In part 3 of this series, you saw the pictures showing how the Mighty Nutcracker and DogWater looked in their proper setting. The streets of NY.
What I found most intriguing about the drink, is the fact that those who buy and enjoy them know little of the ingredients. The vast majority just accept it as a sweet, tasty mixed drink that they bought from someones car, bodega, cooler at the beach, back of the barbershop, at a parade etc.
Its fruity taste and potent alcoholic blend is known to make you feel good without drinking too much or spending a lot of money. Drinkers of the mighty Nutcracker usually warn you to, “Be careful where you get them from”.
Aside from the different liquors in the mixed drink, I’ve heard reports of ecstacy, cough syrup with codine, rubbing alchohol(when they run out of liquor), assorted pills like crushed vicodins, liquid morphine, promethazine and even Nyquil cherry flavor added into the equation .
So just be careful where you get them from.
With that out of the way, back to the festive activity which made me notice the Nutcrackers in the first place. It started with me observing people in the ball parks of Harlem having a good time, watching a bball game, listening to music, while drinking something red, out of a styrofoam cup.
A five dollar Nutcracker in a fifty cent cup to be exact.
Although the mighty Nutcracker is most popular in uptown Manhattan, it is also widespread in the Bronx as well as parts of Corona Queens. Its origin though, can be traced back to Williamsburg Brooklyn as early as 1994.
I’ve had many people who’ve been drinking them since the mid 90’s take exception to me calling it an “Uptown Phenomenon”, since it seemed to catch on uptown later in the 2000’s.
After seeing the documentation in the following video, you will see where I’m coming from. There is no where else in the city of New York where it’s “popping” as much in regards to the mighty Nutcracker. When it comes to being a part of the social fabric and backdrop, uptown takes it.
Also, something isn’t a legitimate phenomenon until there is a song made about it. Right? Riiiight.
I’ll warn you in advance, don’t try to figure this out in one sitting. It will take you quite some time to get what he’s saying.
My favorite line?: “Beat walker gave me hunned dolla summons, for a 5 dollar Nutcracker in a 50 cent cup”!
By my calculations that ticket added up to aprox. 18 nutcrackers, but it doesn’t seem like Mr. Lux minds one bit.
TCK On Broadway 
did you ever uncover the mystical recipe?
what up bk-kid? yeah I’ve had the recipe for a while now. I’m going to put up a few un-official recipies first though.
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Can u post the recipe up?
I just finished reading the article about the Nutcracker being a Brooklyn thing, I’m not here to take anything away from Brooklyn just here to clarify a few things. But to my knowledge, my friends been buying Nutcrakers since 1987 when money was really good up in Washington Heights. That’s how far back Nutcrackers go with my peoples. I’m 41 yrs old and yes I believe and will tell you the place of of birth or existence of the Mighty Nutcracker. It was back in the days what we called ” 101’s ” (Meaning Flor De Mayo which is located on 101st & B’Way Not to be mistaken with the NEW ONE on 84st) Now to hit you with more specifics the man there was JOSE!!! Chinese dude who today runs Flor De Mayo. I hope there’s a better understanding of the place of birth of the Nutcracker “Streetwise”. Bc from there people began to take it to the streets, Atleast hoodwise that is.