52ºc, New York
5 interesting facts about Eggnog
Eggnog is a popular beverage in winter, especially around Christmas.
It is one of the most iconic things to have at Christmas parties as a festive drink and it even has its own day!
On average, approximately 135 million lbs (61 million kg) are consumed each year in the United States alone.
But do you know where the spicy ice cream drink came from?
Here are 5 interesting facts about eggnog!
Eggnog was created in medieval Europe.
This drink is believed to be a product of a European beverage called "stuffed animal".
Posset is made from hot milk and then mixed or curled with wine or beer and spices.
Among the British aristocracy, eggnog was born and it became an evolution of marsupial.
The new drink contains eggs, milk and sherry because only rich people can afford these ingredients.
This drink became a popular aperitif for toasting at parties, and therefore, eggnog was invented.
The name eggnog is derived from "nog" or "noggin".
The etymology of the name eggnog has several origins from which it can be derived.
It is said that in medieval times in East Anglia, England, there was an alcoholic beer brewed in that region called "nog".
The word "nog" was first used in 1693 to describe an alcoholic drink and it is thought that eggnog comes from this due to its alcohol content.
It is also thought that eggnog comes from the word "noggin", which is a small wooden cup for you to drink eggnog on.
In the UK, this drink is called a "flip egg" because it is poured between jars for mixing.
It is thought that the word we use today;
Eggnog is traditionally made with alcohol to kill bacteria.
Eggnog was originally made with alcohol, not for flavor but for safety.
In the medieval times, drinking straight milk was quite risky, as it is today, drinking unpasteurized milk can be very risky.
So the solution is to add alcohol to the milk to destroy any harmful bacteria present in the dairy product.
Old recipes recommend soaking raw eggs in alcohol like rum for a few days to ensure elimination of bacteria from the eggs.
Most people will let their eggs sit for a few days to a week to make sure all the bacteria are gone before consuming.
Store-bought eggnog rarely contains alcohol because it is FDA regulated and does not require the removal of bacteria.
It is also rare for raw eggs to be purchased from a raw egg store.
It is said that eggnog was the cause of a riot in America.
In the winter of 1826, a riot broke out at the US Military Academy in West Point, New York.
It was said that a military cadet smuggled whiskey into the barracks and then splashed it into the community ovens.
After a few cups of eggnog, the practitioners started to get noisy.
Fighting broke out, a lieutenant was beaten, gun shot and windows were smashed.
Twenty practitioners were brought to court regarding their actions that night.
It was called the Eggnog Rebellion because it was thought they drank too much!
George Washington has his own recipe for eggnog.
George Washington is known to be an eggnog lover and regularly serves this dish to guests.
The Washington variant of eggnog contains a lot of alcohol for flavor.
He has his own favorite recipe and eggnog making method that he will hand over to his chef.
Washington's personal formula is;
His method begins with “mixing the wine first, then separating the yolks and egg whites, adding sugar to the whipped yolks, mixing well.
Eggnog was created as a way to enjoy a hot milk drink without worrying about harmful bacteria and is now a popular Christmas drink.
This drink has been in development for many years and is now even available in non-dairy form for vegetarians and people with intolerances / allergies.
So why not find a recipe and make your own to enjoy on December 24th National Egg Day.
