Spiked or Not

There is good reason why rich and delicious eggnog is limited to being served-up only during the holiday season. Is it possibly the caloric intake, or is it just reason to reserve it to be one of those nostalgic beverages you look forward to toasting with each and every year? May be a bit of both. One thing is for sure, if I am toasting with it, it might as well be spiked! Cheers.

Traditional Eggnog 

Recipe by Chef George Hirsch

Makes 4 Servings

6 egg yolks, save the whites *see below
2 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup bourbon, or rum 
1/4 brandy
1/2 cup pure cane sugar, or Turbinado
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon fresh grated orange rind

Using a mixer with a whip attachment on medium speed; whip the egg yolks until light in color, about 4-5 minutes. Add sugar and mix until completely dissolved. Set aside.

In double boiler, combine the milk, heavy cream, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, orange rind and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and combine, while tempering the hot milk-cream mixture into the egg-sugar mixture.

Return all ingredients to double boiler and heat constantly stirring with a spatula until the mixture reaches 160 degrees (well below simmer), eggnog begins to resemble custard.

Remove from the heat, stir in the bourbon, and brandy. Pour into a bowl, cool and refrigerate for at least two-four hours. Best if refrigerated overnight.

Serve in cups with a shaved chocolate, or unsweetened cocoa powder dusted on top.

Optional Toppings: with a dollop of *meringue (made from all the left over egg whites), or ice cream, or whipped cream.

Bonnat

Origin, Circa 1884 Southeastern France. The Bonnat Family are fourth generation chocolatiers, not milliners. Bonnat is French for cap. Their family tradition has spanned many lifetimes dedicated to the excellence of making something so simple, but gives so many people pleasure all around the globe. The very part of the process that makes their chocolates so special is going the extent of importing the very best cocoa beans and roasting them themselves in their factory; such as in the Java Bar - the best java beans are imported from Indonesia for this velvety smooth bar. Their dark roasted flavors go hand-in-hand, much in the same way a well made pot of french coffee is made.

Tunes For Ripening

Want to taste sweeter fruit? In July, the Hyogo Prefecture-based fruit company Toyoka Chuo Seika shipped out its first batch of "Mozart Bananas" to supermarkets in the local area. What does that mean? Unripened bananas were exposed to "String Quartet 17" and "Piano Concerto 5 in D major," -  among other works; playing continuously for one week in their ripening chamber. The result, sales are up on these sweeter, tastier bananas; so apparently the consumers agree. This works for tomatoes too.

Four Stuffings

I often ask people what part of Thanksgiving's meal they like the best - you'd be surprised how many people say the stuffing and the sides. Here's my favorite sausage stuffing recipe. I put a lot of love in to this recipe every year and those family members reaching for seconds are living proof. Stay tuned more sides tomorrow.

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13 EPISODES on 4 HD-DVD Disk Set, season one
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