Eggnog was developed as an alcoholic drink for the English aristocracy—the only people who could afford the amount of milk and eggs required to make it—in the 1600s, but there is significant debate as to where its name came from. Some believe that it traces its roots to “nog,” a type of beer brewed in East Anglia, while others think it derives from the Middle English word “noggin”—a wooden mug used for alcohol.
During the mid-1700s, the drink made its way to the American colonies. Even George Washington was a fan, and his favorite recipe still survives today. It’s not for the faint-hearted, though: it includes a quart of cream, a quart of milk, 12 tablespoons of sugar, a pint of Brandy plus rye whiskey, Jamaican rum, and sherry.
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