There's nothing like those holiday foods and beverages, especially that first sip of eggnog.
Whether you enjoy the spiked version at a party or curling up with a rich, creamy version at home, here's to plenty of eggnog to raise a glass to.
What is eggnog?
Usually served during the holidays, eggnog traditionally is made with eggs, egg yolk, sugar, milk, heavy cream and vanilla extract, according to the Food Network. It's often spiked with brandy and topped with freshly grated nutmeg and/or cinnamon sticks.
What does eggnog taste like?
Eggnog has a sweet and creamy custardy flavor. Nutmeg, cinnamon and sometimes even cloves or star anise are sometimes sprinkled on top, bringing a slightly spicy touch to the drink.
The texture is thicker than a glass of whole milk, sometimes described more like melted vanilla ice cream.
Because of its richness, it's often served in small amounts. Remember the small moose-shaped crystal cups used by Chevy Chase in "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation."
How many spiked eggnogs will Florida residents consume over the holidays?
Floridians are expected to consume 78.2 million spiked eggnogs over the holiday season, according to a survey released by WealthofGeeks.com.
Floridians are set to guzzle six eggnogs with alcohol over the holiday, reaching a total of 78,216,031 drinks.
The top eggnog-drinking states, compared to Florida, are:
- Vermont: 19
- Alaska: 14
- Iowa/Oklahoma: 8
- Florida: 6
Did George Washington have an eggnog recipe?
While George Washington served an eggnog-like drink and there are plenty of reports out there about an eggnog recipe he wrote, Mount Vernon’s librarians said no eggnog recipe has been definitively linked to Washington, according to the Almanac.
According tokitchen records, George Washington served an eggnog-like drink loaded with alcohol to visitors at Mount Vernon. Below is a recipe shared by Mount Vernon since the drink was a popular one in thelatter half of the 18thcentury, which would have been during Washington's time.
Ingredients for 3 quarts
- 12 eggs (pasteurized if possible), roomtemperature
- 1/2 cupsugar
- One-fifth bourbon (750mlbottle)*
- 1/2 teaspoonsalt
- 1 quart whippingcream
- Optional: 1 cupmilk
- 1 to 2 teaspoons nutmeg, freshly grated, notground
* Alternatives: brandy, rum, bourbon, or whisky. You can omit the alcohol.
Directions
Break eggs and separate yolks from white. Beat whites of eggs until stiff. Beat whipping cream until stiff. Beat yolks of eggs to an even consistency, slowly adding sugar. Add whiskey slowly. Fold in beaten egg whites. Fold in whipped cream. Sprinkle with nutmeg.
Want more detailed instructions?
Want to make your own eggnog?
Purists say the taste of store-bought eggnog just can't compare to making it yourself.
There are plenty of recipes to choose from online. This one from Tastes Better From Scratch has five stars from more than 2,900 viewers.
Evans Williams Egg Nog
Evan Williams eggnog is a popular search phrase on Google.
The site describes its eggnog as "Made with smooth Kentucky Bourbonand real dairy cream, Evan Williams EggNog is pure holiday spirit — just chill, pour,and enjoy. Or add a garnish for extra holidaycheer!"
You can enter your ZIP code on the website to see where it's available near you or place an order for home delivery.
Special note: You'll have to enter your birthday to go to the site.
Where did eggnog originate?
"Most agree eggnog originated from the early medieval Britain 'posset,' a hot, milky, ale-like drink," according to Time Magazine.
Eggnog became tied to the holidays when the drink arrived in what would become the United States in the 1700s.
How exactly it became known as eggnog is unknown. While the "egg" in eggnog is obvious, many websites say “nog” comes from either “noggin,” which was a wooden cup, or “grog,” a strong beer.
No matter how the word came to be, by the late 18th century, the combined term eggnog” was here, according to Time.
Eggnog riot at West Point
West Point cadets at the U.S. Military Academy had traditionally celebrated the holiday with alcohol. And while Col. Sylvanus Thayer, the academy's superintendent had prohibited everything from playing cards to tobacco to even novels, according to the History Channel.
In 1826, cadets snuck in gallons of whiskey, brandy, rum and wine. Among the party animals was a familiar name: Jefferson Davis, the future president of the Confederate States of America during theCivil War.
"Nearly one-third of the academy’s 260 cadets were involved in the free-for-all," that ensued that night. Two officers were assault and the North Barracks vandalized. Someone fired a pistol at Capt. Ethan Allen Hitchco*ck.
"Twenty-two of the cadets most deeply involved in the Eggnog Riot, including Davis, were placed under house arrest on the day after Christmas. Nineteen defendants were found guilty and sentenced to be dismissed. Eight were saved by a recommendation of clemency, and five ended up graduating from West Point. Fifty-three cadets received lesser punishments," according to History.
Can't get enough eggnog ... trivia?
Raise a glass to some of these eggnog trivia:
Eggnog was once a drink only for the wealthy. That changed in America, where colonists had their own chickens and dairy cows.
FDA limits amount of egg in store-bought eggnog. FDA regulations limit egg yolk solids to no more than 1% of a product's final weight.
There's no right or wrong eggnog. It can be made with any type of alcohol or none at all. Rum, sherry, Cognac, and whiskey are all considered suitable, and some suggest mixing two dark distilled spirits to balance out the sweet flavor.
There's even a vegan eggnog.
Alcohol in eggnog killed bacteria. Adding alcohol to milk was done to kill any harmful bacteria during medieval times. Old recipes even suggested curing raweggsin alcohol.
