Advocaat

Advocaat(/ˈædvəkɑː/AD-və-kah,Dutch:[ɑtfoːˈkaːt]) oradvocatenborrelis a traditionalDutchalcoholic beveragemade fromeggs,sugar, andbrandy.The rich and creamy drink has a smooth,custard-like consistency. The typicalalcoholcontent is generally between 14% and 20%ABV. Its contents may be a blend ofegg yolks, aromaticspirits, sugar orhoney,brandy,vanilla, and sometimescream(orcondensed milk). Notable makers of advocaat include Warninks,Bols, Darna Ovo Liker,DeKuyper(in two varieties), andVerpoorten.
Two theories have been put out on the origins of "advocaat".
According to several makers, such as Verpoorten and Bols, and theOxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets, its origins can be traced back to "abacate", an alcoholic beverage of the indigenous people inBrazil, which was made withavocado. Dutch colonials of northern Brazil introduced this beverage toEuropeas "advocat/advocaat". As avocados could not grow in northern Europe, they were replaced with egg yolk, thought to have a similar taste and consistency, and the name derived from the avocado stuck, although the drink no longer contains any.
Advocaatis also the Dutch word for 'lawyer' in the sense of 'solicitor'. As the name of the drink, it is short foradvocatenborrel, or 'lawyers' drink'.Borrelis Dutch for a small alcoholic beverage (liqueur, brandy, etc. but not beer or wine) consumed slowly during a social gathering or an informal occasion where colleagues meet for light conversation with beer and wine. According to the 1882 edition of theWoordenboek der Nederlandsche taal('Dictionary of the Dutch Language'), it iszo genoemd als een goed smeersel voor de keel, en dus bijzonder dienstig geacht voor een advocaat, die in 't openbaar het woord moet voeren" ("so named as a good lubricant for the throat, and thus considered especially useful for a lawyer, who must speak in public").
In 1828, J.G. Cooymans started a distillery in downtown's-Hertogenbosch. There he developed the egg drink "advocaat."In 1876, the Antwerp distiller Eugen Verpoorten established a distillery inHeinsbergnearAachen,Germany, which made an egg liquor (EierlikörinGerman) using eggs, sugar, distilled alcohol, and other ingredients.
Jars and wide mouth bottles of thick advocaat are sold mainly in the Netherlands andBelgium, though may be available in Germany,Austria, andSouth Africa. Further exports are of a more liquid version.
In particular the original thick variety, i.e.,  withoutalbumen, is used as awaffle,pancakeorpoffertjestopping, as an ingredient inice cream, custards, pastries and similar desserts, or as anapéritif or digestif. The latter, possibly topped withwhipped creamand then occasionally sprinkled with a touch ofcocoa powder, is served in a very tinybowlor small glass from which it is eaten by use of ateaspoon. In Belgian restaurants and taverns, it may be a complementary accompaniment to a coffee.
In the export variety both parts of the eggs are used. A popular cocktail using advocaat is theSnowball: a mixture of advocaat, sparklinglemonadeand sometimes (although this is not required)lime juicethat is often consumed atChristmas time. Another is theFluffy duck, made withrum. Another advocaat-based beverage is theBombardino, a drink commonly found inItalianski resorts, particularly theItalian Alps, made by mixing advocaat, brandy, and whipped cream.
ThePolishequivalent,ajerkoniak(German:eier'eggs' and French:cognac), is based onvodkainstead of brandy, despite what the name may suggest.
RompopeofMexicoandsabajónofColombiaare very similar liqueurs based on egg yolk and vanilla. Some varieties have additional flavourings.