Nog

Do you like eggnog?  It’s definitely one of those yes or no questions.  Yes, and don’t be stingy with the brandy!  Or, hard no!  No one ever says, meh, I could drink a glass.  If you like eggnog, you’ve likely got a carton of it in your fridge right now.  If you’re not a fan, you’ll have settled for a bottle of that fizzy cranberry juice instead. 

There’s never judgement about which camp you’re in—unless the asker has made their own homebrewed eggnog.  If that’s the case, they WILL press a glass into your hand, deaf to your protests, because they have probably consumed a great deal of it already and have deluded themselves that they are the embodiment of the late Julia Childs.  You’ll have to handle that on your own. 

Those who savour the taste of eggnog during the Holiday Season are very aware that it has a flavour profile that is nothing short of unusual, compared to our other daily or even special occasion drinks. 

Eggnog originated someplace in Britain ‘they’ think, but there have been documented versions of it being used in ancient Japan as a cold/sore throat reliever (note to self!) as well as in other areas throughout the world that had ready access to rich cream, eggs, booze, and bartenders who weren’t afraid to mix things up. 

It was during the late 1600s that the word nog started to be used in complete sentences to describe a small wooden cup used to serve ale.  It is assumed that a nog was about 1/2 cup/125 ml in size, by today’s standards.  And in those days, the booze was always stiff! 

The egg bit found legs a little earlier, during the 13th century, with British monks who were known to drink a very odd mixture called Posset. Posset was a drink made with heated milk (later cream) that was intentionally curdled (of all things) by the addition of wine or ale. The monks took the idea of Posset and customized it through the addition of raw eggs. Surprisingly, they also tossed in a few figs.  Probably to cut the taste.  Cinnamon and nutmeg joined in when they could. 

Other than being a big hit within the relatively limited monk community, this beverage became a drink that was served mainly among the wealthiest circles.  After all, the ingredients of eggs, cream/rich milk, and sherry weren’t something that Regular Joes had extras of when they were throwing together an after-dinner beverage for themselves.  Since the drink was easier to keep on hand during the winter (due to its ingredients and the general lack of refrigeration) it became associated with the season. 

The beverage travelled to North America along with the European colonists and fit into the agrarian lifestyle of the settlers.  Most folks had their own cow and at least one chicken, or they knew a guy who did.  Imported alcohol from Europe was expensive, so the North American cousins switched the flavouring of the drink slightly by substituting in rum from the Caribbean or homemade whiskey (which we all know tastes like fire).  By the 18th century the drink was being called eggnog on both sides of the Atlantic and the recipe only varied based on where you lived and what you had readily at hand.  It also became aligned with Christmastide and has stayed firmly planted in that category for these many years. 

By the time O. H. Byron published “The Modern Bartender’s Guide” in 1884, he already assumed that barkeeps needed to be familiar with six popular versions of eggnog and he noted that it had become a drink that could be served warm or cold.    

These days, we generally think of one type of eggnog—the kind that comes in a waxed carton from Safeway and has an expiration date—but the recipe for making your own homemade hootch is very simple.  If that sort of thing interests you, look it up and give it a try (but start with Martha’s recipe).  For decades, drinkers of eggnog hadn’t blinked an eyelash at consuming dairy products mixed with raw eggs but once it started going into those cartons with expiration dates, stricter Foodsafe rules needed to be followed and, therefore, you will find that the flavour of homemade nog is more robust and multi-layered than the stuff from Superstore. 

Most of us seem to have issues with any number of foods these days, so companies have provided us with eggnog alternatives using oat milk, coconut milk (Coconog is my new favourite word!), or with almond milk (Almonog?) (did I just invent a new term?!!) to choose from alongside of what the industry refers to as eggnog. 

You still have plenty of time left in the Season to perfect your own recipe for homemade eggnog, or to try any of the commercial ones available on the shelves, so make sure to put a glass or two on your Holiday To-Do list. 

And any leftover nog would be the perfect festive ingredient for a Christmas Eggnog Martini (see Google for details), or eggnog pancakes/waffles/French toast on Christmas Day, or to slip into hot Chocolate or that pull-apart bread you’re supposed to take over to the in-laws’ for Boxing Day. 

As for me, I am looking forward to pouring myself more than one glass of coconog (of course!) over the next few weeks (adding in a healthy slug of brandy if nobody is around) and letting the unique creamy sweet flavours take me back to the many glasses of (non-brandied) eggnog that my Dad and I would raise together when I was growing up.  Since everyone else in our house wrinkled their noses at this festive drink, Dad and I would be the only ones enjoying it and that made the indulgence seem even richer somehow.  As often happens, it is the tastes, smells, sights, and sounds of Christmas that serve as memory companions guiding our way through the Holidays. 

So, pour me a glass of your finest and let the merriness of the Christmas Season begin!