Smith and Kerns
In response to a reader comment on the Mochatini post, I replied with a reference to Smith and Kerns - a drink that I thought was extremely sophisticated in my very early twenties. Of course you must realize that was during my college years and our normal going out routine consisted of: Tuesdays at Mother’s Mattress Factory for “dimers” - beer served in 6 oz Dixie cups, where we ordered a tray of them at at a time; Thursdays at one of several places for “Quarter Beers” - a 10oz glass of something of questionable quality; and Fridays at Squirrel’s Tavern for $2 pitchers and 25¢ foot-long breadsticks. You could have dinner for two for $3 plus tip!
I think that I started drinking Smith and Kerns when one of my aunts mentioned that she liked them and I thought I’d give them a try. After one taste I was hooked. It is one of those beverages that really should be thought of more as a dessert than anything else, but in my disco dancing era it became the drink of choice for my friends and I. And with the number of calories in this beverage and the number we could consume in an evening I think it was a good thing that I’d spend the night Bumping and Hustling - those would be dances for those of you who didn’t actually experience that era - while drinking them.
What was surprising to me is that when looking through my library of mixology books I can’t find Smith and Kerns mentioned at all. And I also don’t find its stepbrother, the Smith and Wesson. I did, however, find several references online.
For my taste test today I felt a few substitutions were necessary but I’ll provide you with the original recipe, too, so that you can work out your own perfect dessert in a glass.
Smith and Kerns
1½ oz Kahlua
1½ oz Cream (Half and half)
2 oz Coke (well-chilled)* (Diet Coke)
Fill a tall glass with ice. Pour Kahlua over the ice. Pour cream over the ice, taking care to pour gently so that the cream layers on top of the Kahlua. Pour the coke slowly over the ice to avoid excessive foaming and to keep the coke floating on top of the cream.
Serve with a swizzle stick so the drink can be mixed before drinking.
*Some recipes substitute Club Soda for the Coke but the version I remember was definitely made with Coke.
As an alternative, try the Smith and Wesson: Add 1 oz of Vodka and reduce the Coke to 1 oz.
I never knew about the Smith and Kerns in my Kahlua heyday, i.e.; college years. Rum and Coke was my drink back then. Boy, this sounds so wonderfully decadent I may have to treat myself. Thanks!