Eggnog: We Never Said It Was Health Food

MET’s David Tomov-Strock whips up a batch of the creamy cocktail

In the video above, David Tomov-Strock whips up a batch of eggnog from scratch.

December 19, 2013
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Eggnog, the rich, egg and cream–based beverage that flows from store-bought cartons like lava, has become as much a holiday tradition as Yule logs and ugly Santa sweaters.

Where did it come from? “Most culinary anthropologists believe modern eggnog descended from a thick, boozy, late-medieval concoction called posset that was composed of hot milk and hooch enhanced with whatever spice the lord of the castle had on hand,” the celebrity chef Alton Brown explains on the website mental_floss. “Egg-based drinks found new popularity in the American colonies, where nearly everyone had access to cows, chickens, and rum.”

These days, you don’t need a barnyard full of animals to enjoy eggnog. And you don’t have to settle for the store-bought brands, says David Tomov-Strock (CAS’03, MET’13), who teaches Metropolitan College’s Cooking Up Culture Program for children. Instead, you can whip up your own batch. Tomov-Strock’s recipe calls for eggs, sugar, milk, and heavy cream, along with rye whiskey, cognac, and orange liqueur. (The alcohol is optional.) The cocktail is finished off with a dusting of fresh nutmeg.

“So much better than what you can find at the supermarket,” he says.

Download the recipe here.

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  • Cindy Buccini

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    Cindy Buccini is editor of Bostonia, Boston University’s alumni magazine, and alumni publications. Before joining the BU staff in 2001, she was a local newspaper reporter for many years and was communications coordinator for the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education. She earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in science journalism, both from BU.  Profile

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There are 7 comments on Eggnog: We Never Said It Was Health Food

  1. Thanks for the article and video to raise awareness of this important beverage. I have been making eggnog from scratch based on a Fannie Farmer cookbook recipe since the early 1980s. That cookbook’s recipe (11th Edition, ~1960s) is a little different than the recipe from the video and recent Fannie Farmer editions, but with the same delicious result.
    When I serve this to newcomers at our annual Christmas party (repeat guests are in the know) their eyes open wide and the say ‘wow, I didn’t know you could make eggnog at home!’ Once you’ve had homemade, the thick, overly sweet, guar gum and maltodextrin/starch -infused stuff from a carton at the supermarket is hard to bear!!
    Happy New Year!

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    1. Hi Kyle,

      I understand that people have concerns about using raw eggs, and using pasteurized eggs is certainly an option to help allay those concerns.

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    2. There’s enough alcohol in the original Fannie Farmer recipe to kill off anything. HOWEVER it’s also why being “aged” in the fridge is important as it gives the booze time to work its magic. You can’t use “Eggbeaters” and expect the recipe to turn out as intended

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