The Origin and History of an Ancient and Time-Honored Tradition
By Marie Buckley-Fish
According to my Official Bartender’s Guide, eggnog is an original American drink. Those of us who cannot imagine getting through the holidays without it can rest assured that we are partaking of a politically correct, made in the U.S.A. homemade beverage.
Research further tells me that there are those who claim the name “nog” comes from the English “noggin” which was a small drinking vessel with an upright handle (not the part of your anatomy which may ache the next morning after traditional indulgence). Others claim it was derived from the fuzzy pronunciation of egg ‘n’ grog.
Be that as it may (whatever the heck that means) American colonists or patriots possibly created the concoction around 1775. Well, after they chucked all that tea in the bay, they had to drink something, didn’t they?
Liquors that were traditionally used to build the eggnog have been rum and brandy. However, if you don’t happen to have those necessary supplies on hand, you can substitute whiskey, sherry, ale or cider with quite palatable results. On the other hand, if you find yourself substituting various cough syrups or hair preparations, you best hie yourself to an AA meeting and confess.
My sources also tell me quite solemnly that some of the earlier recipes called for milking the cow directly into the drinking vessel after the other ingredients had been added. Okay. We do realize that there was a war going on at the time so this may not have been as off the wall as it sounds.
In these latter days, fortunately, more modern, much simpler and certainly less exciting methods have evolved making it unnecessary to keep Old Bossy tethered in the backyard during times of earnest merry making and celebration.
A partial list of these modern recipes (available upon request) includes:
Ambassador’s Morning Lift, Baltimore Eggnog, Brandy Eggnog, Breakfast Eggnog, Christmas Yule Eggnog, General Harrison’s Eggnog, Imperial Eggnog, Nashville Eggnog, Port Wine Eggnog, Rum Eggnog, Sherry Eggnog, Whiskey Eggnog, Diabetic Eggnog, Kahlua Eggnog, Eggnog for Two, Coffee Nog, Holiday Nog, Hawaiian Nog, Party Eggnog, Root Beer Egg Shake, Chocolate Egg Shake and Eggnog Bread.
Continuing the historical perspective, Anna Wells Rutledge wrote the introduction to the facsimile of the 1847 edition of The Carolina Housewife, the most important of the early southern cookbooks. She quoted a Philadelphian writing home in 1842: “Before breakfast, at Christmas time, everyone takes a glass of eggnog and a slice of cake. It is the universal custom and was not on this occasion omitted by anyone. As Christmas was kept during four days, eggnog was drank regularly every morning.”
Quoting from Bill Neal’s Southern Cooking cookbook: The nog is one of the most widespread of southern holidays traditions, but it is not only a festive beverage: its ritual consumption on Christmas morning guarantees peace and good cheer for the coming New Year.
And you doubted that I could compose an entire column on eggnog? American history was one of my college majors, you know. I learned some really important stuff in those classes. ISI
