Today's post features the Egg Cream from the West Wing. Dry January and last week's political theater with the new Congress reminded me of the idiom, "egg on your face" and The West Wing. I understand some people take dry January seriously as a way to reset and start the year anew. There will always be a majority of having eggs on their face as a polite way of saying, "I drank way too much over the holidays and am still feeling the neverending hangover. Please let this hangover end." The House Speaker's vote is self-explanatory.
Back to the West Wing and today's feature. the egg cream. Simply watching President Bartlet enjoying a quiet moment drinking an Egg Cream while there is an event in the main hall and numerous problems surrounding him is profound. Taking a simple drink and enjoying a moment of peace.
It is a befuddling mocktail. The combination of chocolate syrup, milk, and seltzer water somehow works. Given this 3-ingredient mocktail, I thought it would be fun to make homemade chocolate syrup from the last of my Christmas Santas.
Homemade Chocolate Syrup
Ingredients:
5-7 oz. chocolate (coarsely chopped)
2/3 cup of Simple Syrup (1:1 ratio this time aside from my usual 3:1 ration)
2/3 cup of boiling water
Method:
- Coarsely chop your chocolate and place in a large bowl
- Combine the simple syrup and hot water and whisk until the chocolate has melted and is smooth. NOTE: If your syrup is not thickening add a pinch of cornstarch
- Place the chocolate syrup in a sealed jar and refrigerate for an hour before making your Egg Cream.
The Egg Cream
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Chocolate Syrup
3 oz Milk
5-6 oz Seltzer Water
Method:
Combine all three ingredients in a chilled glass.
Top the glass with seltzer water
Stir until desired thickness.
This is an interesting mocktail. I can imagine some fun boozier versions with Kahlua or Frangelico. Now the only thing (maybe more) is to make the Alaskan crab puffs that Sam exclaimed, "they were extraordinarily good!"
You can watch the full video here.