The Year My Uncle Spiked The Eggnog

21 Dec

Making eggnog is a true labor of love. Separate the eggs and whip the whites until they form perfect peaks. Beating egg whites was always accompanied by the story of how my grandmother used to achieve perfection using only a fork and willpower. Her forearm must have rivaled an Olympic tennis player.

Nan on her 81st birthday wearing a wig because she hated her thinning hair. She lived just shy of 95.

Next came the heavy cream, again beat into submission. Vanilla, nutmeg, all came together in Mom’s glass punch bowl, used only for the heavenly concoction.

My grandfather wanted us to call him Uncle Ed at his workplace.

Christmas dinner brought family together. My grandmother and Jewish grandfather were long divorced, but that didn’t keep them from both showing up. My grandfather’s sister, Aunt Tillie was a favorite guest as well. Uncle Jack made a foursome and the folding table was brought out for a raucous game of poker, complete with trash talk and accusations of cheating.

Uncle Jack lived to be 100. His daily drink of Jack Daniel’s never slowed him down.

Mom proudly presented the “perfectly chilled” eggnog, high cholesterol in a glass. When no one was looking, my dear uncle brought out his flask and dumped the contents into the eggnog. Of course this meant that the children could not partake, not to mention that neither of my parents drank.

Mom and I dancing in my kitchen.

I’ve never seen my mother so angry, and that’s saying something. Lightening was flashing from her eyes. I think if she could have gotten away with it, there would have been a Christmas Murder that year. Ah, siblings.

I invite you to whip up this delectable treat. Feel free to empty your flask, but only in your own glass, please. You’ll never drink store-bought again.

DOS TORTAS

Lots of “folding” creates heaven in a glass.

7 Responses to “The Year My Uncle Spiked The Eggnog”

  1. LJones's avatar
    LJones December 21, 2025 at 12:45 pm #

    Dear Alex –
    You’ve done it again – a great and so very fun post! I love the recipe – hand written – and I feel like I’m “back there” again, when I was a child…how sweet. I love the photos…thank you for this precious blog post. Are you and Lisa and Alice celebrating ? We are in Oregon – rain and all – but kind of nice to be in our home with our cat and Christmas tree…

    Love to you three – and wishes for a merry holiday in beautiful Bacalar – Blessings, Lorrie

    Lorrie Jones

    Simple Serenity

    simpleserenity.comhttp://simpleserenity.com/

    253.312.3117

    Liked by 1 person

    • afish25's avatar
      afish25 December 21, 2025 at 2:22 pm #

      No celebration here. Been too sick.

      Like

    • afish25's avatar
      afish25 December 21, 2025 at 2:25 pm #

      Very low key this year. We’re not attached to Christmas. But happy happy to you and yours.

      Like

  2. Jack Scott's avatar
    Jack Scott December 22, 2025 at 4:24 am #

    Great family memories to be treasured. We’ve never had eggnog. Maybe we’ll give it a go, if we’re sober enough, that is! 😉

    Liked by 1 person

    • afish25's avatar
      afish25 December 22, 2025 at 3:09 pm #

      I’m ready to join you in a good slosh. My MIL went into the hospital yesterday. Never a dull moment.

      Like

  3. Emilie's avatar
    Emilie December 22, 2025 at 12:17 pm #

    What memories. No one ever spiked the eggnog in my house. Never even heard of it being spiked until I was an adult.

    Liked by 1 person

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