To age, or not to age? An eggnog drinker's dilemma...

Love it?

Hate it?

There is really no middle ground when it comes the eggnog.  Regardless of your opinions about nog, I think we can all agree that there is really not a single libation so associated with the Christmas season.  So much so, that in addition to the "traditional versions" and sugar-free/soy/rice/dairy-free versions, eggnog is making its way into everything: e.g., eggnog coffee creamers, eggnog milkshakes, eggnog ice cream.

I have always loved eggnog, but my experience as a child was limited to the cloyingly thick-over sweetened-"pretty far from eggnog" stuff that came in a one-quart paper carton.  My first real attempt at making eggnog was for a Christmas beverage feature in a steakhouse near Boston...which just happened to make a great vehicle for the kitchen staff to get sloshed "unnoticed."  That version started out paper-carton-thick as well, but once the brown liquors were added, we had achieved a quite palatable viscosity.

Of course, in the current climate I wouldn't be able to "get away" with serving raw eggs, and the components would need to be replaced with pasteurized versions of their former selves.  But if you believe in the preventative properties of brandy, bourbon, rye, and rhum here are a couple of different options for you: the first is my version, the second is an aged eggnog recipe, based on traditional recipes that date from colonial America, courtesy of Michael Ruhlman:



Beers' Eggnog

• 16 eggs, separated
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 cups whole milk
• 1 qt heavy cream
• 1 ea. vanilla bean, split
• .750 liter bourbon
• 1 cup Cognac or brandy
• .750 liter dark rum
• pinch of kosher salt
• as needed freshly grated nutmeg

The Eggnog

1. Combine the yolks and 1-cup of the sugar in a large bowl and whisk until well blended, pale yellow, and ribbony; heat milk and the vanilla bean over medium-high heat until steaming; temper egg yolks with hot milk and return to pan.  Cook over medium-low heat while constantly stirring until mixture thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon; strain through a fine mesh strainer into a container set into an ice bath and chill.  Reserve cold. (Can be made up to 3 days ahead of time)
2. Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment,whip at medium speed until soft peaks form; reduce speed and, with mixer still running, slowly stream in remaining sugar and continue beating until glossy-medium peaks form.  Reserve cold. (Can be made up to 1 day ahead of time)
3. Place the heavy cream in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment and whip to soft-medium peaks; reserve cold. (Can be made up to 1 day ahead of time; you may need to re-whip to soft-medium peaks before using)
4. To serve: in a bowl large enough to accommodate the ingredients add the cooked egg yolks and fold in the whipped cream, and the whipped egg whites.  Add the bourbon, rum, cognac, and salt; stir to combine and transfer to a punch bowl. 
5. Serve topped with freshly grated nutmeg 

Aged Eggnog

• 12 yolks (save whites for angel food cake!)
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 liter bourbon
• 4 cups whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup Cognac or brandy
• 1/2 cup Myers’s dark rum
• pinch of kosher salt

The Eggnog

1. Combine the yolks and sugar in a large bowl and whisk until well blended and creamy.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
3. Transfer the mixture to a 1-gallon glass jar and tightly seal the lid. (Alternatively, you can bottle it.) Place in the refrigerator for at least 3 weeks and up to 3 years (or till it’s as you like it!).
4. Serve topped with sweet meringue and nutmeg if you wish.

Shallow thoughts

Growing up in a competitive atmosphere can mess up your perspective on success and life; it started with sports for me and transitioned to academics...then music, and finally culinary arts.  I do have some competitive natured/professional issues that I currently struggle with--albeit far less every day...I'm getting "better."

I am not the quickest dude when it comes to self-awareness.

Number one on that list, and some great advice I would give to anyone silly enough to ask is this: success of a colleague or competitor does not affect YOUR success!  This has taken me years to realize and to get over, even though I do have to consciously remind myself from time to time--more or less a daily basis.  It is very easy to focus on someone else's success when you feel as if you should be just as, if not more successful; this lead to years of not speaking to other athletes on the field,  musicians at clubs, or other chefs at community events.

The ego is a powerful, and more often than not stupid, thing to embrace.

Sooner or later I came to realize that my path, and that of others outside of my circle were separate.  And although these trajectories were distinct, who knew what I was going through or was up against better than my peers?  Suddenly you realize that you've wasted a lot of time and energy trying to problem solve in a vacuum!