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Spirit of the Month/Classic Cocktails - December 2009 - Your Holiday Eggnog!

Welcome to a special installment of the B&B Speakeasy Spirit of the Month and Classic Cocktails!

Our selection for December 2009 is your holiday Eggnog recipe!
full


It's frothy, it's festive, and it's fabulously bad from a carton. Don your tacky holiday sweaters, gents, because I'm talking about the holiday eggnog. We're gonna do something a little different this month -- there's more variations on eggnog than irreverent schoolyard Jingle Bells verses, and I want to know about your favorites. This is a new addition to my yuletide tradition this year -- not coming from a family of prodigious drinkers (who woulda guessed?), eggnog is a bit foreign to me. But in researching this installment, and considering picking a single liquor destined for inclusion in my recipe, I realized this drink is too interesting to corner people in to a particular spirit.

Eggnog's origins are debated. It may have originated in England, or migrated south from Iceland and Scandinavia. "Nog" almost certainly originates from the "noggin," a small wooden mug used to serve grog (rum). The ingredients (such as fresh milk and cream) being originally far too expensive for the lower classes, eggnog was popular among the aristocracy. The drink crossed the Atlantic to the English colonies during the 18th century. [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Our first President, George Washington, was quite a fan of eggnog and devised his own recipe that included rye whiskey, rum and sherry. It was reputed to be a stiff drink that only the most courageous were willing to try. [/FONT]Since brandy and wine were heavily taxed, rum from the Triangular Trade with the Caribbean was a cost-effective substitute for most. The inexpensive liquor coupled with plentiful farm and dairy products helped the drink become very popular in America. Throughout this period, eggnog solidified it's place as a popular social drink and a Christmastime staple.

[imga=right]http://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/media/19108/full[/imga]Indeed, there are now recipes out there calling for all manner of rums, bourbons, ryes, and brandies. And I want to know your preferred seasonal weapon for holly-jolly merriment. Alton Brown calls for:

4 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
1 pint whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
3 ounces bourbon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
4 egg whites
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add the 1/3 cup sugar and continue to beat until the sugar completely dissolves. Add the milk, cream, bourbon and nutmeg and whisk to combine. Place the egg whites in a different bowl of a stand mixer and beat to soft peaks using the whisk attachment. With the mixer still running gradually add the 1 tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Whisk the egg whites into the mixture. Chill and serve.


But I have a feeling that there are diehards out here on B&B who know even better ways. Make sure you note a few points on your liquor of choice -- are you brand-loyal, or willing to go with whatever bottle Santa hasn't already emptied?
 
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That is the recipe that I have used for the past few years and it comes out great. I use Makers Mark for the bourbon and I chill it in the freezer for about 20 minutes. The fresh nutmeg is a must!
 
Since I'm an ambassador for 'em, here's the recipe straight from the Maker's Mark Distillery. Prod your hens and get those punchbowls ready!

Maker's Mark Distillery Eggnog

24 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 liter Maker's Mark bourbon
1 quart heavy whipping cream
1 quart milk
Freshly ground nutmeg for garnish

Separate the eggs and beat the yolks until creamy; whip the sugar into the yolks. Beat egg whites until they stand in peaks, adding 1/2 cup additional sugar, if needed. Beat yolks and bourbon together and fold in whites. Beat cream and add with milk.

Serve in eggnog cups and add nutmeg for garnish.

Yield: 1 punch bowl full.
 
I'm intrigued by George Washington's recipe. I've done a bit of browsing and this seems to be the consensus. Apparently he left out the quantity of eggs in the recipe in his archives, so it's only a guess.

Anybody tried this? I think I'll give it a go this season...
 
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I just stick with the dairy-type egg nog from the grocery store. I am a bourbon lover, but I find the flavor of bourbon overpowering for egg nog, so I prefer something like Seagram's 7 or cheap American brandy.

Tim
 
made the alton brown recipe last night with a couple of modifications:

very lightly whipped the cream prior to adding it
added another ounce of bourbon
added another 1/4 cup of sugar
added 1 tsp of good vanilla extract
cut the nutmeg by half, but grated more fresh on each cup to garnish

then i got nervous and decided to cook/pasteurize it lightly. read somewhere online that 140F for 3 1/2 minutes would do the trick so i got out my thermometer. cooking took somewhere between 5-10 mins on medium-low heat. can be served warm or chilled. stirred it constantly but probably didn't need to, no issues with it sticking or clumping in the pot. strained it as a precaution, but again, probably unnecessary.

as a result i lost all of the air that i had worked into the nog, but did end up with a very silky-smooth texture (although not so thick and custardy as if i had cooked it hotter). reviews from some unexpected guests were very, very positive, but i think i'll try it raw next time. good thing i bought enough cream for two batches!
 
Eggnog is similar to Flip cocktails in their richness when using whole eggs in flip.

Recipie I like to play with is:
Whole egg
1/2 ounce simply surup (regular, cane sugar, demerara etc)
1.5 oz base spirit, usually bourbon or brandy
1/2 ounce of liquer/flavorant such as Allspice Dram, Orange Curacao, port.

One of my favorite versions contains 1.5oz vodka (for booziness and no flavor) and 1/2 ounce Fernet Branka for the flavorant.

If I am not mistaken, the cream is the only other main addition to the eggnog.

NY Times had a nice holiday spirits writeup in the Dining and Wine section and here is a link to a thick eggnog from 1958

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/23/magazine/23food-t.html

There are 2 modern versions in the article as well, one including cedar-infused borubon, and the other, well, cheese...
 
Welcome to a special installment of the B&B Speakeasy Spirit of the Month and Classic Cocktails!

Our selection for December 2009 is your holiday Eggnog recipe!
full


It's frothy, it's festive, and it's fabulously bad from a carton. Don your tacky holiday sweaters, gents, because I'm talking about the holiday eggnog. We're gonna do something a little different this month -- there's more variations on eggnog than irreverent schoolyard Jingle Bells verses, and I want to know about your favorites. This is a new addition to my yuletide tradition this year -- not coming from a family of prodigious drinkers (who woulda guessed?), eggnog is a bit foreign to me. But in researching this installment, and considering picking a single liquor destined for inclusion in my recipe, I realized this drink is too interesting to corner people in to a particular spirit.

Eggnog's origins are debated. It may have originated in England, or migrated south from Iceland and Scandinavia. "Nog" almost certainly originates from the "noggin," a small wooden mug used to serve grog (rum). The ingredients (such as fresh milk and cream) being originally far too expensive for the lower classes, eggnog was popular among the aristocracy. The drink crossed the Atlantic to the English colonies during the 18th century. [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Our first President, George Washington, was quite a fan of eggnog and devised his own recipe that included rye whiskey, rum and sherry. It was reputed to be a stiff drink that only the most courageous were willing to try. [/FONT]Since brandy and wine were heavily taxed, rum from the Triangular Trade with the Caribbean was a cost-effective substitute for most. The inexpensive liquor coupled with plentiful farm and dairy products helped the drink become very popular in America. Throughout this period, eggnog solidified it's place as a popular social drink and a Christmastime staple.

[imga=right]http://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/media/19108/full[/imga]Indeed, there are now recipes out there calling for all manner of rums, bourbons, ryes, and brandies. And I want to know your preferred seasonal weapon for holly-jolly merriment. Alton Brown calls for:

4 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
1 pint whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
3 ounces bourbon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
4 egg whites
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add the 1/3 cup sugar and continue to beat until the sugar completely dissolves. Add the milk, cream, bourbon and nutmeg and whisk to combine. Place the egg whites in a different bowl of a stand mixer and beat to soft peaks using the whisk attachment. With the mixer still running gradually add the 1 tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Whisk the egg whites into the mixture. Chill and serve.


But I have a feeling that there are diehards out here on B&B who know even better ways. Make sure you note a few points on your liquor of choice -- are you brand-loyal, or willing to go with whatever bottle Santa hasn't already emptied?

I guess I have to take one for the team and try this recipe this year. :thumbup:
 
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I posted this recipe in the holiday drink thread a few weeks ago. We've made it for the past few years, and are looking forward to it again! I've never cooked the eggs. I figure that any bug that can survive all that alcohol deserves to have a shot at taking me down. :lol:


* 12 eggs, separated
* 6 cups milk
* 2 cups heavy cream or thickened cream
* 2 cups bourbon
* 1 1/2 cup sugar
* 3/4 cup brandy
* 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

1. In a large bowl and using a mixer, beat the egg yolks together with the sugar for approx 10 minutes (you want the mixture to be firm and the color of butter).
2. Very slowly, add in the bourbon and brandy - just a little at a time.
3. When bourbon and brandy have been added, allow the mixture to cool in the fridge (for up to 6 hours, depending on how long before your party you're making the eggnog).
4. 30 minutes before your guests arrive, stir the milk into the chilled yolk mixture.
5. Stir in 1+ ½ teaspoons ground nutmeg.
6. In a separate bowl, beat the cream with a mixer on high speed until the cream forms stiff peaks.
7. In yet another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
8. Gently fold the egg white mixture into the egg yolk mixture.
9. Gently fold the cream into the egg mixture.
10. After ladling into cups, garnish with the remainder of the ground nutmeg.
 
I'm intrigued by George Washington's recipe. I've done a bit of browsing and this seems to be the consensus. Apparently he left out the quantity of eggs in the recipe in his archives, so it's only a guess.

Anybody tried this? I think I'll give it a go this season...

Quoting my own post here...

Anyhoo, I made the GW recipe per the link, including waiting several days and tasting frequently.... Let me tell you - wowza this is a strong eggnog that will put and then subseqently singe hairs on your chest!:w00t:

It's good and I love the historical aspect of it, but I'm not sure that it will be my go-to nog in the future.
 
Agreed about the George Washington eggnog. Either spirits were not distilled to the alchohol level they are today or Mr. Washington was a real he man. I suspect the latter since distillng was well known and perfected at the time. That recipe is not for the young! I absolutely love eggnog. I rarely drink the gum thickened crap from the store. I am one of those who rarely pasteurises eggnog but could be persuaded IF it doesn't ruin the eggy flavour. I also agree that eggnog needs a more subtle spirit than bourbon. Bourbon has its place but a good brandy is better here. Or at least a mix of the two. How would I know since I rarely booze-a-fy eggnog. Anyway, eggnog season is here along with the Tom and Jerry's.

Regards, Todd
 
just made a batch of Jeffrey Morgenthaler's egg nog. You can do the whole thing in a blender - no separating the eggs, whipping the whites, etc.

It turned out really nice. Flavorful but lighter in texture with a lot of nutmeg (fresh grated is a must).

I used Old Overholt rye (instead of brandy) and El Dorado 5 year old rum.
 
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