History Of Eggnog

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History Of Eggnog

 

 

Many believe that eggnog is a tradition that was brought to America

from Europe. This is partially true. Eggnog is related to various

milk and wine punches that had been concocted long ago in the " Old

World " . However, in America a new twist was put on the theme. Rum

was used in the place of wine. In Colonial America, rum was commonly

called " grog " , so the name eggnog is likely derived from the very

descriptive term for this drink, " egg-and-grog " , which corrupted to

egg'n'grog and soon to eggnog. At least this is one version...

Other experts would have it that the " nog " of eggnog comes from the

word " noggin " . A noggin was a small, wooden, carved mug. It was used

to serve drinks at table in taverns (while drinks beside the fire

were served in tankards). It is thought that eggnog started out as a

mixture of Spanish " Sherry " and milk. The English called this

concoction " Dry sack posset " . It is very easy to see how an egg

drink in a noggin could become eggnog.

The true story might be a mixture of the two and eggnog was

originally called " egg and grog in a noggin " . This was a term that

required shortening if ever there was one.

With it's European roots and the availability of the ingredients,

eggnog soon became a popular wintertime drink throughout Colonial

America. It had much to recommend it; it was rich, spicy, and

alcoholic.

In the 1820's Pierce Egan, a period author, wrote a book

called " Life of London: or Days and Nights of Jerry Hawthorne and

His Elegant Friend Corinthina Tom " . To publicize his work Mr. Egan

made up a variation of eggnog he called " Tom and Jerry " . It added

1/2 oz of brandy to the basic recipe (fortifying it considerably and

adding further to its popularity).

Eggnog, in the 1800s was nearly always made in large quantities and

nearly always used as a social drink. It was commonly served at

holiday parties and it was noted by an English visitor in

1866, " Christmas is not properly observed unless you brew egg nogg

for all comers; everybody calls on everybody else; and each call is

celebrated by a solemn egg-nogging...It is made cold and is drunk

cold and is to be commended. "

Of course, Christmas was not the only day upon which eggnog was

popular. In Baltimore it was a tradition for young men to call upon

all of their friends on New years day. At each of many homes the

strapping fellows were offered a cup of eggnog, and so as they went

they became more and more inebriated. It was quite a feat to

actually finish one's rounds.

Our first President, George Washington, was quite a fan of eggnog

and devised his own recipe that included rye whiskey, rum and

sherry. It was reputed to be a stiff drink that only the most

courageous were willing to try.

Eggnog is still a popular drink during the holidays, and its social

character remains. It is hard to imagine a Christmas without a cup

of the " nog " to spice up the atmosphere and lend merriment and joy

to the proceedings. When you try out some of the recipes on this

site, remember that, like many other of our grand traditions, there

is history and life behind that little frothy brew.

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More about Egg Nog,

 

 

 

Eggnog literally means eggs inside a small cup. It is used as a

toast to ones health. Nog is an old English dialect word (from East

Anglia) of obscure origins that was used to describe a kind of

strong beer (hence noggin). It is first recorded in the seventeenth

century. Eggnog, however, is first mentioned in the early nineteenth

century but seems to have been popular on both sides of the Atlantic

at that time. An alternative British name was egg flip.

It all began in England, where eggnog was the trademark drink of the

upper class. " You have to remember, the average Londoner rarely saw

a glass of milk, " says author/historian James Humes (July 1997, " To

Humes It May Concern " ), former speech writer and adviser to four

presidents. " There was no refrigeration, and the farms belonged to

the big estates. Those who could get milk and eggs to make eggnog

mixed it with brandy or Madeira or even sherry. " But it became most

popular in America, where farms and dairy products were plentiful,

as was rum. Rum came to these shores via the Triangular Trade from

the Caribbean; thus it was far more affordable than the heavily

taxed brandy or other European spirits that it replaced at our

forefather's holiday revels. "

An English creation, it descended from a hot British drink called

posset, which consists of eggs, milk, and ale or wine. The recipe

for eggnog (eggs beaten with sugar, milk or cream, and some kind of

spirit) has traveled well, adapting to local tastes wherever it has

landed. In the American South, bourbon replaced ale (though nog, the

British slang for strong ale, stuck). Rich, strong eggnog †" the

richer and stronger, the better †" is no stranger to holiday

celebrations in New Orleans, and at this time of year the drink

takes its place alongside syllabubs on the traditional southern

table. (Syllabub is a less potent mixture than eggnog but just as

rich. Made with milk, sugar and wine, it straddles the line between

drink and liquid dessert.)

Eggnog goes by the name coquito in Puerto Rico, where, not

surprisingly, rum is the liquor of choice (as it is these days for

many eggnog lovers in the U.S.). There the drink has the added

appeal of being made with fresh coconut juice or coconut milk.

Mexican eggnog, known as rompope, was created in the convent of

Santa Clara in the state of Puebla. The basic recipe is augmented

with a heavy dose of Mexican cinnamon and rum or grain alcohol, and

the resulting drink is sipped as a liqueur. In Peru, holidays are

celebrated with a biblia con pisco, an eggnog made with the Peruvian

pomace brandy called pisco.

The Germans make a eggnog or rather egg soup with beer (Biersuppe).

Here in Iceland, we do have a soup here that resembles eggnog

somewhat but there´s no alcohol in it. It is served hot as a

dessert. Other than that, we have nothing that resembles eggnog and

no eggnog traditions.