Learning to love eggnog

Updated: Dec 6, 2012 12:59 PM EST

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By Tim Mazurek

Being married to a food writer has its challenges: there are always dirty dishes to be done, daily trips to the grocery store, and you definitely do not get your fair share of kitchen time.

My husband, Bryan, solved this last problem by carving out his niche as our resident cocktail expert. It works out well: nobody mixes better drinks, and I never have to worry about what we'll drink when we entertain.

It especially comes in handy during the holidays, when he serves his famous eggnog to the endless delight of our friends.

This eggnog was the first cocktail Bryan ever made for me, early in the beginning of our relationship. I'm not sure if it was the weird name or the raw eggs, but I had generally steered clear of the famed Christmas punch before.

That changed after tasting Bryan's version, a spicy, creamy, and not too sweet adaptation of his dad's—I guess nog-making runs in their family. I like to think his dad learned it from Bryan's grandfather, but I don't want to ask and risk ruining the imagined legacy.

A staple at my in-laws' annual Christmas party, the eggnog is warm and comforting and has become an important part of the holidays at our house, too.

Bryan, being the modern mixologist that he is, infuses rum with nutmeg, which adds some nice warm undertones to the drink.

You need to start this recipe the day before you plan on serving it, but it's well worth the wait. And you can make it with either heavy cream or half and half, depending on how decadent you're feeling—I always vote for the heavy cream, since it is the holidays after all.

See the recipe for Nutmeg-Infused Eggnog »

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