Monday, December 23, 2013

Holiday Nog


OK, I think I have all of my holiday beverages sorted out now.  For the past few years I have made Isa's Matrioshka EggNog, but the problem has always been getting the perfect avocado (as this image suggests).  Considering how far avocados have to travel to get all the way up here, it's no surprise.  If you have a party to host and all the avocados at the store are as hard as rocks then it's no nog for you.  So this year I swapped out the avocado with cashews, blended like crazy, and presto: holiday nog!  For better or worse it is very much like the 99 cent cartons of eggnog we used to quaff down when I was a kid (i.e. sweet milk with nutmeg).  Works for me.

.  For the past few years I have used Isa's

INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup whole, raw cashews soaked in cold water overnight
- 3 cups plain almond milk, divided
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1/2 tsp turmeric (optional)
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- rum to taste

METHOD
1. Place the soaked cashews and 2 cups of the almond milk in a blender.  Blend until very smooth.  If you are like me and have a pretty crappy blender, you can pass the mixture through some fine cheesecloth at this point to remove any graininess.  Or leave it as is if you don't mind a little texture.
2. Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.  Chill and reblend right before serving.