A Nog Blog

Christmas is about tradition, and occasionally, a tradition starts and noone can remember its' beginnings. Serving eggnog at Christmas, when did that little hoiday libation get started? I'll have to do a bit of research on that one, but I am going to tell you about its' origins for me.

When I was just a little shaver, my mother taught me how to make eggnog from scratch. We'd mix several eggs with either milk or cream, add a little vanilla, and then some sugar. It would all be topped off with just a smidge of nutmeg or cinnamon. "Delightful", my mother would remark. Thus, my holiday tradition was set in motion. Whoever said it had to be served only during the holidays? I found the taste of eggnog so enjoyable, I'd mix it in a blender any time of year, probably when the spirit moved. Why egg nog? It simply tasted pretty darn good.

As the fear of salmonella poisoning grew, the concept of raw eggs in eggnog became too much to overcome. Commercial brands purchased at the grocery store, with their pasteurization and homogenized texture, seemed to appear in every dairy case, particularly at this time of year. Some are made with cream and others now boast the lite version. The smooth taste is to die for, and looking at the fat content, eggnog just might kill you. If you are trying to avoid the holiday weight gain, take "the nog" off the menu. "No way to that!", I say. It wouldn't be Christmas without this richly caloric treat.

So, as I think about this holiday tradition, sipping eggnog around the punch bowl, I find myself thirsting for a "noggin" of nog. So, filler' up please, because Christmas is almost over, and I'll be able to "resolve" any second thoughts I have about this very soon!