There are few holiday traditions more classic than the enjoyment of a Tom & Jerry, eggnog’s sexy, spicy, warming cousin.

And for those who love to preserve century old traditions, this drink is a perfect indulgence, particularly during the coldest months of the year.

As happens with so many long-held traditions, there's also a fascinating mythology surrounding the origin of the cocktail.

Most origin stories are wrong

The creation of the egg-based cocktail is often attributed to celebrity bartender "Professor" Jerry Thomas of St. Louis, who included the cocktail in his 1862 edition of "How to Mix Drinks" (reprinted and available as "The Bartenders Guide") and blatantly took credit for the tipple. However, there’s myriad evidence provided in cocktail historian David Wondrich’s book "Imbibe!" suggesting that the cocktail existed prior to Thomas’ birth and is likely to have found its origins in England during the early 1820s.

The drink is often credited to English author Pierce Egan who penned a play by the same name; Wondrich suggests the name can be credited indirectly to him as well. "To go Tom and Jerrying was to go out on the town," he writes. "A Tom and Jerry was also a low dive. And, in this case, a festive but lethal sort of drink."

Nonetheless, "Professor" Thomas definitely did his part to make the cocktail a noteworthy element in U.S. cocktail history. In fact, thanks largely to his flamboyant promotion, the drink became a winter staple at countless 19th century saloons throughout America, experiencing a resurgence among the party set in the 1950s before fading into relative obscurity.

Of course, hearty, loyal Midwesterners continued to be devotees of the cocktail, particularly those who lived in Northern climes like Minnesota and Wisconsin. In fact, it’s primarily at our behest that the cocktail lives on, providing warmth and comfort during the coldest months of the year. So drinking it around the holidays contributes avidly to its survival.

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Get yours

Here in Milwaukee, you’ll find renditions of the drink served at at least a few area establishments during the month of December. Among them are:

Bryant’s Cocktail Lounge
1579 S. 9th St., (414) 383-2620
bryantscocktaillounge.com
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Bryant's Tom & Jerry Room is officially serving up their original recipe for the classic warming cocktail every weekend in December from 5 to 11 p.m. (or until the batter runs out) beginning  Friday, Dec. 1 and Saturday, Dec. 2. After Dec. 2, the Tom & Jerry Room will be open every Thursday through Saturday through Dec. 30 from 5 to 11 p.m. (or until sold out). Commemorative mugs are also available for purchase.

Elsa’s on the Park
833 N. Jefferson St., (414) 765-0615
elsas.com
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Bask in the glow of the annual Elsa's Christmas tree while sipping on this classic warmer (or their housemade hot buttered rum).

The Packing House
900 E. Layton Ave., (414) 483-5054
packinghousemke.com
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Head here to enjoy the old school supper club vibe (and an old school cocktail to match)! It's been serving up these tipples since it opened in 1974.

Von Trier
2235 N. Farwell Ave., (414) 272-1775
vontriers.com
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Is there a more appropriate spot celebrrated the holiday season than this East Side classic? The warming Tom & Jerry is housemade and includes a combination of both brandy and rum.

Make your own

People will have you believe that making these drinks is a chore; but it takes little more than a few turns of the whisk and a little bit of time to make a great Tom & Jerry batter. There are a good number of not-so-great recipes out there, so here’s my (tested and true) rendition of the holiday warmer. Feel free to double the batter recipe and freeze the leftovers for impromptu holiday gatherings.

Tom & Jerry

Makes enough batter for 12 8-ounce drinks

Batter:
3 eggs, separated
1/4 tsp cream of tartar 
2 tsp. Brandy (or dark rum)
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1⁄4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1⁄8 tsp. ground allspice
1⁄8 tsp. ground cloves

For drinks:
Boiling water (for warming mugs)
Bittercube Blackstrap bitters
12 ounces brandy or dark rum
6 ounces bourbon
8 cups whole milk
Freshly grated nutmeg

In a large bowl, use a whisk (or hand-mixer) and beat egg whites with the cream of tartar until they are stiff, but not dry.

In another bowl, whisk yolks with two teaspoons brandy or rum, powdered sugar, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves until smooth thoroughly mixed. Carefully fold the yolk mixture into egg whites, taking care not to deflate them. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes (the flavor improves if you give it 24 hours).

To make cocktails, warm milk in a two-quart saucepan over medium heat just until tiny bubbles begin to appear along the sides of the pan. Meanwhile, fill a number of eight-ounce mugs with boiling water. When the mugs are warm, discard the water. To each warmed mug add two heaping tablespoons of batter, one dash of bitters, one ounce of brandy or rum and 1/2-ounce bourbon. Stir well. Fill each mug 3/4 of the way full with hot milk, stir briefly and float a dollop of batter on the top of the drink. Garnish with fresh nutmeg. 

Pro tip: Leftover batter can be frozen in an airtight container for several weeks. Since the batter remains scoopable even when frozen, you can use it directly from the freezer. Just scoop directly from the container with a measuring spoon, adding three tablespoons of batter to each glass and foregoing the float on top.