Why is eggnog a seasonal drink?
By the numbers, there's a good chance you'll be offered some eggnog this season. Some love it, some don't — but numbers show, according to Smithsonian Magazine, Americans drink 15 million gallons of it annually.
Atop the Four Seasons Hotel is the Nordic Village and a seasonal bar.
"We make our eggnog house-made," bartender K'leia Coates said.
She made it using six egg yolks, one cup of sugar, milk, cream, nutmeg, vanilla and cinnamon. Some people add liquor, while others don't.
According to the Smithsonian Magazine and Britannica, eggnog has British roots. In the 13th century, monks whipped eggs and figs. The British Elite started making a version with sherry. In the 1700s, George Washington served his own version at Mount Vernon.
As for the holiday, timing, cream and alcohol were seen as luxury ingredients that would invite prosperity for the new year.
At Tim and Tom's Speedy Mart in St. Paul, the seasonal appeal of the drink got them wondering.
"They tried to sell it out of season. January went by, February went by and we were just selling cases and cases of it," Ted Spreigl said. "It's been a hit. So we sell about 500 quarts a year. The most popular is they put it in their coffee in the morning, they use that instead of creamer."
The sales, he says, are worth toasting.
"I am the eggnog king, apparently," Spreigl said.
Another theory on why eggnog is served during the holidays is that, traditionally, it's served warm for cold nights.