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Friday, January 9, 2009

Eggnog

Sue in South Africa, asked me about the eggnog Chuck and I enjoy during the holidays. It’s hard to know the exact origin of eggnog, but it likely was first concocted in England, hundreds of years ago. Here in New England (maybe all over the U.S.?) eggnog is available in the dairy department of any grocery store from before Thanksgiving in November, through at least the turn of the New Year. We usually buy Hood brand eggnog (although the idea of some of their new “flavors” makes me shudder!). Commercially prepared eggnog is pasteurized and therefore prompts less concern about the possibility of salmonella.

Eggnog can be served with or without alcohol such as brandy, rum or bourbon. Because we think of it as a celebratory holiday drink, we usually add the liquor. We like Gosling’s Dark rum from Bermuda. And just to put all the misconceptions to rest about Chuck and I being heavy drinkers, we are still using the same two bottles of Gosling’s light rum and dark rum which we bought in Bermuda, on our honeymoon, seventeen years ago!

Here’s a traditional recipe for eggnog (using an uncooked egg) from The Country Hen in Hubbardston, Massachusetts. The Country Hen is an organic farm with free walker hens, who lay eggs rich in Omega 3s. The farm is tested regularly and continues to be salmonella free, so, personally, I trust their eggs. The Country Hen also has a recipe for a Hot Egg Flip. Flip is a British term which usually refers to a hot beverage containing alcohol. This recipe is basically a hot eggnog.

Alton Brown, of “Good Eats”, his long running Food Network show, has a recipe for eggnog which provides the option of cooking it. If you’d like to listen to Alton talk about the entire topic of eggnog, (including his deep loathing of commercial eggnog!) check out this segment on National Public Radio.

And if you want a more tropical take on eggnog, you can try Bobby Flay’s recipe for Puerto Rican Eggnog with coconut milk. A video of Bobby making this version can be found here. This one might be just perfect for those who celebrate Christmas in the Southern Hemisphere!

10 comments:

Ms Brown Mouse said...

17 years for a bottle of rum!!! You 2 make me blush with shame – I’m not going to reveal how long a bottle of Captain Morgan’s lasts in the Brown-Mouse house – I’d just mortify to death.
I blame my convict forebears. That, and my father.
;)

Pink Granite said...

Hi DMM -
Well, to be precise, it's 17 years for TWO bottles of Gosling's Rum!
And of course you go through bottles of Captain Morgan's Rum at a swift pace. If my name were Gosling, I probably would too!
As for your convict forebears, being of Irish descent, I stay away from all stereotypes!
;o)
- Lee

Roo said...

Morgan - don't believe that tosh, these are two people that cleaned out all of their local liquor stores of a particular bottled beer not so long ago! ;o)

Lee you make me laugh as I probably drink more in a week than you do in a year, but hell, you protest too much ;o) xx

Pink Granite said...

Hi Roo -
Actually we traveled all the way to the state of Maine to empty all of their liquor stores of our favorite beer!

I can't say if we drink more or less than anyone else. (Well, actually, we DO drink both more AND less than other people!) But we do enjoy wine every week, a beer most weeks and hard liquor or liqueurs from time to time.

One of these days I'll have to take a photo of our liquor closet and post it - - - - or maybe not!
;o)
- Lee

Roo said...

Now there's a post we should all do, Liqour around the home! I'll get the camera out ans see if I can be out-shamed ;o)

Also, eggnog - we drink a drink called Advocaat (the best is still Warninks Advocaat) The bottle has not changed its design for as long as I can remember, with its clear glass and red top and 'Warninks' banner.

Warninks was established in Holland in 1616, and are the largest manufacturer of quality advocaat in the world.
There are 2 varieties of Advocaat. We recognise most the more liquid variety which is made for export and is made using pure egg yolk. The Dutch market buy a much thicker variety which can be eaten with a spoon and is used in ice-creams and desserts - haven't tried it personally but would love to !

For those who have not tried it yet, Advocaat is a delicious blend of brandy, sugar, vanilla and egg yolks.

So I am assuming the hostory of it will have come over with the Dutch when NY was NA (New Amsterdam)?

Pink Granite said...

Hi Roo -
Neato! I was completely unaware of Warninks Advocaat. Thanks for the info and the historical perspective!
;o)
- Lee

Sue said...

Thanks so much for your efforts - well researched!! I'll definitely give it a try for next year and I'll let you know how it turns out. I CANNOT believe that you have 17-year old rum!! That's got to be some kind of a record. Still, glad to hear that you do actually use it - makes your eggnog extra special...

Thanks again,
Sue x

Pink Granite said...

Hi Sue -
Apparently I've shocked everyone with the story of what Chuck is now calling "our honeymoon rum"!

I hope you try one of the eggnogs. I've never had eggnog in the summer, but I have had other creamy drinks such as pina coladas and sombreros - so why not eggnog?
Enjoy!
;o)
- Lee

Roo said...

Lee you need a snowball - made with Advocaat, lemonade and lime juice - fab!

Pink Granite said...

Hi Roo -
Oooh, that sounds very tasty, refreshing and yes, relaxing!!!
Thanks!
;o)
- Lee