A Newcomer to Christmas Creates a Very Old Eggnog

I was 14 when on New Years day I found my 3 sisters, 10,6, and 4 years and brother 6 years old staggering around the kitchen roaring drunk at 6 am. They had snuck downstairs to get any leftovers from the party the night before. Way back in the bottom rear had been hidden a quart of eggnog with a cup of rum in it. Although outrageously funny, remember that the little ones can find anything, from hidden in the attic insulation guns go hidden in the bottom back run and eggnogs. Thank God there were four kids and no half gallon bottles of that delicious rum laced eggnog.

My eggnog doesn’t last long enough to age.

The year-old bottle of Rompope in my fridge thanks you for this column.

Every year before Christmas, I make George Washington's Eggnog. I serve it on New Year's Day. It is extraodinary. Everyone likes it....even people who say they don't like eggnog. Google the recipe. You'll start your own tradition. George would be proud.

I make the “ 1870 egg nog”,from a family recipe. I vividly remember my parents making it together in an huge old yellow bowl that I haul out at Christmas. We use a collection of silver baby cups to serve it. It is about the right amount for most people. I’m intrigued by Mr Goldfarb’s techniques and that he can keep it . Mine is a drink it now , not later. My mother always told me the whiskey killed any bacteria associated with raw eggs but that seemed crazy to me. Turns out to be true! Jack Daniels is a must. Smells like Christmas when you open that bottle.

Puerto Rico's version, COQUITO, uses coconut milk and cream, and white rum. Fabuloso.

I make aged eggnog every year the Friday after Thanksgiving. I got my recipe from Sun Liquor in Seattle, very similar to the one here. I’ve stored it as long as a year before drinking. I Think three months is the sweet spot. But at three weeks is really good too.

I love eggnog that it is not only my Christmas drink it is my very own drink for when i am in a relaxing a bad mood sometimes i get it from the store and sometimes i make my own

But does the aging of the eggnog make it probiotic? ;)

I very much enjoyed this article, Mr. Simonson. We make eggnog almost every year and are JUST NOW finishing the last of the 2014 "vintage". It just gets richer and more velvety with time. Don't be afraid to try it!

I enjoyed reading this article but was disappointed that there was a mention of, but no information about, vegan eggless avocado nog and spiced Mexican chocolate nog. Very intriguing. Would love information about these vegan nogs. Perhaps they are in the book referenced in the article?

My Texas Grandmother's recipe - she was born in the 1890s and I gather the recipe had been handed down from before that - began "Separate 12 dozen eggs." The hardest part must have been beating those egg whites 'til stiff by hand.

i*love* egg nog, even some of the store bought brands (Southern Comfort brand springs to mind, although it contains no alcohol). i am not a bourbon fan and one year decided to add a splash of amaretto to my egg nog! now that's my favorite... a bit of bailey's irish cream is also quite nice. tonight, i will head out to the corner store and get some egg nog... it's only available the day after thanksgiving until maybe two days after christmas -- and that's enough.

Glad to see Mr. Goldfarb reaching for Cooper & Kings American Brandy. C&K is a distillery here in Louisville and they make great stuff. Give their American Dry Gin a try if you can find it. It makes an excellent gin and soda. (It has lots of delicate floral flavors that can be a bit obscured by tonic. In my non-expert opinion.

I used to make aged eggnog every year and once drove from western NY to NYC with a large bowl of it in the back of the car. It is much better than the just made stuff but nowadays I don't want to think about Christmas before Thanksgiving to make it early enough. (I also have made real mincemeat with beef and tallow.)

love this story - thanks

um, EEEWW. Aged eggs?? Why not just stick with fresh?

Aged eggnog = Eierlikör in Germany, the drink of Omas and hipster alike!

I do not know whether Mr. Goldfarb's lack of familiarity with eggnog in his childhood might have been motivated by his family's adherence to the Judaic ritual rules of kashrut, but let it be remembered that no prohibitions of any kind of food are mentioned in the Ten Commandments. All such prohibitions are a later suprstructure created by theocratic theologians.