by Will on December 30, 2012
Eggnog is probably the best nog there is. Unfortunately, it is only tolerated during advent, because of its traditional connection to Christmas. After that, though, and for the rest of the year, the Bureau of Tobacco and Firearms round it up and destroy it. Perhaps one day there will be a ballot proposition that will change this, but for now it’s the reality we’re stuck with.
Luckily, there is still a way to enjoy eggnog outside of the holiday season: make your own! Here is one of the many eggnog recipes out there:
4 eggs, separated
1/2 cup superfine sugar
1/3 quart whole milk
1/2 quart heavy cream
Bourbon, rum, or brandy
Freshly grated nutmeg
You separate the yolks from the eggwhites. Then you beat the eggwhites until they’re thick and mix in the milk and cream. Meanwhile, add the sugar to the yolks and whisk them. Then, add it all together and beat it stiff. Then combine the frothy concoction with a shot or so of your liquor of choice. Sprinkle the nutmeg on top.
Cheers!
by Jen on September 30, 2011
Maybe I shouldn’t call this drink a disaster. I’m not much of a rum fan, so it was unlikely that I’d like it from the get go. But I’ve been hanging out with some new friends who prefer rum, so I decided to give it a go.
We acquired some Meyer’s Dark Rum awhile ago to provide to those friends of ours who prefer rum. I have very fond memories of Meyer’s Dark Rum, as it was the bottle that was dark enough for me to steal out of without Mom and Dad’s noticing back when I was in high school. I’m pretty sure I filled it back up with water. Luckily for me, Mom and Dad weren’t rum fans either, so it went unnoticed (or so I believe…).
My friend Brian suggested that Meyer’s Dark Rum and orange juice is a classic cocktail. We didn’t have orange juice, but we did have some of Trader Joe’s Sparkling Clementine beverage. I love that beverage. It’s great with champagne for a twist on the mimosa.
So we gave it a try. I poured an ounce of Meyer’s Dark Rum over ice and added Sparkling Clementine beverage to fill the glass (probably a 3 to 1 ratio). My compatriots Aimee and Brian — the rum fans — raved, but I choked it down out of polite necessity.
Rum fans, have at it. The rest of us will keep our Meyer’s in the pantry for teenage girls to smuggle.
by Will on November 11, 2010
Holiday cheer!
1 1/2 0z. white rum
3 oz. or so warm apple cider
Stir together, serve in a mug with a cinnamon stick or vanilla bean as a garnish.
This cocktail provides comfort in cold weather. Salut!
by Will on October 13, 2010
I did a bartending gig this evening. It was enjoyable and interesting. The degree to which people’s behavior towards me is different depending on the role I occupy has always intrigued me. The most popular order today, after the Margarita, was the mojito. It’s a pretty good drink.
1 oz. white rum
1 oz. fresh lime juice
1 oz. sugar
fresh mint, several sprigs
Put the mint at the bottom of an old-fashioned or highball class, pour the sugar on top of it, and pour the lime on top of the sugar. Muddle these ingredients until the sugar is well dissolved, and mint well crushed. Now add the rum and some ice. Garnish with lime.
Whatever you do, do not buy the “mojito mix” that is sold at the store. That stuff is crap. Using real lime juice and real sugar makes a much better drink.
This drink seems to be a traditional beverage out of Cuba. It seems that for a very long time, it has been what field workers there drink during their breaks, to fight off the heat. And indeed, it’s good as a coolant. Today was a hot day, and I think that’s one reason so many people wanted this drink specifically. It’s interesting that what works for a thirsty Cuban field hand in 1893 also works for a thirsty middle-class party-goer in San Leandro in 2010.
Just to be tiresome, I want to note that this drink is interesting in that it is both a sour and a bittered drink. It follows the “sour” recipe (a spirit, with equal parts sweetener and citric acid) and also the “bitter” recipe (a spirit, with both a sweetener and a bitter). The mint here is playing the role of a bitter. It is interesting to taste something that interacts at once with both the sour and bitter receptors on the tongue.
