My deliveries of Homemade Eggnog to friends and neighbors are complete. But no matter how much I make, it is never enough for everyone who wants some to enjoy.
I must first of all confess I never liked eggnog. It was gross. That is, until 24 years ago, when I was fresh out of college and finally in the working world. The manager of the firm I worked for, John Miller was his name, came in the day before Christmas with some to share with all of us. I tried it (to be polite) -- and was surprised to say I loved it! I had to have his recipe. He was kind enough to share it with me, verbatim. He didn't skip any secret ingredients, and I have been making it ever since -- to give away as a Christmas gift, and to enjoy during the holidays. So in the spirit of the season, and in honor of John, here is the recipe for ...
"The Best Daggum Eggnog Yule Ever Drink".
6 fresh eggs
2 pints heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 gallon whole milk. (Don't use skim, it's Christmas... this is not the time to worry about calories.)
1 fifth of bourbon (I prefer Virginia Gentlemen as it is a little smoother than many, but I also use Jim Beam)
1/4 cup rum (lately I've used dark rum, and I like it!)
1/4 cup cognac ( Not brandy. The better the cognac, the better the nog. I use Courvoisier.)
Separate eggs, pouring whites into blender.
Add 1 pint whipping cream and sugar to blender.
Blend on medium until the mix starts to thicken well, but do not let it get solid!
Pour mix into extra large pot or bowl.
Add yolks and 1 pint of whipping cream to blender.
Blend on medium until it starts to thicken.
Add mix to the pot. (But do not add pot to the mix. Oops. Sorry, I guess I've been hitting the eggnog.)
Pour in milk, while pouring in bourbon, rum and cognac, folding it with a large spoon the whole time. (This is where it helps to have a 3rd hand.)
Continue to fold and stir for several minutes.
Pour nog into bottles, jars, containers and let set for 3 days... (Good luck with that as I never can make it without trying a sample early.) The 3 days allows the liquor to become infused with the nog, to where you can barely tell it's in there.
Pour into a glass, and top off with a sprinkle of fresh ground nutmeg. And enjoy! Do not drive anywhere once you've started drinking this stuff, as it is potent and delicious. Merry Christmas!
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| I absolutely did not like Eggnog until I tried this recipe! If you don't like eggnog, try some of this... I bet it will change your opinion of the stuff. Enjoy! |
And Now, since it's Christmas time, and it's cold outside, you can only drink so much Hot Chocolate when you come inside from the snow. In honor of the season and the snow currently outside, I'm going to give you a BONUS RECIPE for the perfect Alpine Warmer-Upper....
When we lived in Switzerland, my parents would make this recipe. It followed them to the States, and then when I had a semester in Vienna, I enjoyed this stuff, too -- especially after skiing. I know you will love this, too. An added treat is just how wonderful this will make your house smell...
The Recipe for "Gluwein" (pronounced "Gluh-vine") or Hot Mulled Wine.
1 large bottle of inexpensive red wine. (I usually get something like Carlo Rossi Burgundy.)
1/2 gallon real apple cider (the cloudy stuff in a plastic jug; do not use apple juice.)
1 - 2 cups of sugar (to taste....)
Sliced apple pieces
Sliced oranges.
Whole cloves
Whole cinnamon sticks
*Bonus ingredient I started using a few years ago -- 1 cup Rum
Get large pot and pour wine and cider in.
Add fruit slices
Add sugar
Add cinnamon and cloves
*Add rum (if you want. It is not called for in the original recipe, but I like it.)
Let pot simmer, but do not ever let it come to a boil.
Pot can simmer on your stove all afternoon, and will make your home smell "Christmassy".
Ladle into mugs when you are cold, and sip by a roaring fire, snuggling with your loved ones....
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| A hot, steaming cup of Gluwein is the perfect way to warm up from the cold and snow.... And it makes your house smell terrific, too. It's better than any Yankee Candle! |
If there is any leftover at the end of the day, the pot may be stored outside (in the cold) and then reheated the next day. I don't know how long it can last, as it's never made it past a weekend in my house....
So there you go. A couple of my favorite recipes -- from me to you. Merry Christmas.
If you try either of these, let me know what you think.
Oh, and I wouldn't advise giving this stuff to your kids.... Leave the hot cocoa for them. Enjoy.
And until next time,
Drink on!
Dan
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