Review
“The Soda Fountain is a treat for old-time Brooklynites like me who cut our sweet tooth on egg creams. Along with recipes and scrumptious photographs, the book taps into the nostalgia of the classic soda fountain counter, where generations of Brooklynites past and present found ice cream heaven in favorites like the Cherry Lime Rickey and the Chocolate Malt. Thank you, Gia and Pete, for showing all those who visit or live here how sweet Brooklyn truly is!”
—Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz
“Pete and Gia have restored the soda fountain ideal and breathed new life into the old tradition of local food shared in local places.”
—Slow Food NYC
“Nostalgia reigns within the pages of this invaluable book. In it, the history of the soda fountain comes to life with throwback desserts such as egg creams, ice cream sodas, shakes, and sundaes. Dynamic tales of Brooklyn’s past root the egg cream in present time for the next generations to come.”
—Alain Ducasse, chef-creator and author of J’aime New York
“The guys at Brooklyn Farmacy are a bunch of jerks! They're also experts at creating classic treats from yesteryear that should not be forgotten.”
—Clinton Kelly, host of ABC's The Chew and author of Freakin' Fabulous on a Budget
“What a crazy story behind the coolest hangout in Brooklyn. What insanely delicious sundaes. And what chutzpah Gia and Peter showed by saving the soda fountain from a premature demise!”
—Eric Demby, Brooklyn Flea & Smorgasburg
"Along with some pure Brooklyn farming-hipster style, the book offers fascinating historical tidbits, postwar snapshots and a treasure chest of easy syrups and blends to get you started. Where else are you going to learn about the great carbonic acid explosions of the Jazz Age? Or why they call them "soda jerks"? There's something for everyone: classic egg creams for the nostalgic, sundaes for the sweet-toothed, and, yes, syrup-based cocktails for those who just have to have them."
—T. Susan Chang, National Public Radio
About the Author
PETER FREEMAN (aka Head Jerk) is the cofounder of Brooklyn Farmacy & Soda Fountain. His degree in sociology and his love of egg creams led him to the perfect career: as a soda jerk in his own soda fountain. He lives happily above Brooklyn Farmacy & Soda Fountain with his cat, Mr. Pickles.
GIA GIASULLO (aka Big Sister)is the cofounder and creative director of Brooklyn Farmacy & Soda Fountain. She is the daughter of a Greenwich Village shopkeeper, and it is no surprise to her that after spending twenty-plus years practicing graphic design she is now runs a corner store in Brooklyn. She and her family live happily above Brooklyn Farmacy & Soda Fountain.
ELIZABETH KIEM is a novelist, essayist, and literary critic. Her first novel takes place in Depression-era Coney Island and counts a soda jerk among its heroes. Her second novel, Dancer, Daughter, Traitor, Spy was published in August 2013 by Soho Teen.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Raspberry Syrup
You don’t have to wait for raspberry season to make this syrup. Frozen raspberries are easy to find and make as tasty a syrup as fresh raspberries do. The resulting syrup is a ruby-hued beauty that mixes well with lots of other syrup flavors. Try it in combination with lemon, lime, or pineapple. This syrup is featured in the Princess float (page 90).
2 pints fresh raspberries, or
24 ounces frozen raspberries
2 cups (16 ounces) cane sugar, or more depending on the tartness of the berries
5 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
11⁄4 cups (10 ounces) water
1 tablespoon honey
Put the raspberries and sugar in a saucepan. Stir briskly, mashing a few raspberries in the process. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Add the lemon juice and water and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Decrease the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the honey.
Place a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl and pour the berry mixture into it in manageable batches, using a wooden spoon to mash the mixture against the mesh of the strainer. Discard the seedy mash that remains in the strainer. Let the syrup cool to room temperature and chill before using.
Store the syrup in covered glass jars or plastic containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. The syrup may also be frozen in plastic containers for up to 3 months. If frozen, allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using.
To make a raspberry soda, fill a 12-ounce glass halfway with ice, add 1⁄4 cup (2 ounces) of Raspberry Syrup, top with seltzer, and stir gently with a soda spoon to combine.
![The Soda Fountain: Floats, Sundaes, Egg Creams & More--Stories and Flavors of an American Original [A Cookbook]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51zJhuY68cL._SX342_SY445_.jpg)
