General Eisenhower's 5-Star Vacation Eggnog

Editor’s Note: This is a guest article by author Jonathan W. Jordan.

Before he commanded the liberation of Europe and led the nation through the height of the Cold War, Dwight D. Eisenhower grew up with traditional Midwestern tastes. In England, commanding forces that would successfully invade two continents, he turned down fancy meals his assigned cook offered in favor of fried steak, corn pudding, chicken soup, and other dishes reflecting his Kansas boyhood. As the pressure of the looming D-Day invasion mounted in the spring of 1944, Ike would occasionally relieve the almost unbelievable stress by cooking his own breakfast, even washing his own dishes.

Ike took pride in his down-home familiarity with the kitchen, and as president, he collected some of his favorite recipes in a White House file. One, found in the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, was Ike’s special favorite around holiday time. Archived in the Presidential Papers under “Beverages,” President Eisenhower kept a declassified recipe for bourbon eggnog. As a boy, Ike worked in an Abilene creamery, and like Eisenhower the President, Ike’s recipe takes the “middle way,” combining the enjoyable sweet wholesomeness of postwar America with bourbon-backed strength Ike believed in.

I made Ike’s 5-star recipe after researching my book Brothers Rivals Victors and found his holiday drink spectacular. If you enjoy a glass of nog as part of your yuletide festivities, this recipe is as good as anything you’ll find in stores. It doesn’t take long to make, and you can substitute your favorite rum or brandy in place of the General’s preferred bourbon.

How to Make Eisenhower’s Homemade Eggnog

ssembling Your Forces

The Eisenhower plan of attack starts with a solid, disciplined force of easily obtainable ingredients:

A dozen egg yolks. Buy a dozen eggs, crack them gently, and use the egg shells to pour the yolk back and forth until the clear liquid is gone and the heavier yolk remains. Put them into a separate bowl as you work through the dozen.One pound of granulated sugar. Your basic white sugar will do.One quart of bourbon. You don’t need a high-level small batch, or an expensive bottle of Pappy Van Winkle. When blended with the other ingredients, the sherry cask oak and smoky flavors of top-shelf bourbon won’t be noticeable, so stick with your favorite go-to weekend brand. I used a $24