Back in the day in New York City — “the day” being the 1920s through 1950s — when pharmacies and five-and-dimes had soda fountains staffed by “soda jerks,” egg creams were a favorite liquid treat. It’s not clear where the name of these fizzy chocolate concoctions came from, since egg and cream were not among the ingredients. Egg creams are still available in some places, but they largely fell out of favor when soda fountains became a relic of the past. Plus, making an egg cream was a time-consuming and labor-intensive affair.
Quote: “The egg cream originated among Yiddish-speaking Eastern European Jewish immigrants in New York City, so one explanation claims that egg is a corruption of the Yiddish echt ‘genuine or real,’ making an egg cream a ‘good cream.’ ”
Sources: Wikipedia (introduction and quotation)
Learn more about the egg cream on Wikipedia. ►
Learn more about soda jerks on Wikipedia. ►
Watch “An oral history of the NY Egg Cream and DIY soda making” [15:05]. ►
Watch “Chocolate Egg Cream — New York’s Famous Chocolate Egg Cream Drink Recipe” [2:56]. ►
Photo: Food Network
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