Southern Breeze 2007 Holiday Issue

food CHEERS Nog While I’m Around By DEREK BAGLEY | Photography by CATHERINE JUCHHEIM When I was a kid and my family got together for Christmas, my grandfather and uncle teamed up and they repaired to the kitchen where they would stay for hours, concocting a huge punch bowl full of everyone’s favorite holiday treat, eggnog. The creamy concoction was always a big hit, and looking back, I can see why. But in all the holiday cheer the drink brought our family, we never stopped to think about where the eggnog came from. Surprisingly, there’s no real consensus on the origins of eggnog. Even the name of the beverage is subject to debate. It’s generally agreed upon that eggnog was first enjoyed in Europe, probably England, where they already drank strong ale they called “noggin.” The English aristocracy started mixing their noggin with milk, eggs, and sugar—the lower classes couldn’t afford these ingredients. According to most food experts, it was here that eggnog was born. Brandy and sherry soon made their way into the mix, taking the place of the ale, but the name stuck. The alcohol not only made the drink more fun, but also helped preserve it since there was no refrigeration. Americans found it better to fortify eggnog with rum rather than the expensive brandy, as rum was cheap and easy to obtain through Caribbean trade. And since farms were plentiful, the drink was available and popular among the general public. But it was here in the South where eggnog was mixed with bourbon, the key element for any delicious Southern drink. (Think mint juleps.) Creole families made recipes for hot eggnog that featured fine cognac, and with the invention of Southern Comfort in New Orleans in 1874, the libation took on a whole new dimension. Eggnog was rarely served nonalcoholic or cold until the 1960s, when companies began packaging it in the familiar cartons you see in the grocery store every holiday season. Today, eggnog continues to evolve, and the recipes vary, omitting the traditional rum and bourbon and calling for a different type of kick with Kahlua, Grand Marnier, or more—see below. The Velvet Nog 12 egg yolks 1 cup sugar, plus 3 tablespoons 3 pints whole milk 3 cups heavy cream compliments of Ann Rogers 1 liter bottle of Nocello 1 liter bottle of Frangelico 1 liter bottle of Peppermint Schnapps 4 ounces Southern Comfort 4 ounces bourbon 3 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg 12 egg whites Beat the egg yolks in a bowl until they lighten. Add 1 cup sugar gradually and continue to beat until sugar is dissolved. Stir in milk, cream, bourbon, Southern Comfort, and nutmeg. Beat egg whites in bowl of stand mixer to soft peaks. Add 3 tablespoons sugar until stiff peaks form. Whisk egg whites into mixture. Pour 4 ounces of eggnog on the rocks in a water glass. Add ¾ ounce each of Nocello, Frangelico, and Peppermint Schnapps. Garnish by sprinkling nutmeg. Stir, have a seat by the fire, and enjoy! 66 s o u t h e r n b re e z e . c o m http://southernbreeze.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Southern Breeze 2007 Holiday Issue

Editor's Letter Contributor Gumbo Words & Notes Coastal Calendar Storefronts Sweet Dreams Art of Living Fixtures Our Backyard Make Yourself at Home Beach Bam! A Big Easy Christmas Upwardly Mobile Can't Drive Old Dixie Down Rock On! The Play's the Thing Cheers Dish Chef's Table Let's Eat Reader Services Last Bite

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