Eggnog
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
---|---|
Colour | Cream |
Flavour | Custard |
Ingredients | Milk, cream, sugar, whipped egg whites, egg yolks, nutmeg |
Variants | With alcohol |
Eggnog (
Throughout Canada, the United States and some European countries, eggnog is traditionally consumed over the
since the 1900s, also as part of the Christmas season. During that time, commercially prepared eggnog is sold in grocery stores in these countries.Eggnog is also homemade using milk, eggs, sugar, and flavorings, and served with
Terminology
The Modern Bartender's Guide from 1878 lists many variant names for the drink. It distinguishes "plain eggnog," "egg milk punch," and "milk punch" from one another. It also includes variants such as "Baltimore eggnog," "General Jackson eggnog," "Imperial eggnog," two types of "sherry cobbler eggnog," as well as "sherry cobbler with egg," "mulled claret with egg," "egg sour," and "Saratoga egg lemonade" (also called "sea breeze").[4][2][3]
History
Etymology and origins
The origins, etymology, and the ingredients used to make original eggnog drinks are debated.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, nog was "a kind of strong beer brewed in East Anglia".[5] The first known use of the word nog was in 1693.[6] Alternatively, nog may stem from noggin, a Middle English term for a small, carved wooden mug used to serve alcohol.[7]
Posset, a curdled beverage of milk and either wine or ale, was a popular beverage in Britain that may have been a precursor to eggnog. Some monks would add eggs and figs to posset.[8] However, the British drink was also called an egg flip, from the practice of "flipping" (rapidly pouring) the mixture between two pitchers to mix it. One dictionary lists the word eggnog as being an Americanism invented in 1765–75.[9]
Babson College professor Frederick Douglass Opie contends that the term derives from two colonial slang words: grog (rum) that bartenders served in noggins (small wooden mugs). From here came egg and grog, then egg-n-grog, and finally the portmanteau eggnog.[10] Barry Popik disputes the "egg and grog" theory on the basis that there is absolutely no evidence to support it.[11]
Another suggestion is that nog is related to the Scottish term nugg or nugged ale, meaning "ale warmed with a hot poker."[11]
The Online Etymology Dictionary states that eggnog was an American neologism of 1775, a portmanteau of egg and nog, the latter term meaning "strong ale".[12]
The earliest documented example of eggnog dates to 1775, when Maryland clergyman and philologist Jonathan Boucher wrote a poem about the drink: "Fog-drams i' th' morn, or (better still) egg-nogg, / At night hot-suppings, and at mid-day, grogg, / My palate can regale".[11] Boucher's verse was not, however, published until 30 years after his death, thus the word first appeared in print only in 1788, in the March 26 edition of the New-Jersey Journal in an article referring to a young man drinking a glass of eggnog.[11] An 1869 dictionary entry for eggnog defines it as a mixture of wine, spirits, eggs and sugar; there is no mention of dairy products.[13]
"While culinary historians debate its exact lineage, most agree eggnog originated from the early medieval" British drink called posset,[14] which was made with hot milk[7] that was curdled with wine or ale and flavored with spices. In the Middle Ages, posset was used as a cold and flu remedy. Posset was popular from medieval times to the 19th century. Eggs were added to some posset recipes; according to Time magazine, by the "13th century, monks were known to drink a posset with eggs and figs."[14] A 17th century recipe for "My Lord of Carlisle's Sack-Posset" uses a heated mixture of cream, whole cinnamon, mace, nutmeg, eighteen egg yolks, eight egg whites, and one pint of Sack wine (a fortified white wine related to sherry). At the end, sugar, ambergris and animal musk are stirred in.[15] Posset was traditionally served in two-handled pots. The aristocracy had costly posset pots made from silver.
Eggnog is not the only mixed, sweetened alcohol drink associated with the winter season. Mulled wine or wassail is a drink made by Ancient Greeks and Romans with sweetened, spiced wine.[16] When the drink spread to Britain, the locals switched to the more widely available alcohol, hard cider, to make their mulled beverages.[16] During the Victorian era, Britons drank purl, "a heady mixture of gin, warm beer, sugar, bitter herbs, and spices".[16] In the Colonial era in America, the drink was transformed into an "ale-and-rum-based flip" warmed with a hot poker.[16]
Development
In Britain, the drink was originally popular among the aristocracy.[7] "Milk, eggs, and sherry were foods of the wealthy, so eggnog was often used in toasts to prosperity and good health."[14] Those who could afford milk and eggs and costly spirits mixed the eggnog with brandy, Madeira wine or sherry to make a drink similar to modern alcoholic eggnog.[7]
The drink crossed the
Records show that the first US president, George Washington, "served an eggnog-like drink to visitors" which included "rye whiskey, rum, and sherry."[18] The President's recipe called for a variety of alcoholic beverages along with the dairy and egg ingredients: "One quart cream, one quart milk, one dozen tablespoons sugar, one pint brandy, 1/2 pint rye whiskey, 1/2 pint Jamaica rum, [and] 1/4 pint sherry." The recipe instructs cooks to "mix [the] liquor first, then separate yolks and whites of eggs, add sugar to beaten yolks, mix well. Add milk and cream, slowly beating. Beat whites of eggs until stiff and fold slowly into mixture. Let set in cool place for several days. Taste frequently." The receipt did not specify the number of eggs to use, however modern chefs estimate approximately one dozen.[14]
"
Isaac Weld, Junior, in his book Travels Through the States of North America and the Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, during the years 1795, 1796, and 1797 (published in 1800) wrote: "The American travelers, before they pursued their journey, took a hearty draught each, according to custom, of egg-nog, a mixture composed of new milk, eggs, rum, and sugar, beat up together". In a similar way to how posset was drunk as a cold remedy in the Medieval era, there is evidence that eggnog was also used as a medical treatment. An 1892 scientific journal article proposes the use of eggnog to treat "grippe", commonly known as the "flu", along with ammonium chloride to treat the cough and quinine to cure the illness.[20]
In the American South, eggnog is made with bourbon.[7] Eggnog is called "coquito" in Puerto Rico, where rum and fresh coconut juice or coconut milk are used in its preparation.[7] Mexican eggnog, also known as "rompope", was developed in Santa Clara. It differs from regular eggnog in its use of Mexican cinnamon and rum or grain alcohol.[7] In Peru, eggnog is called "biblia con pisco", and it is made with a Peruvian pomace brandy called pisco.[7] German eggnog, called "biersuppe", is made with beer. "Eierpunsch" is a German version of eggnog made with white wine, eggs, sugar, cloves, tea, lemon or lime juice and cinnamon.[19] Another recipe dating from 1904 calls for eggs, lemon juice, sugar, white wine, water and rum. In Iceland, eggnog "is served hot as a dessert."[7]
Ingredients and serving style
Homemade
Traditional homemade eggnog is made of milk or cream, sugar, raw eggs, one or more alcoholic spirits, and
There are variations in ingredients in different recipes. Traditional eggnog has a significant fat content, due to the use of cream, and a high sugar content. Ingredients vary significantly between different recipes. Alcohol used in different national and regional versions of eggnog include
Commercially prepared
Modern commercial eggnog manufacturers add
Ready-made eggnog versions are seasonally available with different spirits, or without alcohol, to be drunk as bought or used as "mixes" with all the ingredients except the liquor, to be added as desired. While eggnog is mostly available from American Thanksgiving through to Christmas, in some regions a marshmallow-flavoured version is sold at Easter.[25] In the 2000s, low-fat and sugar-free commercial versions are available using sugar substitutes and skimmed or low fat milk.[30]
The
Non-dairy and vegan versions
Some North American manufacturers offer
In 1981, Grain Country of Los Angeles, California, introduced Grain Nog, the earliest non-dairy and
Serving and presentation
Whether homemade or commercial eggnog is being served, toppings may be added, such as grated
Use as flavoring
The distinctive spices that give eggnog its characteristic taste, including cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla, are used to create eggnog-flavored foods and beverages. Eggnog-flavored foods include eggnog ice cream, pie, cupcakes, rum cake, cookies, biscotti, pancake syrup, bread pudding, French toast and waffles. Eggnog-flavored beverages include eggnog lattes (developed by Starbucks in the mid-1980s), eggnog-flavored coffee and tea, some craft beers (e.g., eggnog stout) and eggnog milkshakes.
Health and safety
Raw eggs
Most homemade eggnog recipes have historically included raw eggs. While the alcohol added to many homemade eggnogs is a
However, aged alcoholic eggnog becomes sterilized even if made with contaminated eggs. Aging alcoholic eggnog—sometimes for as long as a year—has been said to improve its flavor significantly, and also destroys pathogens. The Rockefeller University Laboratory of Bacterial Pathogenesis and Immunology carried out an experiment in 2010 where salmonella was added to a strong eggnog which was refrigerated and stored; the beverage still had dangerous levels of salmonella a week later, but it was all gone within three weeks. A concentration of at least 20% of alcohol (about the same amounts of alcoholic spirits and milk or cream), and refrigeration are recommended for safety.[37][38]
For concerns about the safety of selling products made from raw eggs and milk, the U.S. FDA has changed or altered the definition of eggnog a number of times towards artificial replacements for the large number of eggs traditionally used. FDA regulations (as of January 2015[update]) require eggnog to contain at least 1% egg yolk solids and at least 8.25% milk solids.[39][40][41][42] Some recipes for homemade eggnog call for egg yolks to be cooked with milk into a custard to avoid potential hazards from raw eggs.
Alcohol content
There is a long history of heavily alcohol-spiked eggnog. An 1894 book by a North Carolina traveler describes using "half gallon of brandy for an eggnog".[45] CNN states that some 19th century American eggnog recipes called for significant amounts of alcohol; one recipe "calls for three dozen eggs, half a gallon of domestic brandy, and another half-pint of French brandy."[18] The high alcohol content of traditional "eggnog inevitably led to problems. In 19th-century Baltimore, it was a custom for young men of the town to go from house to house on New Year’s Day, toasting their hosts in eggnog along the way. The challenge: to finish one’s rounds still standing."[46]
In 2015, controversy arose over a
The most notable case of alcohol problems associated with the drink was the
Nutritional aspects
According to the USDA, a one cup (250 ml) serving of eggnog contains 343 kilocalories (1,440 kilojoules) (17% of a typical person's daily value of food energy); 34.4 grams of carbohydrates (11% of DV), including 21.4 grams of sugar; 19 grams of fat (29% of DV); and 9.7 grams of protein (19% of DV).[53] TIME magazine's Tristan Stephenson states that eggnog's "alcohol and sugar provide energy, eggs supply protein, and the fat from the milk or cream gives the [wintertime] drinker the necessary "layers" to deal with the frost."[54] TIME magazine also states that with its cream, eggs and sugar ingredients, "eggnog can pack in upwards of 400 [kilocalories; 1700 kJ] per cup."[14] CNN states that a "...relatively small four-ounce [120 mL] cup of store-bought eggnog boasts a whopping 170 kilocalories [710 kilojoules] (half of them from fat), nearly 10 grams of fat, and over 70 mg of cholesterol...[, which is] around a quarter of your recommended daily intake of cholesterol."[18] National Geographic writer Rebecca Rupp states that with eggnog's saturated fat, cholesterol, liquor and high calorie count, "...[t]here's no way this stuff is good for us."[46] Esquire states that "[e]ggnog is irredeemable from a nutritional standpoint. Period. The pre-packaged stuff is mostly made from high-fructose corn syrup, dairy fat, and a bunch of unlovable additives" and it recommends a "two-drink maximum" for health reasons.[55]
Reception and consumption
Eggnog has a polarized reception from food critics, chefs and consumers; Esquire states that "there doesn't seem to be a middle ground on eggnog. You either love it or hate it".[55][56] While some are enthusiastic advocates of the beverage, others are critical of its taste or consistency. The CBC stated that the "ancient drink can be quite divisive."[25] The Guardian writer Andrew Shanahan described eggnog in a critical manner in 2006: "People rarely get it right, but even if you do it still tastes horrible. The smell is like an omelet and the consistency defies belief. It lurches around the glass like partially-sentient sludge."[57]
TIME magazine's Tristan Stephenson states that eggnog is popular because it "[t]ick[s] every single one of the guilt/pleasure boxes, on account of being little more than fat, sugar, and alcohol", which makes it "so ludicrously delicious", a sort of "alcoholic custard".[54] The New Yorker writer Carmen Maria Machado described an anti-eggnog article in the Times as a "buzzkill" for providing the drink's calorie count; Machado argues that "[e]ggnog’s decadence should not be considered sinful; indeed, it is one of those foods whose low-fat variations I believe to be a kind of crime."[58]
Canadian chef Heidi Fink, from Victoria, praises homemade nog but criticizes the "slimy" "glop you can buy in supermarkets".
Consumption in the United States in 2019 was 53.5 million bottles purchased and Americans spent $185 million on eggnog. The consumption of egg nog was down 42 percent since 1969.[61]
The drink is more popular in the United States in the 2000s than the United Kingdom, despite the fact that it was developed in Britain and then transplanted to the American colonies in the 1700s. As of 2014, Canadians are drinking less store-bought eggnog. They drank 5.3 million liters of commercial eggnog in 2014's Christmas period; this is less than in 1994, when they drank eight million liters.[25] Some of the possible reasons for the decline in Canadian eggnog consumption could be concerns about raw eggs (for homemade eggnog) and health concerns, regarding the fat and sugar content of the drink.[citation needed]
See also
- Crème anglaise, also known as Stirred custard – Light sweetened pouring custard
- Cola de mono – Chilean drink containing aguardiente, milk, sugar, coffee, and cloves
- Egg coffee – Vietnamese drink
- Egg soda – Vietnamese beverage
- Kinutil – Filipino alcoholic drink
- Kogel mogel – Egg-based homemade dessert
- Lassi – Yogurt-based drink from India
- List of egg drinks
- Milk punch – Milk based brandy or bourbon beverage
- Tamagozake – Drink consisting of heated sake, sugar, and a raw egg
- Zabaione – Italian dessert made with egg, sugar, and wine
References
- ^ The Modern Bartender's Guide (1878) distinguishes "plain egg nog", "egg milk punch", and "milk punch" from one another, and also includes "Baltimore egg nog", "General Jackson egg nog", "imperial egg nog", and two types of "sherry cobbler egg nog", as well as "sherry cobbler with egg", "mulled claret with egg", "egg sour", and "Saratoga egg lemonade" (also called "sea breeze"). The Modern Bartender's Guide. New York: Excelsior Publishing House. 1878.
- ^ ISBN 978-0399532870. Archivedfrom the original on 2016-06-03.
- ^ a b Johnson, Harry (1882). "Egg Milk Punch". New and Improved Illustrated Bartender's Manual; or, How to Mix Drinks of the Present Style. New York City: Harry Johnson. p. 65. Archived from the original on 2016-05-06.
- ^ The Modern Bartender's Guide. New York: Excelsior Publishing House. 1878.
- ^ "nog - definition of nog in English from the Oxford dictionary". www.oxforddictionaries.com. Archived from the original on 2016-01-31. Retrieved 2016-01-25.
- ^ "Definition of NOG". merriam-webster.com. Archived from the original on 2017-04-26.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Rögnvaldardóttir, Nanna; Linda Stradley (28 May 2015). "History of Eggnog". What's Cooking America. Archived from the original on 2015-12-25. Retrieved 2015-12-22.
- ^ A Brief History of Eggnog Time magazine
- ^ "Eggnog". Dictionary.com. Archived from the original on 2016-01-31. Retrieved 2017-12-24.
- ^ "Christmas traditions explained: The eggnog". USA Today. Archived from the original on 2017-08-02.
- ^ a b c d "The Origins of "Eggnog," Holiday Grog : Word Routes : Thinkmap Visual Thesaurus". Visual Thesaurus. Archived from the original on 2016-05-05.
- ^ "Online Etymology Dictionary". etymonline.com. Archived from the original on 2017-04-26.
- ^ The Universal English Dictionary: Comprising the Etymology, Definition, and Pronunciation of All Known Words in the Language, as Well as Technical Terms Used in Art, Science, Literature, Commerce, and Law. George Routledge and Sons. John Craig, P. Austin Nuttall, 1869. p. 82
- ^ a b c d e f Dias, Elizabeth (21 December 2011). "A Brief History of Eggnog". Time. Archived from the original on 2016-02-24.
- ^ Cook, The Curious (9 December 2016). "A History of Eggnog: The Quintessential Holiday Cocktail". backfieldbaykitchen.com. Archived from the original on 19 May 2017.
- ^ a b c d Tristan Stephenson (Dec 22, 2014). "A Short and Sweet History of Winter Boozing". time.com. Archived from the original on 2016-12-16.
- ^ Block, Stephen. "The History of Egg Nog". Food History. The Kitchen Project. Archived from the original on 2 April 2018. Retrieved 2006-12-16.
- ^ a b c Ethan Trex. "Eggnog: Everything you need to know". CNN. Archived from the original on 2016-02-22.
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- ^ The Medical Brief: A Monthly Journal of Scientific Medicine and Surgery, Volume 20, 1892. p. 187
- ^ "You'll Never Believe Which Brand Makes the Best Eggnog". HuffPost. 16 December 2016. Archived from the original on 2017-07-23. Retrieved 2017-04-30.
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- ^ Ethan Trex (24 December 2018). "10 Delicious Facts About Eggnog". Mental Floss. Archived from the original on 5 April 2017. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
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{{cite web}}
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- ^ a b c d "The Hale and Hearty History of Eggnog - National Geographic - The Plate". National Geographic. 11 December 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
- ^ a b Donovan, Laura (11 November 2015). "People Are Outraged Over This Bloomingdale's Ad". attn.com. Archived from the original on 13 November 2017.
- ^ "Bloomingdale's eggnog ad is everything wrong with the way we approach sex". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 2017-02-23. Retrieved 2017-04-30.
- ^ Agnew. p. xix.
- ^ Agnew. p. xviii.
- ^ Agnew. p. 5.
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- ^ Fakuade, Melinda (2019-12-13). "Eggnog, the holiday season's most divisive drink, explained". Vox. Archived from the original on 2019-12-16. Retrieved 2019-12-16.
Cited books
- Agnew, James B. (1979). Eggnog Riot. San Rafael, CA: Presidio Press. ISBN 0-89141-036-8
Further reading
- Rombauer, Irma S. and Marion Rombauer Becker (1931 [1964]) The Joy of Cooking, pp 48, 50. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill. ISBN 0-452-25665-8.