Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-23

Recipe From Southern Gentleman
of the Old school.

| Kept up in England, and observed, though
not exactly in the old way. In this country
! 1t has been more of a southern than a
northern festival, but the observance seems
| to be on the increase of late years every
Where. even in this city. where the ee-
ments of the population are SO differently
compounded and blended as to make it
really cosmopolitan capital II you hap
pen TO forget that Christmas is coming your
wife or your children the darkes will
inform Hou and you will feel that some
thing is due them for this Information. Or.
IL you walk on any OF the principal busi-
ness streets, the usual thrung in the
stores will challenge your attention Now
this giving OF Christmas presents has been
Loi t"ehl! or thirty years on the increase,
with or without prosperity. People clamor
Tor more holidays, cakes and all.
Ihis surrender for a space to homeIy joys
fanny reunions, present giving. fun and
tTmne ana good cheer is not bad thing in
must needs come. and not a few have trou-
bics TO be di&pelled. Christmas comes but
once a year; why not enjoy ii? | am not
pleading for racket. pistol firing and the
modern dangerous tirecrackerS in the cities
lhink all this ought to be broken Ip as a
disgrace to civilization. The horn blowing
which the small boy discovered Il few years
as" strikes me as a rather melancholy way
Oh expressing ones joyful feelings, but if it
does the small boy any good | would let
nun go ahead. 1t does not specially annoy
o'iers. nor does ii endanger life. OF course
IL Is not proper accompaniment to church
music and devotional exercises
ne good cheer part of Christmas is as
Mr.. Weller would say about spelling his
name Il matter of taste and fancy. For
many, unfortunately the length of the
purse circunlScribes the Imagination and
FURNISHES the feast, that even Mr.
Dickens Christmas goose is not available
But others are more fortunate. For those
there are to revel with the turkey, the
game duck, the roast pig, the. chine. the
S"eai-cured nam, oysters in every form and
H'ucn more OF good things. OF course there
must be something wheIewith to wash ii
all down. Ice water is not calculated 10
eh!iEen the soul and even some of the tenn
perance folk make mental reservation in
favor Of the private or domestic saloon.
And this shows that they are not utterly
given over to depravity. Coming to the
matter of drinks. it may be well to say
Woru of eggnog and apple toddy which in
old Virginia, the true home and guardian
of our American Christmas are regarded
as the necessary adjuncts to this gracious
season of happiness. And, to be candid, L
started out more to speak of eggnog than
anything else
Eggnog is a great subject and a pressing
one. 1t is condition that confronts us.
one must drink or decline II is sure 10 bt,
offered, you know. Hereabouts the average
man declines, gets out Of it the best way
he can, and locks around furtively for a
substitute that will cheer his soul and yet
not give him a headache. Why is this?
Eggnog is not intrinsically bad Properly
made Ii has som thing more than Senti-
ment and tradition to recommend it. 1t is
heaithful. delightful beverage. especially
If drank in moderation. Jnwisely COM
pounded and drank il upSets he average
man, spoils his taste for other things
creates a disagreement or GOODNESS between
him and his Christmas dinner and paveS
the way for a profound repentance. Yet
il is a melancholy fact that eggnog in this
city is rarely well made Its preparation is
rapidly becoming "a lost art ! have a
ont fn, f.Iira and laafra halt
of creation. Life without them. even for
week. is dreary, and Christmas would
soon disappear. But holding to all this aud
recognizing the rule that the less a man
interfercs in domestic matters the hess apt
he is to make Il fool of himself, / still in
Sist that the compromising of mixed drinks
is not feminine accomplishment. The
dear creatures have zeal in the business,
but they also have some positive disqual!-
fications. Their known weakness for sweets
and sweet preparations and their idolatrous
demand for cream all the time and in
everything combine TO ruin the eggnog, and
no amount of spirit poured IN afterward
suffces to overcome this mischievous and
awful chemistry.
sists not merely in the proportions Of the
articles used. Each and every one to be
used must be of prime quality, otherwise
the combination will fail or fall short of
the mark.
The ingredients of eggnog are as follows:
MIX. This should be fresh and boiled the
morning of the brewing that is, before the
milk has had time to dacompoSe; sugar,
graduated. because it is the most apt to be
perfectly pure: the yelks of eggs, thorough
ly beaten up: the white of eggs. also well
beaten up: brandy, the best French brandy
If you are sure of what You are getting,
otherwise, California brandy, which is usu-
ally pure and reliable: old Jamaica rum
the Santa Cruz rum to be kept for punches;
nutmess, fresh by all means.
1t is best, / submit, to have a bowl which
holds four gallons. even II only two gallons
of eggnog are to be made. Assuming two
gallons rs about the desired quantity, /
would three quarts boiled milk. one
pound granulated sugar. sixteen yelks of
eggs beaten up, tWenty-four whites of eggs,
also beaten: two bottles of French or Cali
fornia brandy. or, say. one and Il half bot
ties of French and half bottle Of California
brandy: the last gives. like rum, an aro-
matte flavor; half bottle of old Jamaica
rum, on nutmeg, freshly grated, of course,
just before you begin.
The order Of ;nis great business is as fol-
lows: All the ingredients being ready. the
milk properly boiled, the nutmeg grated.
the yelks and whites we'll separated and
thoroughly beaten and the corks of all the
bottles drawn-First. mix the sugar Zone
pound and the milk till the sugar is COM
pletely dissolved. Second, then add the
fifteen or sixteen yelks of the eggs and mix
the three thoroughly together. This takes
Il little time, but once done the rest is easy.
Third then pour in the brandy slowly. stir
ring the mixture as it is poured. Fourth,
do The same with the rum, stirring well.
Fifth, then pour in about three-fourths of
the whites of the eggs-that is, eighteen
withstand mix well with what has gone
before Sixth. then add one grated nutmeg,
keeping a little for purpose to be present
" mentioned. After all this cunning and
careful chemistry. put on top of your egg
Hog for characterization the remaining one
fourth part of the whites of the eggs. This
il. borrowing an Old California phrase, to
float on the surface of the OCCASION and
then a little of the nutmeg may be grated
over the fluid by way OF delicate sugges-
ton that there some good things in life
for those who keep their eyes open and
improve present opportunities.
If. after making the eggnog, the first
visitor looks as if he didn't think it was
quite strong enough. II is no crime to add
some French or California brandy. If the
eggnog is slandered being too strong
the faint-hearted one who imbibes should
be given half a glass only by way of educa-
ton till he or she desires TO repeat the dose.
They will be apt to come back and do so
The drinks are important. Don't make
the eggnog over an hour before it is
to he used The eggs are uncooked food and
ueteriorate by exposure to the air. The idea
of the eggs being cooked" by putting
whisky or brandy with them is a weak