The richness of this authentic eggnog recipe is lightened with a big puff of whipped meringue and whipped cream. You can go non-alcoholic, but the rum really does cut the richness.

Authentic eggnog, rich and creamy and heavily spiked, has always for some reason seemed out of reach come Christmas and New Year’s at home. The Christmas Eve of my mother’s cherished childhood involved midnight mass, then brunch, presents, and an eggnog her mother made that was so special that Mom closed her eyes in the telling. Yet she never made it or even tried. I suppose cookies, gifts, and stockings for five kids plus formal and informal entertaining throughout the season knocked recipes like homemade eggnog off the to-do list.

One year I bought a carton of eggnog from our local Quality Dairy, with tame yet moderately high hopes. All I can say is: bubblegum. It tasted like bubblegum. And not in a good way.

Enter Alumni Hall, at the University of Notre Dame. I’m lucky my brother Dick maintained an open-door policy for his sisters during college. That included the wide open door of the rector of the dorm come the last day of finals before everyone scattered for Christmas. Here in the middle of his room was a massive punch bowl of eggnog, beckoning everyone with Christmas music. All I can say is: alcohol, burning stinging Mad Men-style.

Peggy, the family mixologist (see this, this, this, this, this. Need I say more?), has for a long time been promising me an authentic eggnog recipe for all of us here. She assured me this one would satisfy me most especially because of the whipping and the meringue (who knew eggnog has a meringue?! And a crème anglaise, aka, egg yolks gently cooked with sugar).

The recipe would satisfy her because of the punch bowl. She’s lining up many a punch bowl recipe for us. I think she is inspired by the big mama of a crystal punch bowl we gave her for her birthday last year. Fostoria Glass, footed, lots of facets and little crystal mugs to go with.

It’s a different Christmas, fewer gathered around (pandemic + Mom’s not here). That doesn’t prevent us from, or in fact makes an even stronger case for going festive punch bowl. Or at least going authentic eggnog. Steven says this eggnog is so good he wants to chug the whole bowl. With his ultra-healthy Mediterranean-style physique, all of the calories couldn’t even make a dent.

If chugging isn’t for you, or you don’t get through the whole batch at your table for two/etc., just refrigerate and enjoy a tibble later.

I promise you this: whenever you remember and describe this nog, you’ll close your eyes in the telling.