Everyone knows that George Washington was one of the founding fathers, served as the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army and was the first President of the United States.
But what most people don't realize is that George Washington was a brewer, distiller, cocktail connoisseur and one of the original mixologists. As a matter of fact many of his recipes still survive today in their original hand written form.
One of his favorite and most popular, and most fitting for this time of year, is his Eggnog recipe. The recipe includes rye whiskey, rum, brandy and sherry and is rumored to have been "a stiff drink that only the most courageous were willing to try."
So here it is, George Washington's original Eggnog Recipe, are you "courageous" enough?
One quart cream, one quart milk , one dozen tablespoons sugar, one pint brandy, 1/2 pint rye whisky, 1/2 pint Jamaica rum, 1/4 pint sherry - mix liquor first, then separate yolks and whites of eggs, add sugar to beaten yolks, mix well.
Add milk and cream, slowly beating. Beat whites of eggs until stiff and fold slowly into mixture. Let set in cool place for several days. Taste frequently.
Washington failed to include the number of eggs, (guessing from the quantities of milk, cream, and liquor we estimate 1 dozen eggs), and there was only one type of milk at the time, whole. He also states to place the eggnog in a cool place for several days, we found that overnight in the refrigerator works just fine.