Here's What George Washington Put In His Eggnog
With the holiday just around the corner and snow flurries possibly making an appearance in the air depending on where you live, nothing is quite as classic as a glass of eggnog to bring in the holiday spirit. According to The Fact Site, more than 135 million pounds of eggnog are consumed each year, and if you're now of those who enjoy this thick and creamy holiday beverage, you may be looking for a revamp of your recipe.
Made from milk, egg yolks, rum, and spices, eggnog has a long history of being a traditional holiday concoction. With its first origins in America dating back to the 18th century, eggnog has been served with various additions, including cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla, and even served warm (via Insider). Since then, many recipes have been put out there, including our old-fashioned eggnog recipe and the eggnog for one concoction. But with it being as popular of a drink back then as it is now, it's assumed that many important people throughout history also sipped on the drink. Most notably, the first president of the United States, George Washington, was known for his eggnog recipe with guests.
An eggnog with extra alcohol
Because eggnog was popular among the American colonies, George Washington used eggnog as a classic beverage served to his guests. According to Kitchen Records (via PBS), The first U.S. president would serve an "eggnog-like drink" to his visitors at Mount Vernon. To make it that much more special, Washington would add the likes of sherry, rum, and rye whiskey to the eggnog, all of which weren't easy to come by and were quite expensive.
According to the Almanac, the famed eggnog recipe was first shown as a hand-written recipe by the president. After more investigation though, it's not certain that it was for sure connected to Washington, as it wasn't directly found in any of Washington's estate papers or cookbooks. It's a true 19th-century recipe though, which is believed to have been passed down by generations before Washington would have used it to make it himself.
If you're wanting to try a classic American take on your eggnog recipe this holiday season, consider trying your eggnog George Washington style. You can find the recipe here, but if it's too complicated for your taste, you can always whip up this easy eggnog recipe.