the sugar, cocoa powder, water, and jelly in a small saucepan, and whisk together until smooth. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and stir in the half-and-half and vanilla. Let cool to room temperature.
This syrup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
TO MIX WITH SELTZER1 SERVING
Pour the syrup into a tall glass. Add the seltzer and stir just until blended. Add ice and serve.
TO CARBONATE WITH A SIPHON4 SERVINGS
Combine the syrup and water in a 1-quart siphon. Charge with CO2 according to the manufacturer’s directions. Siphon-charged sodas can be stored in the siphon in a refrigerator for up to 5 days. Disperse as desired into tall glasses filled with ice, and serve.
In addition to being fairly acidic, pineapple contains bromelain, an enzyme that breaks down protein, which means that it is tricky to pair it with fresh dairy products. That is why the cream that would normally enrich this float has been replaced with double-rich coconut milk, called coconut cream. If you add the soda slowly to the glass, you can encourage the foam from the coconut cream to rise to the top in a bulbous head, making the float look like it was made with ice cream.
ENOUGH FOR 6 SERVINGS
Combine the pineapple juice and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Stir in the coconut cream and vanilla. Chill.
This syrup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
TO MIX WITH GINGER BEER1 SERVING
Pour the syrup into a tall glass. Slowly add the ginger beer, carefully pouring it down the side of the glass to mix it as little as possible with the coconut milk. The coconut cream should rise to the top. Serve with a spoon for eating the sweet cream.
Want to make tomorrow a better day? Start it with soda. I know it sounds slacker-ish and sort of debauched, but what if the soda were made from puréed fruit, a container of yogurt, and some carbonated water — sort of a fizzy smoothie? It’s nutritious. It tastes great. It’s ready in minutes. What are you waiting for?
ENOUGH FOR 1 SERVING
Combine the strawberries, bananas, and yogurt in a blender or food processor, and purée. Use immediately.
TO MIX WITH SELTZER1 SERVING
Pour the purée into a tall glass. Add the seltzer and stir just until blended. Add ice and serve.
The very popular yogurt drink from South Asia is the inspiration for this healthful sparkling beverage. It is made with fresh mango, which is a traditional fruit for lassi, but you can replace the mango with a pint of berries or a banana with equal success. It is an easy and delicious drinkable breakfast.
ENOUGH FOR 4 SERVINGS
Combine the mango, yogurt, and orange juice in a blender or food processor, and purée.
This purée will keep in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours, but it is best if used immediately.
TO MIX WITH SELTZER1 SERVING
Pour the purée into a tall glass. Add the seltzer and stir just until blended. Add ice and serve.
