Baltimore Eggnog

When browsing cocktail recipes this holiday season, I kept stumbling upon Baltimore Eggnog. After doing a little bit of research, it seems that this drink originated in a Baltimore cookbook in the 1940s. I liked the sound of Gourmet magazine's recipe (and I also wanted to give a nod to a fallen magazine comrade). The eggnog sounds like it would be perfect (and quite potent) for a holiday party, or anytime during the winter. Hope you enjoy and happy holidays!

Ingredients:
2 dozen eggs
1 bottle (4/5 quart) brandy
1 pint Jamaican rum
2 pounds confectioners sugar
3 quarts whole sweet milk
1 quart heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Yield: 25 servings. Beat egg yolks until light and lemon colored. Add to the yolks the brandy, rum, confectioners sugar, milk, cream, and salt, beating slowly all the while during the adding of the ingredients, to allow the spirits to cook the egg yolks. Finally fold in the 24 egg whites, beaten stiff with grated nutmeg. Eggnog may be bottled, corked tightly, and kept in the refrigerator until wanted. If so kept, the fluffiness of the egg whites will diminish but this will not harm the flavor of the drink. (If worried about raw eggs, heat the yolks slowly on the stove with the cream to kill any potential bacteria.)

[Image: courtesy of gourmet.com]