Video:Chocolate Egg Cream

Transcript:Chocolate Egg Cream

Hi, I'm Chef John Mitzewich for About.com, and today we're going to make the famous New York chocolate egg cream.

Now, when I say famous, I mean in New York City. No one else in the country knows about this drink, but now they're going to. It's really delicious and no, it doesn't have any eggs or cream. Where did you get that idea?

Add Milk to a Glass

We're going to take a 10-ounce glass, and add 1-2 tablespoons of cold milk. There are all kinds of controversy on how much milk to put in. Some recipes call for none, some as much as 1/4 of this is milk. So put in a splash of cold milk.

Combine the Milk and Seltzer Water

Then we're going to take seltzer water (same thing as club soda or sparkling water), and seltzer water is the traditional ingredient.

Again, this was invented in New York City in Brooklyn in the 1920s, and it was all the rage at the soda fountains. There are all sorts of arguments about the origins of this drink. I know, New Yorkers arguing about something? That sounds crazy.

Anyway, do not fill it all the way to the top. Slowly drizzle it down the side. If you pour it too quickly, you'll have foamy milky seltzer water all over the table.

Pour In Chocolate Syrup

Then we're going to take a chocolate syrup. Fox's U-bet is the traditional chocolate syrup used in Brooklyn, but any chocolate syrup should work. You probably have heard of one from Pennsylvania.

So put in 2 tablespoons of chocolate syrup. You'll see it kind of foam up as you do that. Oh, man, look at that creamy head!

Stir in the Chocolate Syrup

Now we're going to take a spoon, and slowly from the bottom, start stirring this around. As it dissolves you can stir a little quicker.

Now, what going to form here is the bottom's going to become this delicious fizzy chocolate soda, and the top is going to be this incredibly rich creamy almost eggy meringue-like head that forms at the top.

Some people think the name comes from the creamy egg-like top. There were drinks prior to the invention of this that have creams and egg in it at the turn of the century, so others think that's where the name is from. Regardless, who cares?

Top the Egg Cream With Chocolate Syrup

Once you've mixed it and you have that thick creamy head I like to drizzle a little chocolate syrup on there, you know so it looks like one of those $8 mega-mochachino things.

Drink the Chocolate Egg Cream

And then the best part, drinking it! Now, let me tell you the purists will not use a straw; they will sip that delicious cold chocolate soda through that thick creamy head. But, I have a big mustache, so I have to use a straw, so I'm not doing it the right way.

But either way, whether you use a straw or use the traditional hand-held, sip it through the creamy top method, it's so delicious. Anyway I'd really like to be left alone with the rest of this, so give that a try.

You're really going to enjoy it, its great after a large meal as it kind of settles the stomach, and it's delicious. It's good, and it's good for you. Enjoy.

Thanks for watching. To learn more, visit us on the Web at food.about.com.