The oldest “recipe” comes from Naples, with a manuscript from the second half of the ‘400, which today is kept at the Pierpont Morgan Library in NY:

To make for serves of eggnog, take twelve egg yolk, three ounce of sugar, half ounce of cinnamon, one liter of sweet wine, and let it cook so much that it seems like broth …

It is no longer usual as it was in the past, but for those who are of a certain age today … it was a perfect breakfast or a snack: “the eggnog”, is simply beaten egg and sugar. All raw, while other recipes want it to be cooked as a broth.

The uncertain, distant origins have given birth to many stories and legends, here are some.

One of the most real dates back to 1471, when the mercenary captain Giovanni Baglioni arrived at the gates of Reggio Emilia and camped. With little bit of food, he sent some soldiers to raid the peasants of the area, who found only eggs, sugar, some flasks of wine and aromatic herbs.

Baglioni ordered to the cooks to mix everything and to distribute it to the soldiers… it was a success!

Giovanni Baglioni in the Emilian dialect became “Zvàn Bajòun” and the name of that cream became “zambajoun”, then Italianized in zabajone and finally zabaione (eggnog).

Thanks to the genuineness of its ingredients a similar drink seems to have been already known in 1533, served cold at the court of the Medici and Caterina brought the recipe to Paris.

For the Piedmontese, the eggnog was born in Turin, at the end of the sixteenth century, thanks to the Franciscan Fra ‘Pasquale de Baylon, who advised women that weren’t satisfied of their men, to prepare a drink made with egg yolks, sugar and wine, capable of invigorating their men.

The women began to exchange the recipe by praising its virtues and when the friar was canonized Saint (Sanbajon in Turin dialect), the cream of Sanbajon became famous and Saint Baylon was elected protector of pastry chefs.

In Florence, in the small church of Santa Margherita dei Cerchi, there is a plaque in front of the high altar, which the Venerable Compagnia dei Quochi (just like, “Quochi” …) dedicates to St. Pasquale Baylon, patron saint of cooks and creator of the miraculous recipe.

We would like to reassure on the idea that eggs hurt (there is doubt that they raise cholesterol and fat levels in the blood but not everyone agrees).

Lecithin is present in eggs, a substance that promotes the transport of cholesterol from the arteries to the liver, effectively enhancing the action of “good cholesterol”.

The result is that the combination of cholesterol and lecithin allows you to dispose of two soft-boiled eggs in about two hours, while a portion of meat takes at least three.

The eggnog then, although heavier to digest than the soft-boiled egg or fried eggs, it is indicated as “saving” even in certain diets, if taken for breakfast, instead of sugar.

So, let’s go with the whips!