As a kid we always looked forward to when mom would bring home some eggnog from our local grocery store, which happened to be the Safeway on Market just south of Wellesley in the Hillyard neighborhood of North Spokane. A lot of memories at that store!
Once the eggnog made it home, my mom would cut the nog with some milk (we usually drank 2%) so it would not only not be quite as rich tasting but probably to make it last longer because like a lot of sweet things in our home, no sooner than when it arrived, it vanished (I blame dad).
When I was in college I spent time working at Starbucks and when they first introduced eggnog lattes – remember this was the early 90s – it became my new holiday tradition. Those early days were extra delicious.
Today eggnog seems to come out a little too early. The coffee shops and the grocery stores are trying so hard to make sure they get out “first,” which I think makes it less special.
That is until you have tried homemade eggnog.
Homemade eggnog is a whole new ballgame. I don’t remember when I first tried it but I do know that the most memorable was when one of my co-workers gave me some several years ago. It was so rich and tasted so festive, and of course it had a LOT of booze in it. Images of Cousin Eddy from Chevy Chase’s holiday hit drinking the nog out of a Christmas themed glass come into mind but this beverage didn’t taste redneck at all, in fact it was kind of high-brow and ultimately what I call “dangerously delicious.”
Being the guy that I am I of course wanted to make it myself and since have experimented with some of the other eggnog hits that can be found online.
Eggnog
12 egg yolks
2 cups sugar
1 liter bourbon
4 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup Cognac or brandy
1/2 cup Myer’s dark rum
Pinch of kosher salt
Separate eggs from yolks (keep your whites for meringue, angel food cake, or cocktails). Beat egg yolks for 2-3 minutes. Add sugar and beat for another 2-3 minutes over medium speed. Add dairy and stir. Dump into glass jar and pour in the booze. After each pour, give it a stir or shake until completely mixed.
Store in fridge for around 30 days. Every couple of days give your jar a good shake or stir. If it tries to separate, it will be OK just keep stirring it until back together. Oh and if you want to try it sooner than that, because why wouldn’t you? It will be OK…promise.
Rumor has it will stay good for over a year (I tried myself) because all of those spirits will kill anything funny in those eggs if they exist.
