Tom and Jerry

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If you like eggnog, give this other traditional Christmas drink a try - The Tom and Jerry. Dating back to the 1820's in England, this warm, frothy glass of Christmas cheer will make any Scrooge smile. 

Typically, Tom and Jerry's batter is made in two separate bowls, one with egg whites and the other with egg yolks, eventually folding one into the other after lots of whisking. I find this way to be a bit laborious and unnecessary. You can get the same, if not better results using a whipped cream dispenser. Obviously, not everyone has one of these kitchen gadgets, but they are extremely useful for other things than T & J batter. I recommend the 1/2 pint or pint size cream iSi if you are a home bartender. 

By using the isi, you dramatically increase the shelf life with a pressurized air tight seal, as well as significantly decreasing the time to make the batter and serve the drink. I know the iSi brand can be a bit expensive, but don't worry, there are plenty of affordable whipped cream dispensers out there. 

I tend to follow No. 9 Park's philosophy of making them on and not before the first snow fall of the winter. 

DO NOT use a CO2 Soda Siphon as it will not give you the same results and you will break it.

My iSi Tom and Jerry recipe:

Ingredients for Batter - makes roughly enough batter for 6 drinks

  • 1/8 tsp cream of tartar

  • 1/8 tsp ground allspice

  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves

  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

  • 4 tbsp sifted powdered sugar

  • 3 whole eggs

  • 1 oz bourbon

  1. In a large bowl, add 3 whole eggs, the spices, vanilla and bourbon. Whisk well until there are no lumps.

  2. Add your sifted powdered sugar 1 tbsp at a time, whisking very well in between adding the sugar. Make sure there are no lumps.  Please note: Your mixture will not look like batter at this point. It will be a viscous liquid.

  3. Pour mixture into whipped cream dispenser and put the top on tight.

  4. Give the dispenser a quick shake prior to using a NO2 charge.

  5. Add one N02 charge and shake very well for 10 seconds. You can remove the charge after you shake, if you like. Tip: Never add the charge to a dispenser without a dispensing tip attached. Also, use 2 N02 charges for 1L/1QT dispensers.

  6. Let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before use. Store in refrigerator for up to 1 week, but best used within 5 days.

For the drink

  • .75 oz aged rum (I use El Dorado 12)

  • .75 oz vanilla infused Cognac**

  • 1.5 oz of Tom and Jerry batter (in the whipped cream dispenser)

  • 3-4 oz hot, frothy whole milk*

  • grated nutmeg to garnish

  1. Pour boiling or hot water into your mug or glass.

  2. When the mug or glass is hot, discard the sitting hot water.

  3. Add your batter then pour the rum and Cognac blend on top. Tip: Shake the dispenser before use and hold the canister upside down when dispensing.

  4. Take a barspoon and give a quick stir to incorporate.

  5. Add your hot whole milk, leaving enough space for a frothy topping.

  6. Quickly mix again with the barspoon and then finish adding the frothy milk topping.

  7. Garnish with nutmeg.

Tip: For quicker service, batch a 50:50 blend of your two spirits (rum/Cognac).

*I use a Cappuccino Frother I bought on Amazon, but you can also heat the milk on the stove while whisking it or put it in a mason jar, shake hard with lid on for 30 seconds, then microwave it for 30 seconds without the lid. A handheld electric frother can also give you great froth and is relatively inexpensive. 

**Vanilla Infused Cognac

  • 1 - 750ml bottle of good Cognac (I use Pierre Ferrand 1840)

  • 4-5 whole vanilla beans (not split)

Add vanilla beans to bottle and reseal. Agitate the bottle a few times per week. Let the vanilla infuse for at least 4 weeks, but the more time, the better. I don't split the vanilla beans b/c this Cognac is so tasty to sip neat that I want the spirit to remain clear. You can also use this infusion in other great Cognac cocktails, like the Vieux Carre.

Bonus Recipe:

For a caffeinated twist on the Tom And Jerry.

Espresso Tom and Jerry recipe:

Follow the batter instructions above, but instead of bourbon, add 1 oz espresso liqueur, a teaspoon of freshly ground espresso (illy) and add a 1/4 tsp of chocolate powder if you have it (Hershey's is fine - dark is best). If you don't have chocolate powder, you can use a 1/2 oz of chocolate liqueur like Creme de Cacao. Also, omit the allspice and clove for this recipe.

To serve, follow the instructions above and finely grate a coffee bean over the drink for the garnish. The punch of coffee and spices is a great after dinner treat and a nice variation of this classic drink. Cheers.