As a kid one of the biggest treats of the holiday season was the occasional drink of egg nog. So thick, creamy, sweet and laden with exotic spices, egg nog came from a carton, and I rued the end of the holidays when it left the stores.

As I became older and more conscious of foods, though, I became fearful of store-bought egg nog. Its third and fourth ingredients were high fructose corn syrup and just plain corn syrup, with artificial flavors, salt and something called carrageenan thrown in for good measure.  It’s unnatural viscosity started to seem creepy, and I stopped drinking it.



But this year, while working on some holiday cocktail recipes for a book, I discovered that all natural, homemade egg nog featuring local products is as easy to make as a Cosmopolitan. So fiendishly good, this nog tastes better than most things you’ll have in your life. And, naturally, it’s even better with a little booze. Or a lot. Try this recipe, and you’ll never spend money on egg nog again.



3 oz whole milk
3oz half and half
2 oz brandy
2 oz amber rum
2 egg yolk
6 teaspoons sugar
5 dashes cardamom
5 dashes nutmeg
ice
 
Combine all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Cover and shake vigorously for at least 10 seconds. Strain into two tumblers. Sprinkle nutmeg on top of each glass.
 
Serves 2