National Eggnog Day

National Eggnog Day is on December 24th in the United States.

It's not truly known when and where the drink eggnog originated. It may have come from East Anglia in England, or it may be descended from the medieval drink known as a posset, which was made with hot milk. It moved to the Americas in the 18th century.

Whilst many versions of this drink do contain alcohol, this is an optional extra, although spirits are the most usual ones used. The basic constituents of eggnog are eggs (not surprisingly), milk and /or cream and sugar. The eggs are supposed to be raw, although this is uncommon these days due to health reasons, and whipped to give it a frothy texture, and the finished drink is often garnished with spices, typically ground cinnamon or nutmeg. The drink is traditionally served warm.

This is a drink much associated with this time of year, both Thanksgiving and Christmas, in Canada and the United States. It can be drunk by itself, or added to other drinks, especially those which commonly have milk added, such as tea and coffee, and other foods.

National Egg Nog Month

December is National Egg Nog Month in the United States.

Egg nog, which is also spelled eggnog, as well as being known as egg milk punch, is a drink that is often associated with both winter and the Christmas period, which makes December an ideal month to be celebrating the drink.

The actual origins of egg nog, as well as the original ingredients, and even the meaning of the name are not known for certain. One suggestion is that it originated in East Anglia in the UK; another is that it may have been derived from the posset, a medieval European drink made with hot milk. The nog part of the name may be derived from noggin, which was a Middle English word for a type of small, carved wooden mug.

The drink is served chilled and has a frothy texture, which comes from the whipped eggs it contains. It also uses milk and/or cream as well as sugar. The drink is commonly spiced, with spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg. Although it doesn't have to be alcoholic, there are alcoholic versions which use such as brandy, whisky and rum.

In its truest form, the eggs used are supposed to be raw. In store bought egg nog, this is unlikely to be the case, as raw eggs can run afoul of food and drink regulations, so the eggs will either be cooked or be replaced. Even if it is made at home, it is still not necessarily a good idea to use raw eggs, due to problems that can come from such.