There’s no drink that embodies the holiday season like eggnog. Its annual cameo on coffee shop menus and grocery store shelves is a sign that it’s once again time to toast to the end of the year with a glass of this traditional drink.
At Jedediah Hawkins Inn, a boutique hotel and restaurant in Jamesport, Manager Colin Keillor serves guests a particularly special eggnog around Christmastime — one that’s made from a recipe passed down to him by his nonna. During the holidays, his nonna would make two batches of eggnog: a kid-friendly version for the grandchildren and a boozy version for the adults.
“It’s a bit of a mystery where the recipe came from,” he explained. “Nonna was secretive about her recipes.”
Inspired by Colin’s nonna’s recipe, we made a local version of her sweet and creamy eggnog.
For the base, we used Ty Llwyd Farm’s fresh brown eggs and raw cow’s milk, which has a creamier taste than pasteurized milk. Located in Riverhead, Ty Llwyd Farm is the North Fork’s only producer of raw, unpasteurized milk. Farmers in New York are legally required to sell raw milk within a day of bottling it, so this milk is about as fresh as it gets. To make it boozy, we added Long Island Spirit’s Rough Rider Bourbon.
To an eggnog purist, Nonna’s recipe may cause a bit of controversy. While eggnog traditionally has a hint of nutmeg in it, Nonna was adamant about not adding the spice to her recipe. We’ll let you decide.
Colin’s Nonna’s Eggnog Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 Ty Llwyd Farm's fresh brown eggs
- 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 quart Ty Llwyd Farm's raw cows milk
- 1/2 quart half & half
- 1/2 tsp Bourbon vanilla extract
- LI Spirit's Rough Rider Straight Bourbon Whisky (to taste)
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg (optional)
Directions
- Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat egg whites until they're stiff.
- Add 1/2 cup of the sugar to the stiffened egg whites. Continue to beat until it's dissolved.
- In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks and add the rest of the sugar. Continue to beat until it's dissolved.
- Blend the yokes and stiffened egg whites together.
- Add half & half, milk, and vanilla extract to the mixture and stir.
- For a spiked eggnog, add bourbon or a liquor of your choice.
- Chill in the refrigerator until serving time. Enjoy!
