Why it works: Egg and milk are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 18% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 88,785 recipes. Both carry 2-nonenal, which smells fatty, green. The science ↓
Egg and Milk
Ingredients
Directions
In a shaker, combine the egg, Catawba syrup, and ice.
Shake well until mixed and chilled.
Strain into a glass and add milk to taste.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Photo for illustrative purposes only · Contact us to use it
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
-
Egg + milktop 18% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together88,785 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
-
Syrup + milktop 25% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together2,143 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
-
Egg + syruptop 32% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together2,995 recipes
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Egg
- Adds richness and body, giving the drink a creamy, smooth texture.
- Catawba syrup
- Adds sweetness and fruity flavour to balance the egg.
- Milk
- Dilutes the mixture and adds softness and a mild creaminess.
The step that matters
Shake well until mixed and chilled. Shaking vigorously emulsifies the egg and chills the drink while diluting it slightly with melted ice. Under-shaking leaves the egg unblended and a lukewarm, slightly stringy texture.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
You might also like
The free Flavor Lab newsletter: one surprising pairing a week and the molecular reason it works, in 60 seconds. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer an account? Create a free account to save pairings and unlock the full chemistry.

Orange Syrup47 recipes
Orgeat Syrup13 recipes
Simple Syrup13 recipes
Vegetable Soup350 recipes