Custard, vanilla, spice
Serve this drink in mugs at a tree-trimming party, along with candied orange peel and gingerbread.
Think of eggnog crossed with a mug of white hot chocolate, and you can begin to imagine the taste of this winter warmer from the 1800s, once served up at the Planters’ House Hotel in Saint Louis by legendary bartender Jerry Thomas. (He claimed that he named the drink after his pet pair of white mice, although references to the recipe appear much earlier.) In Midwestern states like Wisconsin, Tom and Jerry “batter” is still sold in freezer sections at grocery stores, but there is no substitute for homemade. Some use whiskey for this drink, but we like to make this with brandy or—better yet—with a split shot of brandy and Jamaican rum. The key to this cocktail is to stir the batter into the booze before adding hot milk so that the eggs don’t curdle.
SERVES 4
FOR THE BATTER
3 large eggs, separated
3 tablespoons (24 g) confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg, plus extra for garnish
FOR THE COCKTAIL
4 ounces (120 ml) brandy (Paul Masson Grande Amber VS), divided
4 ounces (120 ml) gold rum (Appleton Special), divided
3 cups (710 ml) hot milk, divided
To make the batter, beat egg whites in a bowl until it forms a stiff froth. In a separate bowl, beat yolks until thin as water, then add sugar, vanilla, and spices. Fold the whites into the yolk mixture.
To make the hot drink, heat milk on the stove in a saucepan and bring to a near simmer. Then, divide the brandy and rum between four warm mugs—1 shot of each spirit into each mug. Stir in 2 heaping scoops of batter to the booze in each mug. Then, stir in hot milk (a small whisk works well). Garnish with extra nutmeg.