Almost a decade ago, my two oldest children rented a house together on one of the best blocks in Redwood City. The day they moved in, neighbors came by to welcome them, drop off a list of everyone’s phone number, and tell them about the Facebook group that the neighborhood had.
In the years since, we’ve become part of that neighborhood by extension. The annual Easter Eggstravaganza and fall Oktoberfest have been highlights, where the street is blocked off and everyone shares in food and drink, games and karaoke. Halloween is an event, where over 500 kids come through to see all the decorations. Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day are often celebrated at The Resort, a beautiful home where one couple has a pool and a tiki bar and doesn’t mind a neighborhood invasion.
Spending time with these generous and friendly people was a highlight of our time in the suburbs and we do miss it now being in the mountains. While we have been back for events since we moved, those events have been a little less sparkly and joyful due to the death of the street’s matriarch. Bobby was a gregarious, and sometimes outrageous, woman…one I think I’d like to be when I grow up. She often had wildly colored hair, brightly decorated nails, loved her Four Roses bourbon, and had a great laugh. She also made the very best eggnog I’ve ever had, although I rarely got much of it, as Mr. B quickly drank copious amounts whenever she delivered it to our house.
Last week, Bobby’s daughter kindly shared the recipe for her eggnog, which not surprisingly contains her beloved Four Roses. She told Brilliant Daughter and me that Bobby would want us to have it. And because it’s just so darn stinkin’ good, I wanted to share it as well. It’s the perfect time for it, with the holidays winging our way.
So, a big “Cheers” to Bobby, may she smile down upon us as we enjoy this delicious beverage. And “cheers” to all of you, hoping you have a happy and healthy holiday season.
Bobby’s Famous Eggnog
12 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla
2 quarts half and half
¼ cup Meyers dark rum
¾ cup Four Roses bourbon
Cinnamon and nutmeg to taste
Blend egg yolks, sugar and vanilla with a hand or stand mixer until light yellow. Add the half and half slowly and mix completely. Add in rum and bourbon, then stir in cinnamon and nutmeg.
Refrigerate immediately. Good for up to two weeks.
Side Notes:
And while it may be sacrilege to utilize this delicious eggnog into anything other than a beverage, you might want to use it to make eggnog bread, which is a simple treat that is easily frozen for later enjoyment and makes a nice gift to neighbors. I’ll share that recipe later this week.
And don’t throw out those egg whites either. They can be scrambled for a healthy breakfast or made into these delicious meringues, which are sweet and chocolate-y and will satisfy the biggest sweet tooth and the dieter alike—as they are only 30 calories apiece.
Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies
4 egg whites, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter
1 1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 1/3 cups mini chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with Silpat or parchment paper.
In a medium mixing bowl with whisk attachment bowl, beat egg whites on super high speed until soft peaks form. Add cream of tarter and vanilla and mix again for 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl and return to high speed and add sugar 2 tablespoons at a time. Beat on high until the meringue holds very stiff peaks. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
Drop mixture by rounded tablespoon 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet (a mini ice cream scoop makes even-sized domed cookies; a pastry bag yields cookies with a gentle swirl pattern). Bake the cookies in the oven for 25 minutes or until the bottoms of the cookies are lightly browned. Turn oven off and let cookies finish cooking for 15 minutes. Remove and transfer cookies to a wire rack and allow to cool.
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