White House Egg Nog

Let’s Eat

By Walter Scheib et al.

This recipe from former White House Chef Walter Scheib, The American Chef, was published in this space shortly after he left his post on Pennsylvania Avenue.  We met Walter at the inaugural Food & Wine Festival in National Harbor 9 years or so ago and formed a nice friendship then. Chef Scheib co-authored a column called “Cooking Fran and Wally” with longtime Old Town Crier contributor Frances Killpatrick for several years in the mid 2000’s. He was the Executive Chef at the Whitehouse from 1994 to 2005 during the administrations of both George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton. He died in the summer of 2015 while hiking in the mountains surrounding Taos, New Mexico. He is remembered for his memoir, The White House Chef: Eleven Years, Two Presidents, One Kitchen. We hope you enjoy this holiday memory.

White House Eggnog

6 or 7 egg yolks (5 ounces, pasteurized if possible)

1 cup sugar

¾ cups each, bourbon, cognac, dark rum, such as Meyers

6 or 7 egg whites (7 ounces, pasteurized if possible)

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups heavy cream

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 quart milk, more if needed

Freshly grated nutmeg for serving

1.      Put the yolks and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whip until yellow ribbons form, 5 to 7 minutes.

2.      Add the bourbon, cognac and rum, whip well, scrape down the sides and mix again. Transfer the mixture to a 6-quart bowl.

3. In a separate clean mixer bowl using a clean beater, whip the egg whites and salt until very stiff. Fold into the eggnog mixture.

4.      Wipe out the mixer bowl, pour in the cream and vanilla and whip until very stiff peaks form.  Pour this into the eggnog mixture.  Add the milk and whisk until smooth, 3 to 5 minutes.

5.      Transfer the eggnog to an airtight container, chill in the refrigerator and serve within 2 or 3 weeks, if using pasteurized eggs, 3 to 5 days if not.  While the eggnog is refrigerated, foam will rise; simply whisk to reincorporate it.  Serve very cold, with a sprinkle of nutmeg.