The Fine Art of Family Magazine

For some, the true herald of the holiday season is neither the jolly man in the red suit nor the painstakingly wrapped gifts under the tree. Instead, it is a tiny mug, filled with frothy egg whites floating upon a thick, creamy and chilled base of whipped yolk and sugar.

Eggnog’s origins can be traced back to 17th century England, where it emerged as a celebratory drink descended from “posset,” a hot beverage made with eggs, milk and either ale or wine.  Though the exact etymology of the word is disputed, many believe that “eggnog” is sourced from the English slang for watered down rum, or “grog.”

Dairy products were such rare commodities in the “Old World” that eggnog emerged as a guilty pleasure of the upper class, to be imbibed only on special occasions. The advent of modern refrigeration methods and the abundance of eggs and milk in the American colonies eventually transformed eggnog from an elite delight to an accessible party favor.

George Washington’s 18th century taste for eggnog was formidable, demanding no less than one quart of cream, one quart of milk, a dozen eggs, one pint of brandy, a half pint of rye, a quarter pint of rum and a quarter pint of sherry to whet the presidential palate.

The recipe below has been excerpted from The Original White House Cookbook, first published in 1887.  Hugo Ziemann, former caterer of the exiled son of Napoleon III, and Fanny L. Gillette, an accomplished American cook and housewife, wrote the 570-page book as an everyman’s guide to colonial cookery. In the book’s “Coffee, Tea, Beverage” section (page 417) you’ll find this easy-to-replicate, 122-year-old recipe for eggnog (spelled as two words).

“EGG NOG. Beat the yellows [yolks] of twelve eggs very light, stir in as much white sugar as they will dissolve, pour in gradually one glass of brandy to cook the eggs, one glass of old whisky, one grated nutmeg, and three pints of rich milk.  Lastly, beat the egg whites to a froth and stir in last.”

[Photography by Michael Cohn]

Published on December 21, 2009

Tags: Celebrating, Food, Heirlooms, Taste America's History