These will require a trip to the liquor store....and it'll cost you!

So I'm thumbing through another cookbook, and I come across the beverage section. Always worth a look as you never know what you'll find. The first recipe that catches my eye is for Virginia Eggnog. I'm a big fan of eggnog, as those of you who know me well can attest. I usually buy it in large quantities as soon as the holiday season rolls around, and I'm pouting when it disappears from the grocery stores dairy sections. Personally, I like mine with Kahlua. So good! But, I digress. Check out this recipe. I might have to make it....

Virginia Eggnog

• 12 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 quart milk
• 2 cups whiskey
• 1 cup rum
• 1 quart heavy cream, beaten

Beat egg yolks with sugar until very light. Add milk, whiskey, and rum. Fold in cream and egg whites, beaten until very stiff. Add more sugar or liquor to taste.


Sounds pretty good, huh! Then, a few pages later I found this one.

Champagne Punch

• 1 cup water
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 quart champagne
• 4 tablespoons brandy
• 2 tablespoons rum
• 2 tablespoons Orange Curacao
• juice 2 lemons
• 2 cups tea infusion
• ice
• 1 quart soda water

Boil sugar and water together for 10 minutes. Mix champage, brandy, rum, Curacao, lemon juice, and tea. Sweeten to taste with syrup. Pour into punch bowl over large piece of ice. Just before serving, add soda water.


And finally, the grand-daddy of them all.


Club Punch

• 1 cup water
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 quart Burgundy
• 1 cup rum
• 1/3 cup brandy
• 1/3 cup Benedictine*
• 1 quart Vichy**
• 3 sliced oranges
• 1/2 cup sliced pineapple
• juice 2 lemons
• 1 cup tea infusion
• ice

Boil sugar and water for 10 minutes. Mix other ingredients (except ice), sweeten to taste with syrup, and pour over block of ice in punch bowl.
*Benedictine is an herbal liquor, produced in France. The recipe contains 27 different plants and spices, and is a well-kept secret. Purportedly, only three people know the recipe.
** Vichy is a sparkling mineral water from Vichy, France.


My recommendation is to check your bank balance before heading to the liquor store, and to invite more than a few friends over.