Curious about the history of egg nog? Of course it’s a widely popular concoction that everyone wants to claim responsibility for, but was probably started out of a need, which usually means medicinal for the aristocracy. We have a lot of gratitude for the creative doctors that were tasked with caring for the idle rich… here’s some research done under the influence!

The origins, etymology, and even the ingredients used to make the original eggnog drink are debated. Modern eggnog typically consists of milk, sugar, nutmeg, and eggs. Frequently cream is substituted for some portion of the milk to make a much richer drink.

Eggnog, or a very similar drink, may have originated in East Anglia, England, though it may also have been developed from posset (a medieval European medicinal beverage made with hot milk, wine, eggs, and spices). An article by Nanna Rögnvaldsdóttir, an Icelandic food expert, states that the drink adopted the "nog" part of its name from the word "noggin", a Middle English term used to describe a small, wooden, carved mug used to serve alcohol. Another name for this British drink was Egg Flip. Yet another story is that the term derived from the name "egg-and-grog", a common Colonial term used to describe rum. Eventually the term was shortened to "egg'n'grog", then "eggnog".

The ingredients for the drink were too expensive and uncommon for the lower classes, but it was popular among the aristocracy. "You have to remember, the average Londoner rarely saw a glass of milk," says author and historian James Humes (To Humes It May Concern, July 1997). "There was no refrigeration, and the farms belonged to the big estates. Those who could get milk and eggs to make eggnog mixed it with brandy or Madeira or even sherry.”

The drink crossed the Atlantic to the English colonies during the 18th century. Since brandy and wine were heavily taxed, rum from the Triangular Trade with the Caribbean was a cost-effective substitute. The inexpensive liquor coupled with plentiful farm and dairy products helped the drink become very popular in America.

Cousins Tom & Jerry: In the 1820's Pierce Egan, a period author, wrote a book called "Life of London: or Days and Nights of Jerry Hawthorne and His Elegant Friend Corinthina Tom". To publicize his work Mr. Egan made up a variation of eggnog he called "Tom and Jerry". It added 1/2 oz of brandy to the basic recipe (fortifying it considerably and adding further to its popularity).

Recipe and video by Paula Deen, (Capricorn, but oh so Aquarius!)

Sources: Wikipedia.com, InDepthInfo.com, FoodNetwork.com