Fall has just begun, and even colder weather will be here before we know it. For most of the country, that means a blanket of snow, holiday decorations, and fun holiday foods that are so good—and so rich—that we have to limit them to a few weeks a year to keep them special. Among them is eggnog, that smooth, creamy, nutmeggy treat that can be part of a woefully unbalanced breakfast or pack a punch at night.
You can always rely on a bottle of premade eggnog around the holidays, either grabbing a quart from your dairy case or picking up a powdered eggnog mix just as you might for your hot chocolate. However, for true ’nog enthusiasts, resorting to store-bought fare is as egregious as slicing up a tube of sugar cookie dough and passing it off as one’s own baking. It’s not true eggnog unless you make it yourself. The only question, then: Is it safe to make your own eggnog at home? Getting sick from homemade eggnog could ruin your holiday treat for life.
What’s the Problem?
Drawing its origins from the spiced milk punches of the British Isles, modern eggnog recipes are based on an emulsion of beaten egg yolks and heavy cream. That sounds delicious—but also fraught with peril. Sound the alarms: dairy and eggs are two food products that can go bad on you in a hurry. Raw eggs are some of the most common sources of salmonella poisoning, a malady that can leave victims dealing with diarrhea, nausea, cramping, and fatigue for days.
What About Alcohol?
Ethanol’s preservative qualities are well-known. That’s the reason why Europeans of the Middle Ages took to drinking beer over water—the alcohol content actually made it safer than plain water, which then contained all sorts of pathogens. A well-spiked eggnog—usually featuring brandy, rum, or both—should contain even more alcohol than beer.
That means that all those bacteria don’t stand a chance, right? Not necessarily. The alcohol that fortifies your eggnog can impede much of the bacterial growth from raw egg, but it’s no surefire way to kill off all the bacteria—and a full case of salmonellosis takes amazingly few salmonella.
What’s the Solution?
We love eggnog here, and we want you to enjoy it to the fullest this holiday season. Fortunately, there is a way to make eggnog to your liking without running afoul of diseases from fowl. Pasteurized eggs, which should appear alongside the normal eggs you usually purchase, have undergone treatment to kill off any salmonella that would ruin your holiday parties. It is safe to make your own eggnog at home if you rely on that world-changing process of pasteurization. You won’t even need alcohol to try to make it safe—but don’t let that stop you from adding it.
