My favorite eggnog recipe

As I was growing up, if I had eggnog at all, it was that pitiful, thin stuff that supermarkets sell to unsuspecting shoppers at Christmas time. It wasn't until I was old enough to drink that my parents allowed me to sample the batch Dad always made for their annual Christmas Eve open house. Dad's recipe is pretty good. He started with the recipe from a Rumford cookbook. I think it was either The Rumford Company Cookbook or Rumford Complete Cookbook. Dad tweaked the recipe annually until he had to watch his weight. Now he makes a light version that's much better than store bought but nowhere near as good as my favorite eggnog recipe.

The best eggnog in the world is made according to the "Eggnog in Quantity" recipe in Joy of Cooking. Rombauer and Becker should be both beatified and knighted for this recipe. The stuff is thick and sweet and stealthily potent. It will ruin you for other eggnogs.

Here is the recipe, reproduced without the permission of the authors or Scribner, the publisher. It's copyright (c) 1995 Scribner, New York, NY.

Beat separately until light in color:

12 egg yolks

Beat in gradually:

1 lb. confectioners' sugar

Add very slowly, beating constanty:

2 cups dark rum, brandy, bourbon or rye

These liquors may each form the basic ingredients of the nog or may be combined to taste. Let mixture stand covered for 1 hour to dispell the "eggy" taste. Add, beating constantly:

2 to 4 cups of liquor chosen

2 quarts whipping cream

(1 cup peach brandy)

Refrigerate covered for 3 hours. Beatuntil stiff but not dry:

8 to 12 egg whites

Fold them lightly into the other ingredients. Serve the eggnog sprinkled with:

Freshly grated nutmeg

I use dark rum for the liquor. Last year, I added a little peach brandy and it was nice. I think I prefer it without the brandy.