Eggnog Tasting + a Classic Recipe #FoodieExtravaganza

Foodie Extravaganza is where we celebrate obscure food holidays or cook and bake together with the same ingredient or theme each month.

Posting day for #FoodieExtravaganza is always the first Wednesday of each month. If you are a blogger and would like to join our group and blog along with us, come join our Facebook page Foodie Extravaganza. We would love to have you! If you're a spectator looking for delicious tid-bits check out our Foodie Extravaganza Pinterest Board! Looking for our previous parties? Check them out HERE.

Today we're celebrating eggnog with Nichole of Cookaholic Wife leading the charge.

Here's what the group created...

• Eggnog Cookies by Caroline’s Cooking 
• Eggnog Cheesecake by Karen’s Kitchen Stories 
• Heavenly Almond Cookies by Faith, Hope, Love & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice 
• Eggnog Tasting + A Classic Recipe by Culinary Adventures with Camilla 
• Eggnog Loaf by Passion Kneaded 
• Alcohol Free Eggnog by Sneha’s Recipes 
• Frosted Eggnog Cookies by A Day in the Life on the Farm 
• Cinnamon Streusel Eggnog Coffeecake by Food Lust People Love 
• Vegan Eggnog by Cookaholic Wife

My three boys - and, yes, I am including my husband in that category! - are nog-hounds. Well, technically what makes 'eggnog' is the alcohol. So, no, my minis aren't actually nog fanatics. But from the beginning of December until we can no longer find it in the store, we always have eggnog, the virgin kind, in the fridge.

Usually I'm not very discerning and will just pick whatever brand is available at the store in which I happen to be shopping. Actually, I have to admit that I've never paid too much attention to the brands.

So, when a trusted foodie friend told me that Bud's was the best, I went on the hunt specifically for that kind and I found it at Safeway.

Eggnog Tastings

The Kid-Friendly Tasting
Once I mentioned the theme for this month's #FoodieExtravaganza, the boys declared we should do a taste test, comparing all of the eggnogs they like. Done! They decided to exclude any non-dairy nogs such as those made with rice milk or almond milk And, yes, there's a ton of those, too. So, we poured and rated Bud's, Humboldt, Clover, and Straus which, they tell me have been favorites in years past.

When I posted photos of the tasting almost everyone in my circle declared that Bud's would be triumphant. Sadly, no. But read on to discover which one took the title in the Mann household.

We poured. We noted what D called 'glass appeal' (Oh, my goodness! Do you think that I've dragged that kid to too many wine tastings with me?!?). 

We tasted. We ranked based on spice, viscosity, sweetness, and best overall. 

We discussed. We tasted again. And, before falling into a major sugar coma, we crowned a winner.

 And the winner...wasn't Bud's! We decided that Humboldt Creamery's Organic Egg Nog was at the top of our list.

Just a couple of other comments...

Bud's had already been bumped down on the list based on the tasting alone, then my label readers started to read. Bud's was the only one of the four that included high fructose corn syrup and had the most amount of sugar per serving with 22 g. Yikes! But Bud's has the best color.

Straus had the best "gulpability," according to the nog gulpers! And it also had the most visible spices at the bottom of the glass.

Something in the Clover was reminiscent of maple syrup or caramel.

The Adults-Only Tasting
Then Jake and I decided to taste the different nogs, not as sippers but as mixers. I picked to mix them with a 21-year rum and a gingersnap liqueur.

Across the board, we both preferred the gingersnap liqueur to the rum. The rum seemed to overpower the nog in every instance except for the Bud's. A-ha. Maybe that's it: all my friends must use Bud's as a mixer for booze!

And, while we both picked SNAP as our booze of choice for nog, I liked it best with the Straus nog; Jake chose Clover as his favorite.

And with that little exercise done, I decided to make my own eggnog...from scratch. It's pretty easy.

Ingredients

• 8 large eggs, separated
• 1/4 C packed organic dark brown sugar
• pinch of fleur de sel
• 2 C organic heavy cream
• 2 C organic whole milk
• 1 C brandy
• 1 C rum 
• 1 T pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 organic granulated sugar
• freshly grated nutmeg

Procedure

Note: eggs are more easily beaten when they are at room temperature.

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, brown sugar, and salt until thickened and maple-syrup colored. It might take 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in the cream and milk, then the rum, brandy, and vanilla.

In another bowl, whip egg whites with a hand-blender until soft peaks form. This might take 2 minutes. Slowly add the granulated sugar and whip until the egg whites are glossy and form stiff peaks.

Fold the eggwhites into the booze mixture. Ladle portions into glasses - I used shot glasses for small servings - and sprinkle with nutmeg for garnish.