The Spirits #120: Baltimore Eggnog

~ WTF is that it sounds gross ~

~ BALTIMORE EGGNOG ~
(Serves 2 but multiplies)
Equipment: Two bowls, one electric whisk

Two whole eggs
50ml golden sugar syrup (40ml + 10ml)
50ml dark rum
50ml brandy
200-250ml milk
100ml cream
Dash vanilla extract
Aromatic bitters (optional)
Nutmeg

1. Separate the eggs: the yolks in one bowl, the whites in the other.

2. Whisk 40ml of the sugar syrup into the yolks for about 30 seconds. The mixture will be ‘done’ when the yolks turn pale yellow.

3. Whisk the other 10ml of the sugar syrup until the egg whites. This will take a little longer, maybe 2 minutes. You’re aiming for an ethereal fluff that a fairy could hike up. Stiff peaks.

4. Now, ever so slowly, stir the spirits into the yolk mixture until amalgamated. Continue to stir as you add the vanilla, milk and cream.

5. Gently fold about ~half~ of the egg white mixture into the yolk mixture.

6. Now we are in Choose Your Own Adventure territory. Do you want to drink this stuff a) cold or b) hot?

a) Cool the mixture down by stirring for about 30 seconds with some large lumps of ice before dividing between chilled vessels. Grate nutmeg on top.

b). If you fancy it warm (and I will remind you that life is brief), divide between heatproof vessels and set your microwave to 2 minutes. Withdraw the cups and stir every 20 seconds or so. This is important to ensure even heat distribution; you don’t want it to boil over. It’s ready when it tastes like the custard of your dreams. If you’re making it on a grand plan, you may prefer to heat the whole lot at once in this manner; and if you’ve no microwave, you may prefer to fashion a bain-marie and do it on the hob.

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🖊️I am Richard Godwin.
🧋My instructions for sugar syrup, ice, grenadine, orgeat, etc are here.
🧑‍🏫 My 10 RULES FOR MAKING COCKTAILS are here.
⚗️ My bottle recommendations are here.
📃 The full A-Z recipe archive is here. 
➡️ Please find a round up of organisations helping Ukrainians here.
🏥 And here is a list of trusted charities who are helping people in Gaza.

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On Eggnog:

The above interjection - “WTF even is eggnog, it sounds gross” - came courtesy of my wife Johanna who wandered into the kitchen from a hard day of literary criticism and raised an eyebrow at the eggy turmoil I had created. It’s not an unreasonable question, to be fair. Eggnog sounds faintly made-up. A little sulphurous. Maybe even cancel-worthy. There simply shouldn’t be that many g’s in a single word. One is already not sure what nog is - but one is also fairly certain that it shouldn’t have eggs in it.

Well, reader, three minutes later, she was heard to utter the phrase: “Oh this is really good actually.” And that was before I heated it up in the microwave. Whereupon: “This is almost too good.” These recipes are nothing if not rigorously tested.

American readers will of course be more familiar with this holiday indulgence. Eggnog has its origins in 18th century Virginia and it is still served in many locales as a traditional Christmas drink. Indeed, according to my Wondrich, it was traditional to prepare a large vat of the stuff on Christmas morning to serve to any family who came a-visiting. Children were particularly fond of it. And I can’t quite get my head around this - but apparently the eggnog would be laid down and aged for up to a year, which would give it a delicious nutty flavour. I’m not certain I want to be drinking year-old eggs and cream but things were different then.

Anyway - I command you to make this thing. It’s not too far away from a Flip, a frothy upgrade on the Brandy Milk Punch and a close cousin of the Tom & Jerry, a 19th century British Christmas tradition that has sadly been lost. For me, these old-time concoctions of cream, sugar, spirit and spice (grated nutmeg, specifically) are the true taste of Christmas.

On a technical note, I’d add that you can use a flavoured syrup as opposed to regular sugar syrup - e.g. cinnamon syrup. Or make a ‘Christmas’ syrup with all of your favourite spices ready-infused (allspice, star anise, cardamom, orange peel, coriander seed, etc). Also, you could actually use 50g of caster sugar too. Just be sure to whisk it thoroughly - it is the texture that sets it apart.

Incidentally if you’ve ever marvelled at the word egg - an English word almost as singular as the egg itself - you will be pleased to learn it’s almost equally as marvellous in every language: oeuf, ova, ei, ou, wy, jaje, endhog, fuamoa, tuxum, yaitso, dán. In Swedish, it looks like a cow on wheels: ägg. In Swahili, it is a cheer: yai! In Cree it is an expression of wonder: wâwih! “There is nothing as original as an egg” - The Breakfast Bible.

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CABINET POSTS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED:

🌿Green Chartreuse
🍒 Maraschino
🍑 Apricot Brandy
🍫 Crème de Cacao
🌷Cynar
🏝️ Falernum
🌵 Mezcal
🐂 Sherry
🧡 Aperol
🍌 Crème de Banane
🐻 Kümmel
🕊️ Bénédictine
🦅Fernet-Branca
❄️Brancamenta
🐿️Amaretto

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