BY SUSAN REIGLER
I have a vivid (and fond) Christmas party memory of a friend who loves certain little square hamburgers as much as I do. She served them for the occasion on silver platters and ladled up cups of her father’s special eggnog. Let me simply say that as much as I love that dear friend, the sum was not as great as the parts.
Eggnog is, along with baseball and drive-thru everything, one of America’s cultural contributions to the world. And it may have originated in the same city as the Declaration of Independence. Its first mention in print was in a Philadelphia newspaper in 1788 and European travelers to the new United States saw it, as recounted by cocktail historian David Wondrich, as “…one of the novelties Americans were inflicting on the art of drinking.” There was even a special tool for mixing it. The eggnog stirrer consisted of a splint of wood inserted perpendicularly into the end of a larger wooden stick. It was submerged in the nog and the mixer rubbed the stick between both palms for a whirligig mixing motion.
Upon reflection, eggnog is almost nutritious, containing as it does eggs, milk, vanilla and nutmeg. So, it’s practically seething with protein, calcium and a host of benefits from the spice including as an antidepressant and immune system booster. All good, right? Then, of course, there’s the alcohol. Early versions used rum or brandy. There are even Texas recipes employing mezcal. (Shudder.) But modern, and certainly Kentucky eggnog, contains bourbon. The higher the proof, the better.
That is apparently Bourbons Bistro proprietor Jason Brauner’s eggnog philosophy. He uses Knob Creek 120 proof bourbon in his nog. The recipe is secret, but real vanilla beans play a starring role, and it’s available for carryout from the restaurant on Frankfort Avenue by either the drink or by the bottle. It’s spicy without being too sweet and is dangerously drinkable given the heavyweight bourbon used.
The perfect pairing with Brauner’s potent eggnog is the equally not-too-sweet and wonderfully chewy Deluxe Oatmeal Cookie from Kizito Cookies. No doubt you’ve seen, and very probably have purchased, the 5-inch diameter, individually wrapped cookies, which are a best-selling countertop item at many area groceries and coffee shops. Baker Elizabeth Kizito’s shop on Bardstown Road is also unmistakable with its bright yellow facade. And Kizito herself has become something of a fixture at Louisville Bats baseball games sporting colorful wraps from her native Uganda and selling her treats from a large basket she carries on her head. There’s a reason she’s known as “The Cookie Lady.”