This holiday season, don’t settle for store-bought egg nog. Make your own, the way they used to in eighteenth-century North Carolina. We found this recipe in William Attmore’s Journal of a Tour to North Carolina, 1787 (James Sprunt Historical Publications vol. 17 no. 2., 1922, pp. 42-43):
Tuesday, December 25. This Morning according to North Carolina custom we had before Breakfast, a drink of EGG NOG, this compound is made in the following manner: In two clean Quart Bowls, were divided the Yolks and whites of five Eggs, the yolks & whites separated, the Yolks beat up with a Spoon, and mixt up with brown Sugar, the whites were whisk’d into Froth by a Straw Whisk till the Straw wou’d stand upright in it; when duly beat, the Yolks were put to the Froth; again beat a long time; then half a pint of Rum pour’d slowly into the mixture, the whole kept stirring the whole time till well incorporated.