Happy Hour Drink Recipe: Excellent Eggnog
I was just talking to pal Cacky, who was saying how she always buys her eggnog in the store, and then alters it, until it becomes drinkable. I told her (and now am telling you)--forget about the pre-made stuff. Take a bit of extra time and make your own. It’s worth it. And sure, this might be a bit more in the way of instructions than usual for a "happy hour" drink recipe, unless you have the day off. But with the holidays fast approaching, I figure you may just have the day off, and also figure that at this time of year, everyone should be having some good, homemade, eggnog (and the below recipe, from my own book Good Spirits, fits that bill. And yes that was a shameless plug).
Serves 8
Ingredients:
8 large eggs, preferably organic
2-1/4 cups superfine sugar
8 ounces brandy
8 ounces rum
4 ounces bourbon
1 quart milk
Freshly grated nutmeg for garnish
Directions:
1. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites, setting the whites aside for a moment.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the yolks with a hand-mixer until completely combined. Add the sugar and beat until it reaches a creamy consistency.
3. Add the brandy, rum, and bourbon, then the milk, beating well.
4. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with a hand-mixer until soft peaks form (be sure before beating the whites that you have cleaned and thoroughly dried the beaters).
5. Fold the egg whites into the yolk-sugar-alcohol mixture. Refrigerate the mix until well-chilled (at least 3 hours). You may also refrigerate it overnight if desired.
6. Stir to recombine as needed. Serve the eggnog in mugs, topping each serving with some nutmeg.
A Warning: As this recipe uses raw eggs, don’t serve it to the elderly or anyone with a compromised immune system. And always, always, use fresh eggs.
A Note: For a fun party game, take a vote as to who thinks "eggnog" derives from the English word "noggin" (a small glass with an upright handle) versus a combination of "egg" and "grog." All those on the side with the fewest votes make the next batch.
A Second Note: While the above eggnog recipe is darn tasty, to be correct, according to some old eggnog recipes, you must milk a cow straight into the mix.
Spanno on November 19, 2008 at 01:46 PM
How about whoever says "megnut" makes the next batch.