Our nonmigratory food expert spills the story of his favorite creamy vacation libation .
• Eggnog is technically stirred custard — a mix of dairy and eggs . It ’s almost identical to ice cream , except that in most cases it contain too much alcohol to suspend .
• Although it can be cooked to kill off any potential salmonella and to thicken the intermixture , such thermic activity also inactivate the egg enzymes that give “ literal ” eggnog itsje ne sais quoi .
• As far back as the late 17th century , the term “ peg ” come to to a elan of strong beer brewed in East Anglia , while a “ noggin ” was a minuscule cup or mug that could be used for imbibe peg .
• Most culinary anthropologists think advanced eggnog descended from a thick , boozy , late - medieval concoction called posset that was compose of hot Milk River and hooch enhanced with whatever spicery the lord of the castle had on manus .
• Egg - based drinks found fresh popularity in the American colonies , where nearly everyone had access to cattle , chickens , and rummy .
Nutritious and relatively stable, eggnog was our first health drink. If you ask me, sipping it is our patriotic duty.
• Although bourbon is the modern peg spirit , rummy was the liquor of choice in colonial mean solar day .
• Today ’s serious nogsters are into aging . After nog spends six month to a twelvemonth in the fridge , a curious chemical substance collusion takes place as egg proteins , alcohol , and milk lucre slowly join forces . The resulting elixir taste not of eggs , milk , sugar , or hard liquor but just of eggnog .
• Do n’t concern too much about prophylactic . As long as your brew hold in at least 20 percent intoxicant and is stored below 40 ° F for at least a month , any microbial nasties that might haunt your innards should be squeamish and dead .
Alton Brown’s Nog of Ages
formula courtesy Alton Brown , 2012
12 big crybaby egg ( see note)1 pound sugar1 pint half n one-half ( see the other note)1 dry pint whole milk1 pint heavy cream1 cup jamaican rum1 cup cognac1 cup bourbon1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg ( plus more for serving)1/4 tsp kosher common salt
• Separate the ballock and salt away the flannel for another role
• Beat the yolks with the sugar and nutmeg tree in a large mixture trough until the mixture lightens in color and falls off the whisk in a unanimous “ ribbon . ”
• Combine dairy farm , John Barleycorn , and salinity in a second trough or pitcher and then slowly beat into the egg mix .
• Move to a large looking glass jar ( or a duad of smaller ones ) and put in in the electric refrigerator for a lower limit of 2 weeks . A month would be better , and two well still . In fact , there ’s nothing that say you could n’t senesce it a year but I ’ve just never been capable to look that long .
• Serve in mugful or cups pass with a trivial extra Myristica fragrans grind right on top .
Note on eggs : Although my research tell me it ’s very likely the alcohol will kill off any microbial baddie present from the eggs , if you have any doubts at all or if you ’re going to be serving the aged or someone with an resistant upset , buy yourself some peace of mind of creative thinker and simply use pasteurised shell eggs . They ’re usable these days at most mega - mart .
observe on dairy farm : I’m super fussy about the texture of my eggnog and witness that the combination listed arrest me what I ’m looking for . That say , if you do n’t desire to bother ( or if you ’re not as picky ) just go with a quart of one-half and one-half and call it a day .
And one more musical note : Yeah , it ’s a lot of John Barleycorn but the longer the peg years , the more laid-back it will get .
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