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So we don't get fat from drinking it year-round? To preserve its Christmasy charm? Those seem like good enough reasons to us. But we paid a visit to the Eggnog category in the Yahoo! Directory and searched on "eggnog history" to find a few details about this rich holiday drink. The origin of the name "eggnog" is unclear. Some sources say that "nog" is slang for rum or rum drinks, and others claim it's an old British word for strong ale. Still others say the "nog" comes from the word "noggin," which meant a small wood mug used at taverns. Put the egg drink in a small mug, and you get "eggnog." Perhaps it's a combination of these explanations. The name notwithstanding, the drink known now as eggnog is part of a long tradition of milk and alcohol punches that began in renaissance Europe. Before the advent of refrigeration, milk and eggs had to be eaten immediately or cooked before they spoiled. Mixing milk and eggs with brandy, Madeira wine, or sherry was a way to extend the life of these perishables. Such drinks were very popular among the upper classes. One precursor to eggnog is a hot British drink called posset, made of eggs, milk, and ale or wine. These eggy drinks immigrated to America early --
Captain John Smith reported that Jamestown settlers made eggnog in 1607. American colonists replaced ale or wine with rum, which was less expensive because it was imported from the nearby Caribbean. Even President George Washington was an eggnog fan and made his own hearty variety. The beverage was simply intended as a winter treat. In the 1800s, eggnog was considered a social drink and was made in large quantities for holiday parties. It was drunk through the winter, and, in Baltimore, young men would go from house to house to drink eggnog with friends on New Year's Day. But it was always common to toast to people's good health with
eggnog on Christmas Day, and it seems that this is the only part of eggnog's history we have left. Even the American Egg Board can't tell us why we only drink eggnog at Christmas.
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