Eggnog

Today marks my first post in December, and I think we can safely say that the Christmas season is well underway.

22 Days Until Christmas! 

Opinion is divided as to the deliciousness or lack thereof of eggnog, but everyone agrees that it's a culinary fixture of the Christmas season, right up there with gingerbread and fruitcake. Interestingly, however, Almanzo and the Wilder family drink eggnog in the heat of harvest-time. This excerpt from Farmer Boy, chapter 19 "Early Harvest" shows Almanzo's devotion to the beverage:

"...Mother met him on the back porch with the milk-pail, brimming full of cold egg-nog.
The egg-nog was made of milk and cream, with plenty of eggs and sugar. Its foamy top was freckled with spices, and pieces of ice floated in it. The sides of the pail were misty with cold.
Almanzo trudged slowly toward the hayfield with the heavy pail and a dipper. He thought to himself that the pail was too full, he might spill some of the egg-nog. Mother said waste was sinful. He was sure it would be sinful to waste a drop of that egg-nog. He should do something to save it. So he set down the pail, he dipped the dipper full, and he drank. The cold egg-nog slid smoothly down his throat, and it made him cool inside."

For the Wilder family, summer was probably the only time they could get eggnog, since the recipe required fresh eggs not available in the winter. However, in these modern times, we usually only see eggnog in stores during the holidays.

If you'd like to make your own eggnog, here's a recipe to try.  It contains raw eggs, but no alcohol, and seems much like the one Mother Wilder made for the men harvesting in the field.

Thanks for reading! Come back soon, if you're not too busy wrapping gifts and frosting Christmas cookies.
Elizabeth
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