Eggnog is believed to derive from the medieval drink "posset," a warm, milky, British concoction made with wine or ale and spices. The recipe would evolve. Monks added eggs and figs to posset during the 13th century, bringing it closer to what we think of as eggnog today. But the beverage as we know it wouldn't take off as a holiday drink until reaching North America in the 1700s. With the abundance of chickens, cows and availability of cheaper rum, variations on the drink were a natural fit in the U.S., Mexico and Puerto Rico. The word itself is American and was introduced to the lexicon in a 1775 poem by a Maryland clergyman named Jonathan Boucher. George Washington was a fan. His recipe added whisky and sherry to the rum. Jazz composer Charles Mingus was partial to 151-proof rum, brandy and vanilla ice cream to keep it cold. If that sounds too jazzy, may we suggest the always smooth Maker's Mark?
