Conference turris::cooks

I use the recipe in Joy of Cooking, and it turns out just fine.  I'd recommend
this cookbook to you for all sorts of recipes, if you don't have it already
(or even if you do!).

re: .-1

	There are a couple of eggnog recipes in "The Joy of Cooking".  I've 
found that the most complex one (with beaten egg whites folded in) is 
simply the most amazing stuff around.  I'll post the recipe in a couple of 
days (with the JoeT enhancements, of course) when I get the chance.

-joet

    What follows is the recipe for the best egg nog anywhere: it's called 
    Egg Cognac, even though there's no cognac in it.  The recipe itself is 
    simple, but the biggest problem is finding grain alcohol -- if your
    liquor store doesn't carry it, your best bet is to find someone with
    access to a college chemistry lab. 
    
                           Egg Cognac
    
    3/4 lb. sugar           4 eggs               1 quart milk
    4 oz. brandy            4 oz. grain alcohol  (anything over 90% will do)
    
    Put the sugar and milk in a saucepan and heat the mixture slowly until 
    the sugar is completely dissolved.  Meanwhile, put the eggs in a bowl
    and stir them with a wire whip or fork.  When the milk/sugar mixture 
    is ready, add spoonfuls of the hot mixture (one at a time) to the eggs
    while constantly beating the eggs. (If you add the mizture too fast,
    or if you don't beat the eggs, you'll wind up with scrambled eggs and
    milk.)  Once you've added enough of the hot mixture to the eggs so 
    that the egg mixture is nearly hot, return the eggs to the milk/sugar 
    mixture and continue to stir for a minute.  Let it cool for 10-20 
    minutes, then add the brandy and alcohol.  Pour this mixture through a 
    sieve into a container that can be covered, and refrigerate it for at 
    least a day before serving.  It will keep for months as long as it's 
    covered.

			Joy of Cooking's Eggnog

	1 dozen eggs (separated)	1 lb. confectioner's sugar
	2 quarts whipping cream		1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
	1 cup each:			2 cups each:
		dark rum			rye
		bourbon				brandy (plain)

    Beat egg yolks until light in color.  Gradually beat in the sugar.  
Slowly add 2 cups of liquor, beating constantly.  Cover, and let stand for 
1 hour (gets rid of the raw egg taste).  Add, beating constantly, the rest 
of the liquor and the whipping cream.  Cover, refrigerate, and let stand 
for at least 3 hours.  Pour into large punch bowl.

    Beat egg whites until "stiff, but not dry".  Fold egg white mixture
*lightly* into nog mixture.  Dust with nutmeg.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The resultant mixture must be tasted to be believed.  It makes about a 
gallon and a half, so you might have problems finding a container to put it 
in.  You can adjust both the amount (down) and the composition of the 
liquors to suit your taste, but after about 10 batches, I settled on these 
quantities.

    This is actually the smoothest eggnog that I've ever had, but the
    Swiss doctor who gave me the recipe called it egg cognac.  You must
    make it at least one full day before you drink it, but it will keep
    for months in the refrigerator. 

         1 quart of milk                    
         3/4 lb. of sugar 
         4 eggs                  
         4 ounces of brandy 
         4 ounces of grain alcohol (at least 90%)

    Put the eggs in a bowl, beat them lightly with a fork, and set them
    aside.  Heat the milk and sugar in a saucepan over low to moderate
    heat until the sugar has completely dissolved.  Take the saucepan off
    the burner. 

    Spoonful by spoonful, add the hot milk/sugar to the eggs while
    constantly stirring the eggs with a whisk or fork.  When you've added
    enough milk/sugar to make the eggs warm to the touch, pour the egg
    mixture into the saucepan with the rest of the milk/sugar, whisking
    all the while.  Now strain this into a jar or covered container and
    let it cool.  When it has cooled to just about room temperature, add
    the brandy and grain alcohol, and put it in the refrigerator at least
    overnight (a full day or two is better) before you drink it. 

    If you want to be fancy about it, grate some nutmeg into the Egg
    Cognac just before serving.

    WITH THE HOLIDAYS APPROACHING, I DESPERATELY NEED A NON-ALCOHOLIC
    RECIPE FOR EGG NOG.  PLEASE HELP.  THANKS!
    

    
    I have left the alcohol in the recipe for those who want to indulge
    but I drink this without adding the liquor.
    
    This recipe is from La Cote d'Or restaurant in the Garden City Hotel
    of Long Island, New York.
                    
    
    APRICOT EGGNOG
    
    8 servings
    
     2 cups apricot nectar
     1 cup whipping cream
    1/4 cup sugar
     3 eggs, separated, room temperature
    
    8 tablespoons rum
    8 3-inch cinnamon sticks
    
    Blend nectar, cream, sugar and yolks in large bowl until smooth.
    Beat whites in large bowl of electric mixer until stiff but not
    dry.  Whisk whites into nectar mixture.  Refrigerate eggnog until
    chilled.
    
    Divide eggnog among 8 glasses.  Pour 1 tablespoon rum into each.
    Garnish each with cinnamon stick.  Serve immediately.
    
    Wendy
         

    Does anyone out there have a "good" egg nog recipe?
    
    Thanks.
    
    Connie
    

    try note #175. "Egg Cognac" it's called.
    
    While this is not a quick and dirty recipe, it certainly makes a
    great eggnog that well worth the effort.
    
    It does call for grain alcohol, which I have been unable to obtain
    since moving to New England -- but the flavor is the same without
    it.
    
    AnnieJ

I have found the recipe in the Joy of Cooking to be excellent.  I have made it 
with Meyers's Dark Rum, and with Maker's Mark Kentucky Bourbon (available in 
NH state liquor stores...far better than my old fave Jack D).

One comment, wherever they give a range of liquor amounts, I use the max.  
Just don't drive or light matches!

						     
							- JP

    Connie, I got this from the Boston Globe, hope you like it.
    
    EGGNOG
    
    8 egg yolks
    1 quart whole milk
    1 pint heavy cream (or light cream)
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    1 cup sugar
    1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
    1 teaspoon finely chopped candied orange rind (optional)
    
    	In a large bowl whisk together the egg yolks with 1 cup of the
    milk until the mixture is smooth.  Stir in the remaining 3 cups
    of milk and the heavy cream.
    	Add the vanilla, sugar, nutmeg and orange rind, if using, and
    refrigerate for several hours.
    	Transfer the eggnog to a chilled punch bowl and spike with rum
    or bourbon if you like.
    	Makes 16 1/2-cup servings.
    						-SHERYL JULIAN
    
    I would have given it to you in person but, I thought others might
    
    like it too.
    
    Fran

    I don't know about Detroit, but here in New England, you can get
    it at almost any liquor store.  I know from my college days.  One
    brand name is Everclear.
    
    Please be very careful when you use this stuff.  It's something
    like 180 proof.  When I was in college, we used it to make punch
    for one of our parties, primarily because it was a lot less expensive
    than "real" booze.  When I bought it, I asked the guy at the liquor
    store about mixing ratio.  He suggested 8:1 (other liquid : alcohol).
    I tasted it and promptly spit it in the sink.  We ended up mixing
    it about 12:1, which was much more palatable.  The problem with
    grain, was that people tended to drink a lot more than when they could 
    taste the liquor, and a lot of people who normally knew their limits 
    miscalculated.  Our general rule was to throw in some rum or something 
    that tasted like a familiar alcoholic beverage so that people knew
    they were, indeed, drinking alcohol.  If you intend to serve a grain
    alcohol based beverage, I urge you to do the same.
    
    Susie

    Everclear is 190 proof -- that is, it's 95% pure ethanol.
    
    If you ever find Everclear, take a look at the label.  
    Everclear is listed as U.S.P. (United States Pharmacopoeia)
    
    190 proof alcohol is the highest level that can be easily
    reached, without having to take special steps (alcohol is
    very difficult to make and keep completely water-free).
    
    Its purity and its strength make it even more sneaky and
    potentially dangerous than "flavored" potables, so please, 
    as Susie suggests, use caution when mixing with this.
    
                           		andrew

    Being the Holiday Season, I wanted to share an old family recipe
    for egg nog.  So many people resort to the store-bought kind and
    I thought you might want to start a tradition of your own.
    
    Here it is:
    
    Dorothy's Egg Nog
    
    1 dozen eggs
    1 quart of whole milk
    1 quart of heavy cream
    1 jigger of vanilla extract
    1 cup of sugar
    Rum, whiskey or whatever you please.
    
    
    In a chilled punch bowl beat eggs FOREVER!  Very important that
    they be well beaten.
    
    Add sugar and beat some more
    
    Add remainder of ingredients.
    
    We usually keep the liquor on the side for those who indulge.  That
    way the children can enjoy, too!
    
    This recipe is very rich -- don't consume too much and keep an eye
    on the kids to avoid a belly ache on Christmas Eve.
    
    Enjoy!
    
    Note:  To keep it cold - another very important point - we freeze
    water in small, tightly covered margarine containers and let them
    float in the bowl.  Not pretty, but practical and it doesn't water
    down the eggnog.

    how much is a "jigger" ?

    my measuring cup(s) do ounces or fractions of cups.

    
    
  	A "jigger" is  a shotglassful!
    
    	Depending on the "bar" ... a shot can be defined
    	as anywhere from 1.5 to 3 oz.
    
    	/enjoy/
    

    
    I was always told a jigger was a short and 1/2.
    
    
    
    Sandy 
    

    An official jigger is 1 1/2 fluid ounces.
    
    					andrew

    On my terminal, the character reads (in one position) as 1/4 cup
    frozen ... etc.    Hmmmm, might be interesting with 14 cups.

    My terminal is a VT125.  I also tried this on a VT100 and a VT102.
    Same thing comes up.  Is this character terminal specific?
    

  RE .3
    
    Yes you must have a VT200 or better series terminal to see these
    special characters.
    
    Steve

RE: .-1 

What characteristic needs to be set for the terminal to see this character?
My 240 displays a "backwards ?".

    Does that imply that this notes conference is restricted to only
    those people who have a VT200 series terminal or better?  I currently
    have no access to this type of terminal.  If I were to send this
    to a printer, I assume that not every printer would know these special
    VT200 series characters.  Is there any other way of displaying these
    characters without having to ask for a VT200 series terminal so
    that I can type up a note to screen?

    God! that sounds good, think I have one when I get home with just
    a splash of rum.
    
    Anne

I have heard rum "suggested" before.

    Pat has made eggnog for years using raw eggs, cream, and half-and-half. 
    Because of all the recent furor about raw eggs causing salmonella, she
    was very reluctant to make it this year.  So she decided to experiment
    with cooking it, and the result was really good.  As a side effect, her
    new method uses skim milk and only half as many eggs, so it's low fat as
    well as safe.  And it's indistinguishable from the old eggnog --
    delicious!
    
                               SAFE EGGNOG
    
    3 eggs
    4-1/2 cups skim milk
    1/2 plus 1/3 cup sugar
    3 tablespoons vanilla extract
    1/4 plus 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
    
    Put 2 cups of the  milk in the blender with the eggs and blend till
    thoroughly mixed.  Pour into a saucepan and cook over medium heat,
    stirring constantly, till mixture comes to a boil.  Add remaining milk
    and other ingredients and chill.
    
    Serve as is, or spike individual glasses with brandy.

according to the "TV Doctor" on British TV this morning egg nog is now a
complete "no-no" because it uses raw eggs (slamonella etc etc etc).

Are you sure you want a recipe ?

/. Ian .\

    There is a recipe for cooked eggnog in here somewhere (help please
    I never can find what I'm looking for)
    		Pat
    

    The Joy of Cooking has a recipe for eggnog, that I think is cooked. 
    But, even if it isn't, the salmonella won't bother you if you use the
    maximum reccommended amounts of spirits (the recipe gives ranges).
    Besides, the cholesterol will kill you first!

    
    Ah yes "the alcohol kills the germs" the anchor-person thought of that
    and the doctor very firmly declared this to be a dangerous old wives
    tale. Apparently salmonella is "too tough" to rely on it being killed
    by anything but heat...
    
    Anyway - enough of this rathole: the caution has been lodged. Now all
    we need is the recipe.
    
    /. Ian .\
    
    (PS perhaps they had egg nog in mind when they thought up the
    colloquiallism "name your poison".)

    Note 175.4 contains my wife's recipe for safe eggnog.  She devised it
    last year from her old (uncooked) recipe, and it is indistinguishable
    from the old one.  It is very smooth and rich tasting, and I highly
    recommend it.  We always add brandy either to the pitcher, or by the
    glass when it's served.
    
    This month's Gourmet magazine has a long article on salmonella.  Among
    other things, it says that sufficient acidity (e.g. lemon juice) will
    kill salmonella, but alcohol won't.  The trick with using acidic
    ingredients, of course, is making sure you've used enough; therefore
    it's too risky to be recommended.  Anyway, don't count on brandy or whatever
    to make your uncooked eggs safe.
    
    Steve

			Quick Eggnog Pie

	1 - Baked 9" Pie Shell
	1 env. unflavored Gelatin
	3 TBS Cold Water
	2 cups Commercially prepared Eggnog
	1 cup Heavy Cream, Whipped.
	1/4 cup Sugar
	1/4 tsp salt
	2 tsp Vanilla or 1 tsp Rum Flavoring


	o Soften Gelatin in cold water
	o Warm Eggnog over direct low heat;
	o Stir in the softened gelatin, and continue 
	  heating until completely dissolved
	o Chill until partially set, then beat until smooth
	o Into stiffly whipped Cream, beat sugar, salt and flavoring
	o Fold into Eggnog mixture.
	o Pour into baked (cooled) pie shell.
	o Chill 2 - 4 hours.
	o Garnish with grated nutmeg, or
	   toasted slivered almonds,  or
	   shredded coconut,          or
	   Holly clusters made from cut-up Marashino cherries and Angelica.

	This pie is very rich, small pieces are recommended.

	o A word of caution... Make sure when you heat the eggnog and 
	  gelatin, that it is sufficiently warm.. Otherwise the gelatin
	  won't set right, and you'll have eggnog soup.  :-)

Today's Boston Globe Food section has an article and recipes
for safe eggnog.

    
    ahum...
    
    The Boston Globe is somewhat short of global circulation.
    
    Perhaps you could post the recipe for the sake of those of us in the
    real world?
    
    /. Ian .\

    Not exactly what's asked for, but the other day, my wife picked up some
    "stuff" which is an "eggnog flavored dairy product", having little fat,
    cholesterol, calories, and being sweetened with nutrasweet.  Aside from
    the initial "velveeta visits eggnog" reaction, I gotta admit, it wasn't
    all that bad.  So for those of you who are more concerned about the
    natural poisons than they are about the man made ones, give it a try.
    
    I did not try adding a shot of brandy to it, however.  The last time I
    tried something like that was to add some amaretto to a macdonalds
    shake... Not even a blender coulld make them emulsify!

	These are the recipes from todays Boston Globe that was mentioned
	in an earlier note..  I didn't have time to include there comments
	and history about eggnog..  Sorry, but time is running short..

	Enjoy.. 

	Charlie



			Safe Eggnog

	This eggnog is based on a French custard sauce called
	creme anglaise.  The yolks are cooked which reduces
	the risk of salmonella.  Be careful not to let the
	custard mixture boil, or it will curdle.


			1 quart milk
			2 cinnamon sticks
			1 vanilla bean, split
			5 cloves
			10 blades of mace
			12 egg yolks
			1 1/2 cups sugar
			1 1/2 cups dark rum
			1 1/2 cups brandy
			1 TBS vanilla
			1 quart half-and-half or
				light cream
			Freshly grated nutmeg to taste

	Combine the milk and spices in a heavy saucepan.  Let these
	ingrediants infuse ove the lowest possible heat for 5 minutes.
	Meanwhile, combine the yolks and sugar in a large bowl and 
	whisk until mixed.

	Bring the milk to a boil and gradually whisk it into the yolk
	mixture.  Return this mixture to the sauce pan.  Cook it over
	medium heat, stirring steadily with a wooded spoon, for 2 to 
	3 minutes, or until the foam subsides and the mixture thickens
	to the consistancy of heavy cream.  It should thickly coat the
	back of a wooded spoon.

	Strain the mixture into a large bowl and let it cool to room
	temperature.  Stir in the rum, brandy, vanilla, half-and-half
	and nutmeg.  Refrigerate the eggnog for at least 2 hours,
	preferably overnight.  Just before serving, dust the top of 
	the eggnog with nutmeg.  Serves 12

	----------------------------------------------------------------

				Auld Man's Milk

	Auld man's milk could be called Scottish eggnog.  Served warm,
	it's an excellent nightcap and soporific.

			1 1/2 cups milk
			  1/2 cup  cream
			    2 egg  yolks
			    3 TBL  sugar
			    2 tsp  vanilla
			  1/4 cup  Scotch whisky
			Fresh nutmeg for grating.

	Scald the milk and cream in a heavy saucepan.  Meanwhile, whisk
	together the yolks, sugar and vanilla in a bowl.  Whisk the hot
	milk in a thin stram into the yolk mixture.  Return this mixture
	to the saucepan.  Cook it over medium heat, stirring with a 
	wooded spoon, for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the mixture thickens
	to the consistency of heavy cream.  Do not boil, or it will curdle.

	Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the whisky.  Pour the 
	auld man's milk into two mugs.  Grate a little fresh nutmeg on
	top ans serve at once.  Serves 2.

	----------------------------------------------------------------

				Eggnog Pie

	This pie is a sort of Bavarian cream flavored with eggnog spices
	and served in a crust.

			9 " graham cracker crust

			For the eggnog filling:
			 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
			 2 cups milk
			 2 cinnamon stick
			 3 cloves
			 5 blades mace (or 1/4 tsp
			   freshly grated nutmeg)
			 1 vanilla bean, split
			 5 egg yolks
			 2/3 cups sugar
			 2 TBLS rum
			 2 TBLS brandy
			 1 cup heavy cream, whipped to
			   soft peaks
			 Plenty of freshly crated nutmeg.

	Soften the gelatin over 1/4 cup water in a metal mixing cup.  
	Combine the milk, cinnamon, cloves, mace and vanilla in a 
	heavy saucepan.  Let these ingredients infuse over the lowest
	possible heat for 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, combine the yolks and
	sugar in a large bowl and whisk until mixed.

	Bring the milk to a boil and whisk it in a thin stream into the
	yolk mixture.  Return this mixture to the saucepan.  Cook it over
	medium heat, stirring steadily with a wooded spoon, for 2 to 3
	minutes, or until the foam subsides and the mixture thickens to 
	the consistancy of heavy cream.  Strain this mixture into a 
	large bowl.

	Melt the softened gelatin ina pan of simmering water.  Whisk it 
	into eggnog mixture.  when the mixture has cooled to room temp.
	whisk in rum and brandy.  Set the mixture over a pan of ice and
	stir with a spatula.  When the mixture starts to gel, fold in
	whipped cream.  Spoon the filling into the graham cracker crust.
	Chill the pie for at least 4 hours, preferable overnight.
	Just before serving dust the top of the pie with nutmeg.  Cut
	into slices and serve.  Serves 8.

	----------------------------------------------------------------

				Eggnog Zabaglione

			5 egg yolks
			1/2 cup cream sherry
			1/4 cup dry white wine
			3 TBS sugar
			1/4 tsp cinnamon
			1/8 tsp each allspice and 
				cloves
			1 cup heavy cream, stiffly
			  beaten
			Fresh grated nutmeg

	Place the egg yolks, sherry, white wine, sugar, cinnamon, allspice
	and cloves in a non-aluminum bowl.  Place the bowl over a pan of
	simmering water.  Whisk the mixture vigorously for 3 to 4 minutes,
	or until it is light and frothy and tripled in bulk.  When ready,
	the zabaglione will fall in a thick silky ribbon from a raised
	whisk.  Do not overbeat, or the mixture will collapse.

	Place yolk mixture over a pan of ice and beat until cool.  Fold in
	whipped cream.  The zabaglione can be prepared up to 4 hours ahead
	to this stage.  Serve the zabaglione in wine goblets or martini
	glasses.  Dust the top with freshly grated nutmeg.  The Eggnog
	zabaglioine make a great topping for fruit.  Serves 4 to 6.

    Here's a recipe from the December edition of Gourmet Magazine. I
    don't like eggnog, but this sounds pretty good, it's also cooked so
    the risk of salmonella is eliminated:
    
    Custard Based Eggnog (Entered wo permission from Gourmet Magazine)
    
    6 large eggs
    1/2 cup sugar
    4 cups milk
    1 cup brandy, rum, or combination of both to taste
    1 cup well chilled heavy cream
    freshly grated nutmeg to taste
    
    In a saucepan beat the eggs well, beat in the sugar gradually, and beat
    in two cups of the milk.  Heat the mixture over moderately low heat,
    whisking constantly, until it registers 175 deg. F on a candy
    thermometer, and remove the pan from the heat.  Whisk in the remaining
    2 cups milk, chill the mixture until it is cold, and stir in the
    brandy.  Just before serving, in a bowl with an electric mixer beat the
    cream until it holds soft peaks, fold the whipped cream into the milk
    mixture gently but thoroughly, and sprinkle the eggnog with the nutmeg.
    Serve the eggnog immediately and chill any leftovers.  Makes about
    8 cups, serving 12 to 16.

	I didn't know that about eggnog and I was planning to purchase
	some tonight.  Is the store bought stuff safe from salmonella?

	Thanks,

	Karen

    
    Why is that for time immemorial we drank uncooked egg nog but now it
    seems as if people are becoming panicy at the mention of uncooked egg
    nog.  How many of you personally know of anybody who got sick after
    drinking uncooked egg nog, not stories out of some newspaper?
    
    Bob
    

    My family has used a recipe with comes from the Good Housekeeping
    cookbook (you know, the one that our mother's got for a shower present
    back at the turn of the century). All I know is that it must "mellow"
    for a few days with enough liquor in it so that it cannot be kept near
    open flames and then it is topped with beaten egg whites and lots of
    nutmeg. 
    
    Don't worry about semonella - 2 cups of this and you can't function to
    drink anymore. 
    
    This is the only competition for my uncle's Brany Alexanders served in
    sterling cups at Christmas brunch!!! 
    
    Andrea           

    Based on my cookbooks the procedure in the past was to use only clean
    eggs with unbroken shells for any recipe that did not throughly
    cook the egg. This was because of the belief that bacteria did not
    pass through the shell. New findings have shown that samoellina(sp?)
    can be found inside eggs whose shells were unbroken .Though not
    common still a possibility. Therefore a warning to everyone so
    each can decide. 
    
    In my opinion, "infected" food sitting at the right temperature
    for growth causes the worst problems. In other words, keep it
    clean and either HOT or COLD.
    
    Actually cooked eggnog seems to be a convience since it can be
    made ahead instead of at the last minute.

    
    The risk of salmonella seems to have increased in the past several 
    years according to an article I read in Gourmet magazine. I will 
    research it, but the problem is worst in the Northeast.  Cooking
    chicken and eggs properly will kill the bacteria.  Several 
    restaurants have now forbidden any raw egg type recipes.  I'll
    check the magazine again and post the important points in this 
    note.  I'm not big on eggs anyway and I always cook chicken 
    sufficiently so it's not a real big concern of mine. 
    
    Larry

    I agree with .15
    
    I get so sick of the media blowing things out of proportion.
    I've yet to see anybody I know, get salmonella.  We've been
    drinking it for years and years and no one has been sick yet.
    
    I say: if you like it drink it, and let someone else worry
    about it!  We're all becoming a bunch of paranoid neurotics about
    this salmonella stuff!...
    
    Kristen
    

    
    Well, for what it's worth, here's an extract from the article in
    Gourmet magazine ...
    
    ... This new danger though is seen as immediate rather than vague
    and long-range. (In September the F.D.A. classified eggs as a
    "potentially dangerous food".) Salmonella doesn't simply increase 
    your chances for a heart attack years down the road, it can make
    you sick, or even kill you right now - as a direct result of eating
    this tuna salad with homemade mayonnaise or that asparagus with
    hollandaise . The Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta have
    tracked a significant increase in Salmonella cases over the last
    decade, starting in the northeastern states, spreading to the mid-
    Atlantic states, and now farther south and west.  It is estimated that
    at least forty percent of chickens are contaminated with Salmonella.
    Salmonella was thought to contaminate only the shell, and thus migrate
    to the egg itself when it is cracked, but for the first time the
    bacteria has been discovered in the interior of the egg, transmitted
    from infected hens before the shells are formed.  Both whites and yolks
    have been found to be contaminated, though previously the whites were 
    considered safe. Dr Bradley Woodruff, medical epidemiologist at the
    C.D.C. now defines the problem as a reasonably big one. Of the seventy
    to ninety outbreaks of Salmonella a year - which accounted for 8000
    reported cases of infection in 1989 - a large proportion have been
    traced back to eggs, and there are now outbreaks throughout the 
    country ....
    
    There's more, but I don't have time to enter it right now so I'll 
    continue from the egg producers point of view next.
    
    Larry

    
    To continue ...
    
     The egg industry has been somewhat recalcitrant in admitting the 
    problem Dr. Woodruff adds, and, predictably, downplays the danger.
    
     At the industry supported Egg Nutrition Center, vice president
    Kay Englehardt says, "We are not using any raw eggs," yet she 
    calculates the chances of contamination at only one in fourteen
    thousand, adding that the danger is even less for the homemaker
    than in the food service where eggs are pooled together so that a
    single egg can contaminate a whole batch and are often left on a
    steam table or not chilled quickly enough. "Besides," she adds,
    "it isn't going to make you drop dead." 
    
      Well it might. For most people, Salmonella is more an inconvenience
    than a danger. Its effects can be as mild as a flu. But for the
    elderly, the very young, the fetus of a pregnant woman, or those
    with reduced immunity it can be fatal.  Salmonella grows quickly at
    room temperature - tenfold an hour - so that at a summer picnic, one
    bacterial cell could possibly increase to a million cells in six hours.
    
     The risk is lowered if cracked eggs are discarded and intact eggs are
    kept refrigerated, cooked thoroughly, and served immediately.
    Salmonella is readily killed ast 160 deg. F. or when eggs are
    pasteurized, which means holding them at 140 deg. F. for 3 minutes.
    
     Pasteurized eggs sold wholesale in cartons as liquid eggs don't look
    or act much different from fresh eggs, and some of the dozens of 
    producers are beginning to eye retail sales hungrily ...
    
     Theorectically Salmonella can also be restrained or killed by acid.
    Thus lemon juice or vinegar, which is an even more effective germicide
    can supposedly solve the problem.  Nobody seems sure how much lemon
    juice should be added, but research by General Mills scientists found
    that acidifying eggs in salad dressing killed off the bacteria within 
    ten minutes.  Dr Robert Baker, professor of food science at Cornell
    University, says that if one tablespoon of lemon juice is beaten into 
    a yolk and the mixture is allowed to stand for ten minutes, the egg
    should be safe from Salmonella.  However the Center for Disease Control
    state that they have no data to support this theory. Until this method
    has been thoroughly tested, the safety of acidifying eggs for raw egg
    recipes remains unproven.
    
    .. there's more to the article which can be found in Gourmet Magazine
    issue December 1990.
    
     Regards, Larry
    

    
    I read the Gourmet article and then I realized that I _still_ have
    never met anyone who has had salmonella.
    
    If chicken and eggs are so dangerous, shouldn't somebody be getting
    this disease? 
    
    Mike

    
     People do get this disease.  Agreed, the chances seem slim, and I
    don't personally know anyone who *knows* they've had it.  Because 
    the symptoms are mild in most cases, I suspect that a lot of the folks
    who feel ill because of "something I ate," may have actually had a
    mild touch of it.  I would not spend a lot of time worrying about it
    myself.  
    
    Happy holidays!
    Larry
    
    

    RE: .22
    
    Well, we've never met, but I have had salmonella.  My entire digestive
    tract was out of kilter for a week, and I really didn't feel all that
    well, but it was not as bad as having the flu.
    
    I also personally know an elderly man back home who died because of
    salmonella.  No, the salmonella alone didn't kill him; he died from all
    the contributing complications that arose from being sick.  But
    salmonella was listed on the autopsy report.  
    
    As the Gourmet article said, it's mostly an inconvenience for
    relatively healthy people.  The very young and the very old are much
    more severely affected by it--it's not something to be taken lightly.
    
    Sue
    

    Question I had this morning as I ate my four minute egg.  The yolk was
    not quite done - just the way I like it.  Was this egg safe if it had
    been infected?  Was it cooked long enough?  Also, how about sunny 
    side up eggs with the yolk that same consistency? Anyone know?
    
    Thanks.
    
    Happy Holiday!!!
    
    Flo
    

    From what I've read , the "hard line" is a liquid egg is a suspect egg.
    Unless of course pasturized etc.
    When I eat out I only eat solid eggs since resturants generally keep
    the eggs sitting at room temp. durning the breakfast period. At home
    where my eggs go from frig to pan to plate to me ( and are bought from 
    a store that I have never seen leave them out) I sometimes have
    semi soft eggs.
    Now on something like eggnog which will sit at "growth" temp.
    in the punch bowl, well I think I'll cook the eggnog.
    If salmonella becomes "rampant" I'll probably go hard line.
    In the mean time , I keep the area clean , avoid cross contamination,
    keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.
    One salmonella bacterium probably won't make you sick but as noted
    earlier these guys really know how to multiply given the right
    enviroment.
    And that's my compromise with something that I can't tell whether
    it's present or not , nor have I had any "close encounters" with.
    
    
    		Pat
    

    Here's the guidelines from the article since I feel we can benefit 
    from the information ...
    
    - Fried eggs are safest when cooked, covered, over moderate heat for
    about four minutes, or until the whites are opaque and the yolks are
    thickened. Uncovered, the eggs should be cooked for at least three 
    minutes on one side, and 2 minutes on the other.
    
    - Poached eggs should be cooked in boiling water until the yolks are
    no longer runny - at least five minutes - and should be served
    immediately rather than reheated or allowed to stand
    
    - Eggs in the shell should be cooked until the yolks are thickened -
    at least seven minutes in boiling water
    
    - French toast and French-toasted sandwiches should be cooked until the
    center of the bread is firm. This can be done in the frying pan, or,
    after the bread is browned, it can be finished in the oven until a
    knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
    
    - Mousses, ice creams, and eggnog should be made with cooked custard.
    Combine the liquid and the eggs and cook the mixture over low heat
    stirring constantly until it registers 175 deg. F. on a candy
    thermometer.  If whipped egg whites are added, they should be cooked by
    beating in hot sugar syrup as in italian meringues. Because there is
    sugar in the meringue, the amount of sugar in the custard should be
    reduced accordingly.
    
    - Meringue toppings must be thoroughly baked. A three egg meringue
    should be baked at 350 deg F. for at least 15 minutes.
    
    - With raw eggs, as with raw chicken, it is importatnt to avoid 
    crosss contamination. Use separate utensils - bowls, forks, knives,
    counter tops, and cutting boards - for raw chickens or eggs, and clean
    them thoroughly before reusing them for cooked foods. Take particular
    care with hard to clean equipment such as wooden bowls or cutting
    boards. Blenders must be scalded as they have been found to be
    responsible for some spread of contamination. And remember, that
    chicken itself must always be cooked thoroughly.
    
    .. so there you have it.  I by no means intended to strike panic into
    the hearts of egg eaters with the egg nog recipe, it just sounded good!
    It doesn't hurt to be aware of these things.  Just because I don't know 
    anyone who has Aids personally, doesn't mean people don't get the
    disease, and the same holds true for Salmonella or any other illness.
    
    - Larry

    
    
    I didn't mean to suggest that people don't get salmonella, but from 
    what I've seen and experienced, the risk isn't nearly as high as some
    of the media would have us believe.  It makes good sense to be somewhat
    careful with _all_ perishable food..
    Mike

For what it's worth, my sister-in-law has had salmonella -- at least that's the
diagnosis they made when she was admitted to the hospital!  She isn't old,
very young, pregnant or any of the other high risk groups but I guess she was
pretty sick and now avoids anything with uncooked eggs.  She sort of turns pale
and shudders whenever the subject comes up, it can be a very unpleasant illness 
even for the otherwise hale-and-hearty.

She didn't get it from eggnog though, so maybe this doesn't go here?



Jan

    Is it the whole egg that's contaminated, or just the yolk? Just the
    white?  One of my favorite mousse recipes uses raw egg whites!  I'll
    have to find another recipe : (
    
    Sarah
    

    Salmonella has been found in both whites and yolks.

    I know someone who had salmonilla, she was very sick.  She is young and 
    healthy, I had never seen her as sick as she was during that time.  She
    looked terrible and lost a lot of weight; it was much worse than having
    the flu.  
    
    I am very careful with eggs and chicken.  I wash my work area with soap
    and hot water then rinse the counter with hot water after working with 
    either ingredient (I do this before I go on to the next ingredient to 
    prevent cross-contamination.)  But I am by no means panicky about it,
    it is just part of the way I prepare our food.  It only takes a minute
    to wipe off the counter. 
     
    I personally would not make uncooked eggnog, it's just not worth the
    risk to me.   
    

    Hi
      This sounds wonderful but I don't know what rye is or where to buy
    it. If you still work for Digital or anyone that knows please let me
    in on it.
    
    thanks 
    kerri
     

    re:  .6  Kerri
    
    The rye referred to here is a rye whiskey.  You can find it at a well
    stocked liquor store.
    
    Steve
    

    
    There is also a recipe for low-cholesterol egg-nog in 2406.51.
    
    dm

Eggnog Chiffon Pie

Baked Pastry Shell
1/4 cup sugar
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 cups dairy eggnog
2 slightly beaten egg yolks
1/4 cup rum
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup whipping cream
Caramel Filigree

For filling, in a medium saucepan combine the sugar and gelatin.  Add
eggnog and egg yolks.  Cook and stir till sugar and gelatin dissolve
and mixture thickens slightly and bubbles.  Cool 10 minutes; stir in 
rum.  Chill till consistency of corn syrup; stir occasionally.  Remove
from refrigerator; let stand till partially set (consistency of unbeaten
egg whites.

Meanwhile, in a large mixer bowl beat egg whites till soft peaks form
(tips curl).  Gradually add the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, beating
till stiff peaks form (tips stand straight).  Fold egg whites into
gelatin mixture.

Beat whipping cream till soft peaks form.  Fold cream into eggnog 
mixture.  Chill till the mixture mounds when spooned; pile into baked
pastry shell.  Chill several hours or until set.

About 1 hour before serving, prepare Caramel Filigree and drizzle atop
pie.  Pipe additional whipped cream around pie, if desired.

Caramel Filigree: In a heavy 1-quart saucepan heat 1/2 cup sugar over
medium-low heat without stirring.  When sugar begins to melt, heat and 
stir constantly till mixture is almost a medium caramel color (syrup
will darken after removed from heat).  Stir in a few drops of hot water.
Let stand for 1 minute.  Using a spoon quickly drizzle the caramelized
sugar over the top of the pie till a web of caramel is built up.