Though its origins are still disputed, one thing is certain: eggnog is one of the most recognisable holiday drinks there is. It can be enjoyed anytime you’re after a sweet ’n’ spicy dessert-style cocktail treat, so don't feel like you have to wait for Christmas to roll around either.
Eggnog is, admittedly, a somewhat strange creation. Egg, milk, cream and...rum? But don’t be put off – it really does have a certain charm about it. It’s thought that Eggnog was created in Europe, perhaps as early as the 13th century, with sherry eventually becoming the spirit base. It was drunk by the upper-class to toast good health and good fortune, then exported to the Americas with the British colonists. Given rum was so widespread in the Caribbean, it became the Americas’ go-to spirit for a batch of Eggnog.
Want to know just how popular Eggnog became? George Washington is said to have had his own recipe, which combined brandy, rye whiskey, rum and sherry with cream, milk and a dozen eggs. Safe to say, ours is a little less intense. The recipe differed from region to region, too, with southern states preferring whiskey to rum, while Peruvians took to adding the local pisco to their concoction.
