Dairy fat is one of my favorite food groups, so of course my special holiday drink is eggnog.  I like it in any form: pre-made; adult version pre-made with whisky, rum, and brandy; and my all-time favorite: homemade eggnog.  Adding freshly grated nutmeg brightens any glass of eggnog, pre-made or homemade.  Serve a bowl of this eggnog to make anyone feel special – it’s delicious!

Eggnog from Gourmet December 2003

• 3 cups whole milk
• 7 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/3 cup bourbon
• 1/3 cup Cognac or other brandy
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• garnish:  freshly grated nutmeg

Bring milk just to boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan.  Whisk together eggs and sugar in a large bowl, then add hot milk in a slow stream, whisking.  Pour mixture into saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until mixture registers 170 degrees on thermometer, 6 to 7 minutes.  Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into cleaned large bowl and stir in cream, bourbon, brandy, and vanilla.  Cool completely, uncovered, then chill, covered until cold, at least 3 hours and up to 24.  Cooks’ note:  Flavor of eggnog improves when it is made a day ahead to allow alcohol to mellow.  Makes about 6  cups.  Cheers!

I never had a special holiday drink, but in the past two years I have been consistently making hot buttered rums.  They are a drink I always heard about during the holidays but never throught to attempt myself.  Now I have made them enough to know what proportion of ingredients I like.  I also had a hot buttered rum made with a mix at a friend’s house recently (thanks, Jenn!) that was really good. She added a dark rum that had molasses in it, and that gave the drink a delicious flavor.  This is a nice cocktail to enjoy in front of a fire on cold winter nights!  This is the recipe I have been using, but definitely play around with amounts to suit your own tastes.