The grandfather of American bartending, “Professor” Jerry Thomas, is credited with developing the Tom & Jerry – one of the quintessential wintertime drafts. According to his 1862 publication, “The Bar-Tender’s Guide or How to Mix All Kinds of Plain and Fancy Drinks,” this seasonal drink was not to be offered until after the first snowfall. For nearly a century it was a common sight to see a Tom & Jerry bowl in your local watering hole during the Holidays. Despite the close proximity to the Professor’s own name, some theorize this drink was named for the characters in Pierce Egan’s 1821 book, “Life in London” which chronicles the after-hours roving antics of “Jerry Hawthorn, Esq., and his elegant friend Corinthian Tom.” Their relentless pursuit of living the high life, frequently with the aid of an alcoholic beverage, gave birth to the slang, “Tom and Jerrying.” It is said that Egan took a recipe, considered a twist on the traditional Egg Nog, and named it the “Tom and Jerry” in order to publicize his book.

My cousin, Helen David, started making Tom and Jerry’s at the Brass Rail in 1937. Every year on Thanksgiving she unpacked her three commercial mixers and kept them spinning until New Year’s Day. Today we are proud to carry on the tradition that Helen started nearly 90 years ago, and we continue to feature her original recipe!