This Christmastime Cocktail is a Holiday Hit in Wisconsin

This holiday season, I pose a question to Midwesterners, specifically those in Wisconsin: is this cocktail a Thanksgiving and/of Christmas staple in your household?

My best friend texted me yesterday asking if I ever heard of a "Tom and Jerry" cocktail. The name was familiar, but I couldn't have told you the ingredients nor process on how to make it. Furthermore, even after reading how to make it, I'm still not sure I could crack it in the first try. This is a complicated mixed drink that doubles as a full-blown dessert.

A bit of background: the Tom and Jerry is often attributed to British writer and professional boxing journalist Pierce Egan in the 1820s. He is the unofficial creator of this eggnog-like concoction that mixes brandy, rum, and eggs into a fluffy beverage that is served hot around the holiday season.

To make a Tom and Jerry, you will need:

• Eggs or egg whites
• Powdered sugar
• Nutmeg
• Brandy
• Rum

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Here are the steps to make a Tom and Jerry:

• Separate eggs
• Beat egg whites until stiff
• Mix egg yolks with powdered sugar
• Put a spoonful of yolk mixture in cup, and mix with brandy and rum
• Fold in some egg white, then add hot milk and top with more egg white
• Stir gently to fold in the egg white
• Top with Nutmeg

It's an involved cocktail to say the very least, but those who have had it, unlike myself, say all the prep and diligence is worth it. Cocktail reviewer Anders Erickson on YouTube noted its consistency is that of a marshmallow, fluffy and almost chewy. The cinnamon and nutmeg spices give it the holiday taste while the warmth is meant to complement the typically cool air of winter.

That would explain why the Tom and Jerry cocktail is popular in Wisconsin, Minnesota, the Dakotas, and Montana, to name a few states. Some regional grocery stores even sell premixed batter for Tom and Jerrys, although I'd opine that the true way to enjoy this cocktail is to put in the sweat making it yourself.

In my pursuit of learning more about the Tom and Jerry cocktail, here are some other fun little nuggets of trivia centered around the Christmastime beverage:

• The cocktail was a favorite of President Warren G. Harding, who served it at his annual Christmas party.
• The famous cartoon series Tom and Jerry possibly took the name of the cocktail as a "play on words."
• The cocktail itself served as the main device in the Christmas novelty song "I Yust Go Nuts at Christmas" by Yogi Yorgesson. The song revolves around a man who drinks a dozen Tom and Jerry beverages and is subsequently hungover at Christmas dinner.

Read more about how to make the Tom and Jerry cocktail on Liquor.com.