Eggnog has its roots in 17th century Europe, and perhaps even earlier, where it seems to have descended from a medieval drink called posset, a milky drink made with ale or wine. As milk and eggs were difficult to come by in England through the 19th century, this kind of dairy-based drink was usually enjoyed by the upper class and was often made with brandy or Madeira or even sherry.
The recipe in time made its way over to the Colonies, where eggs and milk were plentiful, and affordable rum was substituted as the spirit of choice. The name “eggnog” may have evolved from “grog,” a colonial beer drink, as many began referring to the mixture as “egg-n-grog.” By the late 18th century, the word eggnog began to be used as we know it today.
Rum, whiskey or bourbon are typically seen in most home made recipes, but Paul was inspired to add coconut rum to this batch I whipped up. The tropical Parrot Bay rum gave the eggnog a cheerful and smooth flavor which was a perfect match for the coconut macaroons we paired with this drink. It really is a matter of preference what booze you use, and how much of it. Alton Brown’s recipe called for 3 oz of rum but we found we needed a whole 8 oz of coconut rum in the entire recipe to make it really stand out. As an alternative serving method, instead of adding your alcohol of choice to the entire batch, offer a choice of spirits separately and allow your guests to stir in as much as they like.
Note that this recipe below is made with raw egg. Be sure to use only fresh, clean eggs that have been gently rinsed and dried. We used fresh raw milk and eggs from our local biodynamic Birchwood Farm Dairy. If you have concerns about using raw egg, you can purchase pasteurized, whole eggs, or click on the link in the recipe below to try Alton Brown’s “cooked” version.
Click here for the Coconut Macaroon recipe on our site.
