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 and again about 8 years or so ago. Considering the “climate” surrounding the White House these days, we thought it would be a good idea to publish a recipe that brings us back to when the majority of Americans looked forward to the decorations and the celebrations of the First Family during the holiday season.

We met Walter at the inaugural Food & Wine Festival in National Harbor in May of 2008 – yes 17 years – 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 months in the mid 2000’s. He was the Executive Chef at the Whitehouse from 1994 to 2005 during the administrations of both Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. 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. – Old Town Crier

White House Eggnog

Ingredients:

• 6 or 7 egg yolks (5 ounces, pasteurized if possible)
• 1 cup sugar
• ¾ cups each, bourbon, cognac and 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

Preparation:

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.

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

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

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.

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.