Give a nod to eggnog

The rich holiday beverage seems to be infusing everything from lattes at Starbucks and ice cream at Baskin-Robbins to cocktails at just about every hip nightspot and the crème brulee served at Chicago's tony Four Seasons Hotel.

The continuing trend toward comfort food seems to be behind the renaissance.

"People like familiar ingredients," says Scott Gerken, the Four Seasons' new executive pastry chef. "As pastry chefs, we like to find a new edge, play around with favorite ingredients and create something that's a bit out of the norm."

Keeping generations-old family traditions alive in these high-tech times seems another driving factor.

"It's a holiday tradition with so many families," says Bob Renaut, president at North Aurora-based Oberweis Dairy.

Centuries ago early settlers brought eggnog recipes with them from Europe, where milk and wine punches were commonplace.

The first written account of this rich, creamy beverage on these shores relates a breakfast in February 1796 at Philadelphia's City Tavern, according to the Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America. Other sources cite George Washington as an eggnog fan who devised a potent mix with rum, rye whiskey and sherry.

Eggnog's popularity grew in colonial times and through the 1800s when it was made in large quantities as a social drink at holiday parties, according to the folks at Mount Gay Rum.

Despite fitness and nutrition gurus warning people off the drink that rings up high numbers in the calories, fat and cholesterol categories, people still are drinking eggnog.

According to University of Wisconsin data, eggnog sales nationwide in 2006 hit 131 million pounds; that's up from 2000's 93 million pounds, but down a bit from 2003's 134 million mark.

Those numbers are reflected locally at Oberweis Dairy. Renaut says they started eggnog production the last two weeks in October and expect to crank out 100,000 gallons this year for consumption in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Missouri, Kansas and Minnesota.

"Eggnog sales peak the week before Thanksgiving and the weeks of Christmas and just after Christmas," he says.

While stores carry a variety of manufactured eggnogs (see From the Food Editor, Page 4) that people can spike to their liking, making eggnog from scratch shows what cooks can do with a few common ingredients.

Traditional recipes call for mixing raw eggs with sugar and milk, a technique food-safety-savvy cooks shun. Instead, Four Seasons' Gerken suggests using pasteurized eggs or egg products or heating the eggs in a double boiler over hot (not boiling) water to kill potential salmonella spores. The American Egg Board says reaching a temperature of 160 degrees or holding food at 145 degrees for 3½ minutes will destroy the bacteria if it is present.

While rum and brandy are traditional add-ins, Four Seasons bartender Paul Murphy has other ideas. He mixes eggnog with coffee liqueur for his Ebenezer's Eggnog and encourages experimentation.

"I have these seven lawyers who do a pub crawl every year and they mix eggnog with rum and brandy," Murphy says. He says dark rum and spiced rum flavors hold their own next to eggnog's richness. He says vodka would be too bland a companion.

The editors at Midwest Living magazine introduced coffee and chocolate -- even orange and strawberry -- into the eggnog drinks highlighted in the November/December issue.

Eggnog innovations spill beyond the glass, finding a place in the aforementioned crème brulee, mousse and fudge -- items even those who aren't eggnog fans (yours truly included) can enjoy.

Sampling supermarket eggnogs

These days, few of us have time to make eggnog from scratch, but a holiday toast just wouldn't be the same without it.

Fortunately, a wide variety of nonalcoholic eggnogs on supermarket shelves are available. To find out which one is the most flavorful and worthy of your attention -- and your punch bowl -- we asked a group of panelists to evaluate seven store-bought eggnogs: Deans, Lucerne Light, Silk, our soy sample, Organic Valley, Horizon Low Fat, Southern Comfort Traditional and Oberweis. The cups were unlabeled so participants did not know which eggnog they were sampling.

Dean's ($2 a quart) was the all-around winner with panelists noting its familiar taste, "like the eggnog I know." Oberweis' eggnog ($3.25 a quart), the highest in fat grams and calories but lowest in sodium, came in second with our testers appreciating the mouth feel and balance of spices in the nog. Organic Valley ($4.95 a quart) took third with Horizon ($2.99 a quart), a surprisingly tasty low-fat option, trailing by just a few points.

Tasters reported Southern Comfort ($3.69 a quart) had "a chemical taste" attributed to the strong mix of spices, and as for Silk ($2.69 a quart), they considered the flavor "uninspiring" and the body not resembling true eggnog.

Eggnog Fudge

½ cup (1 stick) butter

¾ cup eggnog

2 cups sugar

10 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow creme

1 cup chopped pecans,

1 teaspoon rum or rum extract

In heavy saucepan, combine butter, eggnog and sugar. Bring to a full rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.

Reduce heat to medium, and continue to boil, stirring frequently, 8-10 minutes, or until mixture reaches 234 degrees (soft ball stage).

Remove from heat; add chocolate and nutmeg; stir until smooth. Add marshmallow creme, pecans and rum; mix well. Pour mixture into 9-inch square pan lined with buttered foil. Cool completely; cut into 1½-inch squares. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Makes 3 dozen.

Nutrition values per serving: 140 calories, 8 g fat ( 4 g saturated),19 g carbohydrates, 0 fiber, 1 g protein, 10 mg cholesterol, 15 mg sodium.

America's Dairy Farmers

Eggnog Coupe de Milieu

2 medium eggs

1 cup heavy cream

cup sugar

Pinch ground cinnamon

½ cup Southern Comfort

teaspoon vanilla extract

Grated nutmeg, for garnish

Bring about an inch of water to a simmer in the bottom half of a double boiler.

While the water heats, in the top half of the boiler combine the eggs, heavy cream, sugar and cinnamon. Place the top half over the simmering water and whisk until thick and frothy, about 6-8 minutes.

Pour the mixture through a mesh strained into a bowl. Refrigerate until chilled like custard, about 2 hours. When cold, whisk in the Southern Comfort and vanilla. Divide among chilled shot glasses and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.

Serves six to eight.

Nutrition values per serving: 180 calories, 14 g fat (8 g saturated), 4 g carbohydrates, 0 fiber, 2 g protein, 100 mg cholesterol, 30 mg sodium.

"In the Land of Cocktails" by Ti Adelaide Martin and Lally Brennan

(2007 William Morrow, $19.95)

Eggnog Pots de Crème

4 egg yolks

3 eggs

5 ounces (a little more than ¿ cup) granulated sugar

3¼ cups of half and half

3 tablespoons brandy

½ teaspoon nutmeg

1 vanilla bean

Heat oven to 300 degrees. Put 12 5-ounce ramekins in one or two high-sided baking pans.

Combine yolks and eggs in a large bowl; whisk until well combined.

In a sauce pan over medium heat; mix half and half with sugar and nutmeg. Split vanilla bean in half lengthwise, scraping seeds into the mixture. Heat mixture to a simmer. Remove from heat and add eggs; add brandy and blend until incorporated. Strain in a chinois or fine mesh strainer; discard any solids.

Pour mixture evenly into ramekins. Pour water into the larger pan so it comes up about half-way up the ramekins. Bake 30-45 minutes or until custard is set. Chill and serve with gingerbread cookies and whipped cream .

Serves 12.

Nutrition values per serving: 170 calories, 10 g fat (6 g saturated), 15 g carbohydrates, 0 fiber, 4 g protein, 145 mg cholesterol, 45 mg sodium.

Pastry chef Scott Gerken, Four Season's Hotel, Chicago

Ebenezer's Eggnog

2 ounces coffee-flavored liqueur

1 ounce egg nog

Splash of lemon juice

Add ice to a martini shaker and pour ingredients in. Shake well and pour ice cold drink into a martini glass. Garnish with a sprinkling of nutmeg.

Serves one.

Paul Murphy, Season's Bar at the Four

Seasons, Chicago

Chocolate Eggnog Deluxe

¾ cup granulated sugar

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 eggs, lightly beaten

3 egg yolks, lightly beaten

1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk

2 pieces, 3 inches each, stick cinnamon

1 cup whipping cream

¼ cup port wine or Madeira

¼ cup brandy, cognac or rum

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Whipped cream

Chocolate shavings or chocolate sprinkles

Peppermint sticks

In a heavy large saucepan, stir together sugar and cocoa powder. Stir in eggs, egg yolks, evaporated milk and stick cinnamon. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until mixture thickens slightly and an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees; do not let boil. Remove from heat.

Place the pan in a sink or bowl of ice water and stir for 2 minutes. Remove stick cinnamon; discard. Whisk in whipping cream, port wine, brandy and vanilla. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours before serving (mixture will thicken a little more upon chilling).

Garnish each serving of nog with a dollop of whipped cream and top with chocolate shavings and/or chocolate sprinkles. Add a peppermint stick for stirring and to add flavor, if you like.

Serves eight.

Variation: For a nonalcoholic version, prepare recipe as directed, except omit the port wine and brandy, and substitute ½ cup milk.

Nutrition values per serving: 339 calories, 19 g fat, 28 g carbohydrates, 0 fiber, 8 g protein, 211 mg cholesterol, 91 mg sodium.

Midwest Living, November/December 2007

Holiday Orange Eggnog Punch

6 egg yolks, lightly beaten

2 cups whole milk

½ cup sugar

1 can (6 ounces) frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

3 ounces (half a 6-ounce can for ½ cup) frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 quart French vanilla or vanilla ice cream

1 bottle (28 ounces) lemon-lime carbonated beverage or ginger ale, chilled

Ground nutmeg or grated white chocolate and orange peel twists (optional)

In a heavy medium saucepan, mix egg yolks, milk and sugar. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture just coats a metal spoon; do not let boil. (Should take 20 minutes and register 165 degrees on instant-read thermometer.) Remove from heat.

Place pan in a sink or bowl of ice water and stir 2 minutes. Stir in thawed concentrates and vanilla. Cover and chill for 4-24 hours.

Just before serving, cut ice cream in small chunks or scoops; put in a punch bowl. Slowly pour lemon-lime carbonated beverage over ice cream. Stir in chilled egg mixture. If you like, sprinkle with nutmeg or top with grated white chocolate and an orange peel twist.

Serves 22.

Variation: For Strawberry Eggnog, prepare as above, except omit the frozen lemonade concentrate. Substitute 2 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened strawberries. If using fresh strawberries, remove stems and caps. For frozen strawberries, thaw after measuring; do not drain.

In a blender or food processor, add strawberries. Cover and blend or process until smooth. Set a fine mesh sieve over a bowl. Strain strawberries through the sieve; discard the seeds. Stir orange juice concentrate, strawberry puree and vanilla into egg mixture. Complete as directed.

If you like, substitute strawberry ice cream for the vanilla ice cream. Garnish each glass rim with a whole strawberry that's been split lengthwise.

Nutrition values per serving: 146 calories, 6 g fat, 20 g carbohydrates, 0 fiber, 3 g protein, 83 mg cholesterol, 35 mg sodium.

Midwest Living, November/December 2007

Mexican Eggnog -- Rompope

2 quarts milk

1 canela stick (4-inch)

1 can condensed milk (14 oz)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract (preferably Mexican)

5 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup aguardiente (cane liquor) or 96-proof grain alcohol or vodka

5 drops yellow food coloring (optional)

Pour the fresh milk into a medium heavy saucepan, add the canela, and bring to a boil over medium heat, watching to keep it from boiling over. (Sticking a spoon in it sometimes does the trick.) Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.

Remove and discard the canela. Add the condensed milk, vanilla extract and egg yolks; whisk to combine thoroughly. Add the liquor now for a milder eggnog. If desired, whisk in the food coloring; rompope is supposed to be a rich yellow.

Set the pan over medium-low heat. Stirring constantly, heat it to just below the boil and cook until it thickens to the consistency of a thin cream soup, 3-5 minutes. Watch carefully, because it will curdle if allowed to reach a full boil. Remove from the heat and let cool somewhat, stirring occasionally. For eggnog with a kick, stir in the liquor at this point. Strain into a punch bowl or serving pitcher. Serve chilled.

Makes about 3¾ quarts.

Cook's note: Canela is a spice similar to cinnamon. It is soft and flaky. Look for it where Hispanic foods are sold.

Nutrition values per serving: 220 calories, 7 g fat (3.5 g saturated), 21 g carbohydrates, 0 fiber, 8 g protein, 90 mg cholesterol, 110 mg sodium.

"Zarela's Veracruz" by Zarela Martinez (2001 Houghton Mifflin)

Mexican Eggnog Mousse

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin

½ cup cold water

¾ cup Mexican eggnog, (with the liquor added before the combined mixture is cooked), recipe AT RIGHT

1 cup Mexican crema or sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract, preferably Mexican

2 teaspoons dark rum

Lightly oil a 1-quart mold. In a small saucepan, soften the gelatin in the water for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, stir together all the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Set the saucepan over very low heat, stirring constantly, until the gelatin is completely dissolved, about 2 minutes. Add it to the eggnog mixture, stirring to mix thoroughly. Pour the mixture into the mold and chill until completely set, at least 3 hours or (preferably) overnight. It will hold for up to 3 days.

To unmold, carefully dip the mold into very warm (not hot) water for about 1 minute, making sure not to let any water leak in. Run a thin-bladed knife around the rim; place a platter or plate on top. Invert the mold onto it, remove the mold, and serve.

Serves six to eight.

Nutrition values per serving: 120 calories, 7 g fat (4.5 g saturated), 5 g carbohydrates, 0 g fiber, 4 g protein, 60 mg cholesterol, 25 mg sodium.

"Zarela's Veracruz" by Zarela Martinez (2001 Houghton Mifflin)