Baltimore Egg Nogg
The festive nog, with Madeira.
A rich, velvety eggnog in which cognac and dark rum are joined by Madeira, bringing notes of dried fruit and caramel. Egg, milk and cream make it creamy, while nutmeg adds fragrance.
- After dinner
- Shaken
- Glass
- Wine glass
- Method
- Shaken
- Strength
- Medium
- Time
- 4 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Ice
- No ice
Ingredients
Measures for 1 serving
-
Cognac
30 ml
-
Jamaican rum
30 ml
-
Madeira
15 ml
-
Whole egg
1
-
Simple syrup
15 ml
-
Cream
15 ml
-
Whole milk
15 ml
Garnish
- Grated nutmeg
Proportions
How to make
- Chill a wine glass.
- Pour the cognac into the shaker.
- Add the dark rum.
- Add the Madeira.
- Add the whole egg.
- Add the sugar syrup.
- Add the cream.
- Add the milk.
- Shake hard with ice.
- Fine strain into the chilled glass.
- Dust with grated nutmeg.
The story
Origins
DocumentedOrigin attested by written sources of the time.
The Baltimore Egg Nogg first appears in print in 1862, in Jerry Thomas's celebrated manual How to Mix Drinks, or The Bon-Vivant's Companion, regarded as the first mixology book published in the United States. The original recipe served a party of fifteen: yolks beaten with sugar, nutmeg, brandy or Jamaica rum, Madeira, stiffly beaten whites and milk. Madeira, a wine much loved in America at the time, is what sets it apart from other eggnogs. Who created it is unknown; the name suggests a link to Baltimore, where by tradition young men called on friends on New Year's Day, toasting with eggnog at every house.
Sources (4)
- Art Institute of Chicago, Art and Appetite — Baltimore Egg Nogg (opens in a new tab) recipe and history
- Tuxedo No.2 — Baltimore Eggnog (opens in a new tab) recipe and history
- Difford's Guide — Baltimore Eggnog (opens in a new tab) recipe
- Library of Congress Blog — Lift a Glass to Holiday Drinks Gone By (opens in a new tab) history
Taste profile
- Creamy
- 5 out of 5
- Sweet
- 3 out of 5
- Strong
- 3 out of 5
- Spicy
- 2 out of 5