There’s no denying that the month of December is peak eggnog time.
The sweet and spicy beverage has been a holiday staple for hundreds of years, but not everyone knows what it’s made out of, where it comes from or why we drink it near each year’s end.
That’s not the case with “eggspert” Jim Chakeres, an executive vice president at the Ohio Poultry Association, who knows the history behind the seasonal drink.
“Eggnog, which is actually a drinkable form of custard, originated in medieval Britain where locals created a hot, creamy ale-like drink,” Chakeres told Fox News. “The name, ‘Eggnog,’ is a combination of ‘noggin,’ a wooden cup, and ‘grog,’ a strong beer.”
He continued, “Early colonists traveling to America helped the drink become popular during the holidays as locally farmed eggs and milk, in addition to locally made rum and whisky was readily available.”
Americans went on to create eggnog recipes of their own, including George and Martha Washington, who famously enjoyed eggnog with rye whiskey, Jamaican rum and sherry, according to historical records.
Variations of eggnog exist throughout the rest of the world under different names and ingredient lists, but the creamy texture and sweet flavor remain the same.
For commercial eggnog manufacturers, the drink’s egg yolk content must be at least 1%, according to records from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The egg yolk content in homemade eggnog concoctions is subject to the beverage mixer, but the FDA recommends it be made from a cooked egg base, so holiday celebrators can avoid foodborne illnesses like salmonella.
The United Egg Producer Farmer-Members reports that the FDA is in favor of eggnog recipes that require milk and egg mixtures to be gently heated up to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
T3: Serving eggnog? If making eggnog with raw eggs, make sure you heat the milk-egg mixture to 160°F or use pasteurized eggs #CDCFoodChat https://t.co/4wMUbJgPma pic.twitter.com/iqpwhIyIp8
— FoodSafety.gov (@foodsafetygov) December 12, 2018
