My Secret Eggnog...

Served from a punch bowl, this popular holiday beverage deserves a toast for surviving the taste test of time.

As a child growing up, I looked forward to the Christmas Season when the milkman would deliver milk and cream to our home. For many southern families, it wouldn't be Christmas without whipping up Grandma's eggnog recipe. Eggnog is no longer confined to the punch bowl, as evidenced by the recent recipes for eggnog cupcakes, ice cream, truffles and French toast. Even though, eggnog's origins are somewhat obscure, it's long been a Gaston holiday staple.

Christmas is fast approaching and with it the time for those wonderful holiday drinks - hot toddies, mulled wine, and of course, Southern Eggnog. Now it happens that I make quite possibly the best eggnog in the South. If you have any doubts as to the veracity of my seemingly extravagant claim, ask anyone who has experienced it and they will, no doubt, tell you that it is unlike any eggnog you have ever tasted.

In the spirit of the season and because I have a noble spirit and generous heart, I am going to share my secret Southern Eggnog recipe with my loyal readers and anyone else that stops by.

I've always loved eggnog and have tried many variations over the years. At one point I decided to trace eggnog back to its roots. I wanted to find how it was first made, the “Mother of all Eggnogs”. This recipe dates from the mid-1700s, and while it may not be the first eggnog, it's old enough for me. I've adjusted the amount to a reasonable quantity (the original recipe made about five gallons) and adapted it to modern ingredients ~ not easy to find 18th century style loaf sugar.

The most important thing about this eggnog is that it should age at least two weeks - longer if possible - so if you're going to try it, now's the time to start. I usually mix up mine around now.

You'll need a 2 gallon crock. If you don't have or can't find one, a couple of 1 gallon jars will do ~ but they lack the authenticity of a 18th century crock. The recipe makes about a gallon of eggnog base, but you need sloshing room to stir the mixture.

My Secret Eggnog Base

Ingredients:
3 quarts Rum
~ I use a dark Cuban rum, but you can use any rum you like. You can also vary the flavor by using 2 quarts Rum and 1 quart Brandy, or 2 quarts Rum and 1 quart Captain Morgan's, or whatever strikes your fancy. I've done an interesting variation by adding a pint of Southern Comfort. But, it is probably best to stick to the original all-rum version the first time you make it.

1 quart whole milk (not 2%)

24 fresh egg yolks - I get my eggs from a local farm, but at least use fresh organic veggie-fed free range eggs – like Eggland’s Best. Use the leftover whites to make an angel food cake or something with lots of meringue.

3 cups sugar, approximately ~ here's another item that has a lot of flexibility. I usually use light brown sugar, but I've also used dark brown sugar, white sugar and a mixture thereof.

Freshly grated nutmeg to taste. You can also add a bit of cinnamon and/or cloves, but be careful - a little goes a long way and too much of either will overpower the other flavors. My personal preference is for nuttin' but nutmeg.


Making the base…

Separate the eggs ~ I usually break each egg into a small bowl and remove the white stuff before I put them all together ~ Beat the eggs well till they're a bit frothy. Pour the bottles of rum into the crock, add the eggs, sugar, and nutmeg, and stir well. Cover the crock and put it in a cool place and let it age until Christmas. Give it a stir every three or four days. I suppose you could put it in the fridge, but it's not necessary unless you live somewhere that doesn't have cool places.

For those of you, who worry about such things, let me reassure you that there's no danger of spoilage with the raw eggs and milk - the amount of alcohol takes care of everything. I've been making this eggnog for more than 25 years and no one's ever gotten sick from it. I've kept bottles of previous years' aged base in the fridge for 5 or 6 months and it was still just fine.

To finish the recipe…

Once the base has aged, it's not for drinking yet. It's just the base.
Just before serving, whip heavy cream until it is thick but still pourable. Gently fold an equal volume of the whipped cream into the base, top with a grating of fresh nutmeg and serve. If I'm only doing a couple of servings, I mix the base and the cream individually in the mugs. If it's for serving to a group, I mix the whole batch in a punchbowl.

CAUTION: Once it has aged and is mixed with cream, it's very smooth and mellow and doesn't taste like it has as much alcohol as it does. It's also very, very rich, so approach it with the sensibility you would exercise with fine cream pastries.

I usually make a double batch so I have enough for Christmas giving to friends. I bottle the base in Grolsch beer bottles - the kind with the wire bale lid - and give it together with a pint of heavy cream and a whole nutmeg.

I can hardly wait until this year's batch is ready...

__________

Now for those folks who aren’t quite adventurous, here is my “modern-day” simpler eggnog recipe, which is just as good ~ some say better ~ but not so out there in “crock & bottle” land.

Classic Southern Eggnog

Ingredients:
1 cup brandy
½ cup sherry wine
½ cup Jamaican rum
½ cup good bourbon whiskey
12 eggs, separated
¾ cup white sugar
1 quart whole milk
1 quart heavy cream
1 quart vanilla ice cream, soupy soft
1 tablespoon freshly ground nutmeg as garnish

Pour the brandy, sherry, rum, and whiskey into a bowl.

Place the egg yolks and egg whites into two separate, large mixing bowls. Set the egg whites aside. Beat the egg yolks until light and frothy. Gradually beat in the sugar until the egg mixture is light colored. Slowly beat in the liquor mixture. With the mixer still running, pour in the milk and heavy cream until blended.

Using clean beaters, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the milk mixture. Pour into two clean, gallon-size plastic milk containers. Refrigerate at least 5 days, or 10 days for an even smoother taste. Shake the container occasionally to keep the alcohol from separating.

To serve, pour the eggnog into a punch bowl. Whisk to blend milk mixture, add the quart of vanilla ice cream, and garnish with nutmeg.

Enjoy with as many friends as possible!

__________

George’s notes:

• Most theories behind the origin of eggnog center on Europe and colonial America. One theory is that Europeans first created eggnog by adding wine or sherry to the drinks they made out of eggs and milk to make their dairy products last longer in the absence of refrigeration. Most theories about the name, however, claim that colonial Americans were the first to coin the term "eggnog." One such theory is that colonial Americans added rum to their eggnog, which was then called "grog." The theory is that the drink was originally called "egg-and-grog," which became "egg-n-grog," which became "eggnog." Another theory comes from the fact that small wooden mugs used in taverns were called "noggins" and that putting an egg drink into a noggin soon gave way to the name "eggnog." Another interesting history tidbit: George Washington concocted his own recipe for eggnog that included rye whiskey, brandy, rum and sherry.
• A true eggnog is highly alcoholic and not very sweet. Those accustomed to the unctuous qualities of so-called eggnog mixes from the commercial dairy are usually taken aback at the robust flavors of the true drink. The proper texture is achieved through time; the eggs are set, or cooked gently, by the alcohol of the whiskey.