Posted on 12/05/2006 10:59:37 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin
There are as many stories about the origins of eggnog as there are recipes to make it, from nonalcoholic versions for the whole family to those that pack a powerful alcoholic punch. Even though eggnog sometimes contains raw eggs, with proper preparation it can be a safe and tasty drink for the holidays.
Eggnog is most likely derived from an English drink called posset, or spiced milk, with wine or ale added. Posset was used as a cold medicine in medieval times. The eggnog we know today is often made with eggs, milk (and/or cream), sugar and spices, and if desired, your favorite alcoholic beverage.
In colonial North America, rum was added to eggnog to provide the kick. Rum is still the preferred spirit in eggnog in many parts of the country, although it can be made with bourbon, whiskey, brandy, sherry or nearly any other type of spirit.
Regardless of what spirit if any is added, it's still called eggnog. Some say the name eggnog comes from colonial America, where rum was called grog, so that egg and grog got shortened to eggnog.
Others suggest that the term nog comes from noggin, which can mean either ale or a small wooden mug. A drink made with egg and spirits, served in a small wooden mug, might then have been called eggnog.
Eggnog, no matter where the name comes from, has become an American tradition enjoyed by millions each holiday season.
According to a recipe supplied by the American Egg Board, eggnog is made by mixing six eggs, a quarter cup of sugar, some salt, one quart of milk, vanilla and seasonings to taste. The eggs are beaten with the sugar and salt, half the milk is added, and the mixture is heated slowly to 160 degrees. When the mixture is thick enough to coat a spoon, it's removed from the heat, and the remaining milk is added along with the flavorings. The eggnog is cooled in the refrigerator before serving.
In traditional eggnog recipes, raw eggs are whipped with sugar and milk into a thick foam before cream, spices and the spirit of choice are added. However, raw eggs are no longer considered a safe food and should be cooked during processing to ensure safety from contamination. Commercial eggnog is always pasteurized to protect against food poisoning.
For many years, the interior of eggs was considered to be almost sterile, and eating foods made with raw eggs (Hollandaise sauce, eggnog, etc.) was acceptable. Even though mom might have slapped your hand for stealing raw cookie dough, it was unlikely to cause food poisoning.
However, we now know that approximately one egg in 20,000 may contain salmonella enteritidas, introduced either by transfer through the shell or from within the hen before the shell is even made. The bottom line is that even an egg with a clean, intact shell still may be contaminated.
In healthy individuals, Salmonella poisoning results in stomach cramps and diarrhea, symptoms that are often misinterpreted as the flu. In people with compromised immune systems, however, salmonella poisoning can be deadly.
In the recipe above, heating the egg mixture slowly to 160 degrees is sufficient to destroy the salmonella and ensure a beverage safe from contamination. Alternatively, pasteurized eggs, available at the grocery store, can be used, and the heating step can be skipped entirely. Or, some people might accept the risk, about five one-thousandths of 1 percent, of contracting food poisoning by eating raw eggs.
Fortunately, the alcohol in fortified eggnog helps protect against salmonella poisoning. Recent laboratory studies show that alcohol kills salmonella, a fact that has been corroborated in studies where the severity of a food poisoning outbreak was inversely correlated with alcohol intake. For people who ate the same contaminated foods, those who drank the most alcohol with the meal were least likely to come down with food poisoning.
Although it's not recommended to drink eggnog made with raw eggs, eggnog fortified with strong spirits can at least reduce the risk of food poisoning.
I've always made eggnog, hollandaise, and even caesar salad the classic way; no one has ever had ill effects. I use my father's bourbon eggnog recipe, and I doubt any evil germ could survive that.
I can't stand Southern Comfort - except it is delicious in eggnog~!
**FOod ping**
I can't stand Southern Comfort, either, and I use a smooth brand like Woodford Reserve. Back in the old days, I remember my parents would make two large punchbowls; one non-alcoholic, and one with four roses around the base of the punchbowl to subtly indicate it had bourbon. :)
Maker's Mark Eggnog
http://www.ambassador.makersmark.com
Ingredients:
1 liter Maker's Mark
1 quart milk
1 quart heavy cream
2 dozen eggs
1? cups sugar
Nutmeg for garnish
Separate eggs and beat yolks until creamy. Whip sugar into yolks. Beat whites until they stand in peaks, adding 1/2 cup additional
sugar, if desired. Beat yolks and Maker's Mark together. Add whites. Beat cream. Add cream and milk to mixture. Add nutmeg to taste,
and garnish each cup with nutmeg. Makes 10-15 servings.
Is there an Atkins' recipe for eggnog?
I have no idea.
It's probably terrible, though. :)
I love eggnog with Amaretto in it. :)
Mmmmmmmm! That sounds terrific! Copying and pasting that one. :)
Enjoy! :)
Is there a recipe for tequila nog?
Beer-nog?
See this is what I like to hear. Give us the facts and let us decide. The writer is just telling us to be careful and giving some opinions on eggs and such. They are not banning egg nog just saying be careful. The food idiots are banning stuff, cigarette police are banning them, the television crazies are banning this and that, the ACLU are suing to get rid of this and that. This is an article that I find interesting and might even take the recommendations under advisement...doubt it. lol.
I'd imagine you could subsitute Splenda for sugar.
You can make a Beer Milkshake. Vanilla ice cream in the blender and add a beer. Let the bubbles settle and blend. Surprisingly tasty and a good hot summer day treat.
I have 85 laying hens and sell eggs as an extra income stream. I've eaten plenty of raw eggs over the years, feed them to my dogs, and sometimes back to the hens in their feed.
Nary a problem. Granted, you sure wouldn't WANT Food Poisoning, but the chances are pretty slim that you'll get it if you just observe standard cleanliness in the kitchen. :)
Can I have your French Silk Pie recipe? Please, Oh, Pretty Please? :)
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