half-and-half

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Half and half refers to various beverages or liquid foods made of an equal-parts mixture of two substances, including dairy products, alcoholic beverages, and soft drinks. The United States dairy product known as half and half is a mixture of one part milk to one part cream.^[1]

Alcoholic beverages

Australia

In New South Wales a "half and half" (also known as a "fifties") consists of half Tooheys New (a lager) and half Tooheys Old (a dark ale). In pubs where Tooheys New is not available, Carlton Draught may be substituted. This is commonly known as a "Flaming Carlo", (From Carlton and Old)
Other combinations are:
Tooheys Old & Fosters Light = "Bruiser"
Carlton & Fosters Light = "Tutti Frutti"
Carlton & Lift with Iceblocks = "Swamp Water" or "Swampie"

Belgium

In some cafés in Brussels, a "half en half" (Dutch for "half and half") is a mixture of white wine and champagne.

Originally it was a mixture of 2 different typical beer types from Brussels: 50% lambic and 50% faro.

Ireland, England and North America

In Ireland, a half and half is a combination of Guinness draught and Kilkenny or Smithwicks Ale, with the Guinness in a layer on top.

In England, a half and half may also mean a mixture of mild ale and bitter.

In the North East of England, a request for a half and half would more commonly produce a combination of Scotch ale and India Pale Ale (IPA). This drink fell from favour when the Scottish & Newcastle brewery were obliged to sell many of their tied public houses and McEwan's Scotch and IPA disappeared from public bars across the North East.

In the United States and Canada, a capitalized Half & Half is Guinness draught and Bass Pale Ale. A lower case half & half is generic for Guinness draught. Black and tan is a more ubiquitous term used to describe any lager/ale that will support the Guinness draught, although some Irish-themed bars shun the term for its association with the Black and Tans.

Scotland

In Scotland, a half and a half (a hauf an a hauf)^[2] is a dram of whisky and a half-pint of heavy as a 'chaser'.^[3][4]

Switzerland

In Switzerland, and more particularly in Valais, a half & half is a mixture of dry and sweet liquor of the same fruit.^{[citation needed]} In the canton of Geneva, a "moitié-moitié" generally refers to a digestif containing one half Williamine liqueur and one half Williamine eau-de-vie. In Romandy, a moitié-moitié (lit. half-half) can refer to coffee mixed with an equal amount of milk.^{[citation needed]} Moitié-moitié also refers to a cheese fondue made with half Gruyère (cheese) and half Vacherin Fribourgeois (cheese).

Non-alcoholic beverages

The Arnold Palmer, also known as a half and half, is popular in the Southern United States. The drink consists of 1 part lemonade and 1 part iced tea.

Some coffee shops in colder climates serve a half and half drink consisting of half coffee and half hot chocolate, similar to cafe mocha.

Half & Half might refer to a flavor of soda which combines the flavors of grapefruit and lemon.

Canada and the United States

In Canada and the United States, half and half (known as "half cream" in the United Kingdom) almost always refers to a very light cream typically used in coffee. The name refers to the liquid's content of half milk and half cream even though its butterfat content is only about 12.5%.^[5] It is widely available in the United States, both in individual-serving containers and in bulk. It is also used to make ice cream. Non-fat versions of the product are also available, containing corn syrup and other ingredients.^[6]

Food

Half and half, in South Wales, is commonly understood to be a bed of half chips and half rice.^[7] A classic selection would be "chicken curry half and half" or "chili con carne half and half".

In the Netherlands "half om half gehakt" (half for half) is commonly used for minced meat, a mixture of beef and pork (or lamb in Islamic butchers). The term "Gehacktes halb und halb" is used in Germany, also referring to minced meat.

Notes