Trader Vic’s Single-Serving Brandy Egg Nog

As we’ve mentioned before, there are a lot of egg nog recipes out there. Each of them is a little different with variations in seasoning, booze, ratios, etc. But the basic elements of egg nog – egg, milk, sugar, and booze – are present in all of them. Trader Vic’s invaluable compendium, the Bartender’s Guide, lists nine different egg nog recipes. I’ve chosen this recipe, listed in the guide as Brandy Egg Nog #1, because it’s the most basic (and because most of his other recipes include Madeira, which we didn’t have on hand). In fact, this is about the simplest egg nog recipe I’ve ever found. There’s no separating eggs, no electric mixers, no cooking. And unlike most other recipes that yield a pitcher of nog, Trader Vic mixes one drink at a time.

Trader Vic's Single-Serving Egg Nog

2 oz brandy

1 oz rum

2 tsp simple syrup

4 oz milk

1 shell-pasteurized egg

Combine all your ingredients in a shaker half-filled with ice. Shake extremely vigorously and thoroughly. What you’re trying to do here, more than just mix the ingredients, is to beat the egg with the ice; so when you think you’re done shaking, keep going for an additional 30 seconds or so. Then serve in a tumbler or rocks glass, and top with nutmeg, cinnamon, or whatever seasonal seasoning you like.

“Seriously, there comes a time in every man’s life when he feels the need of raw eggs, and an egg nog is the most agreeable way I know of to get them down.” -Trader Vic