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When Brooklyn Was the World.

Born of the soda fountain era, the legendary Egg Cream is deceptive, for its flavor and texture depend entirely on the correct preparation. There is no egg in an Egg Cream, but if the ingredients are mixed properly, a foamy, egg-white-like head tops the drink. The invention of the Egg Cream is credited to Louis Auster, a Brooklyn candy shop owner in 1890. Auster's concoction sold for three cents, and he sold as many as three thousand on a hot summer day. Lines would form down the street and around the corner, and it started a tradition of drinking the egg cream while standing -- never sitting. Egg creams were so popular in Brooklyn that author Elliot Willensky writes "a candy store minus an Egg Cream, in Brooklyn at least, was as difficult to conceive of as the Earth without gravity."

This frothy wine of our youth can still be found in New York City, especially in Brooklyn's neighborhood delis and soda fountains. But outside New York they are nearly impossible to find, so we have happily assembled all the supplies and equipment you need to make and serve genuine Egg Creams at home. A glass, not a paper cup, and ice-cold milk are basic to the success of an honest Egg Cream, and Fox's U-Bet Syrup is considered an essential ingredient in the mix. The one and only, genuine, original Brooklyn Egg Cream Kit includes: 2 dispensers of Fox's U-Bet Fountain Syrup (one chocolate and one vanilla), 2 Official Junior's Egg Cream Recipe Glasses, 2 Stainless-Steel Mixing Spoons, and Brooklyn Egg Cream Kit "Owner's Manual."

Re-discovered Classic.
Seltzer water, milk, chocolate syrup: the holy trinity of a drink that appeared a century ago in the Lower East Side. There is a debate over what goes into an egg cream first, the syrup or the milk, but there is a consensus as to the chocolate flavoring - it's got to be Fox's U-Bet, the exquisite concoction produced by the Fox family for over a century. "Money, diamonds, jewels I could refuse, but never a couple of jars of U-bet chocolate," wrote Brooklyn native Mel Brooks to the makers of U-Bet. "Send it to me quick, now. Milk and seltzer are waiting." Available in 24-ounce, plastic, squeeze containers with pop-up spigot. (This is new packaging from Fox, but the contents remain unchanged from the century-old formula).

Service with a Smile.
The days of sitting at a formica counter sharing shakes, sundaes, and egg creams were too sweet to be relegated to a bygone era. Styled after an old-fashioned corner drugstore advertisement, the decorative Egg Cream Serving Tray is crafted in Milan, Italy, from strong, durable melamine resin (formica), resistant to impact, stains, light, and heat. It measures 17-1/2 inches by 12 inches and weighs 1-1/2 pounds.

For Your Sipping Pleasure.
Remember your childhood visits to the local luncheonette counter? Drinks were served in glass containers with metal holders (so ladies wouldn't stain their gloves). These nearly forgotten standards, supported by gleaming stainless-steel handles, were de rigeur for malteds, ice cream sodas, and egg creams. Recreate nostalgic memories from the golden age of the soda fountain.

What to Serve with an Egg Cream
If you didn't grow up in New York, chances are you've never tasted the cake-like texture topped with matching half moons of dark chocolate and vanilla icing. The black and white cookie is, in fact, not a cookie but a flat, thinly frosted cake, like someone has sat on a cupcake. Cookie convenience, cupcake taste, and best enjoyed with an honest Brooklyn Egg Cream. CLICK HERE for more information.