Eggnog Two Ways: Sidoux's and Eggnog Pie! Also: Kate Medley, Pralines, Gas Stations in the South
An old standard made new and a southern inspiration for you to follow, if you don't already
I wish we could drink eggnog all year. A boozy, heavy on the nutmeg, heavy on the everything nog is my favorite treat (potentially) of any holiday. I recognize that it is a very good thing that this is not an acceptable drink except for two to four weeks out of every year - not only for my health but for the preservation of my adoration of it. I’m no fool - half the allure is in the absence. Let’s just say I am very happy when eggnog season rolls around.
I’d like to share two recipes with you surrounding eggnog this week. But first, a thank you to my subscribers, paid and unpaid alike. I don’t think I ever want to put a paywall up on this page - I am having a hard enough time knowing how to be a “seller” of anything in this world - it has kept me inconsistent on this page - and blocking people out of this space just feels like one more icky thing I can’t swallow in regard to how everything works nowadays. Making that decision has actually taken a lot of the anxiety out of this newsletter for me. Not knocking anyone who does that - we all need to make a living. I’m just wholly exhausted of everything in this world being a shill, a marketing conversation, a question of “followers” and “likes” and “influence”. It’s a world I am wholly uninterested in to my core. So, I dunno. I guess I aim to say: thank you to those who can support this effort with money down. It is HUGE for people like me who have been hoofing it for the last twenty five plus years, trying to make living off of their food and their words. And to those of you who cannot financially jump on board, that’s ok and thank you for being here, too! You can support me by sharing my work on the socials and encouraging others to check this out. That keeps me working, too, and keeps the home fires burning. I’ll let you know if I ever change my mind, but for now, that’s the decision and it feels good.
Anyway! Sidoux’s eggnog! I love this book and I love this recipe. I also love that I have a copy of Famous New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix‘em with this inscription in it:
Clark: Don’t try all of ‘em at one time - But try the one on page ninety at sometime and think of me - Sidoux
Xmas ‘38
I make the eggnog recipe quite often every year - or at least I used to when I had holiday parties. I have not kicked the fête habit back up since Covid days. I attend plenty of holiday parties but I never throw my own anymore, sadly. But Sidoux’s eggnog for Christmas and my version of Cheatham County Artillery Punch for New Year’s Day were infamous around Nashville for about a decade when I was in my hostess prime. Strong ways to both end and begin a year.
Truly top notch, this recipe. My only tweak: I add a touch of vanilla paste/bean and a medium pinch of salt.
Nothing makes me happier than getting several recipes out of one base recipe. It’s like I won some nerdy baker competition (against myself) to maximize my efforts. This Eggnog Pie is actually my Buttermilk Pie dressed up for Christmas and a bit drunk on rum or cognac or brandy. I’ve adjusted the lemon - still using the zest to pick up the flavors but replacing the lemon juice with booze. And then, basically, grate my body weight in fresh nutmeg with a complimentary amount of vanilla paste or bean added for good measure. My Buttermilk Pie recipe is so friendly that it really can be treated this way to infinity with myriad seasonal changes. (I also mix in some sweet potato to it for Thanksgiving.)
I hope you make it and enjoy! It’s a bit sweeter than some of my pies, but it’s the holidays - we’ll get by.
Lisa Donovan’s Eggnog Pie
Serves 8-10
Makes one 8” pie
One batch of your favorite pie dough (I recommend using mine because it bakes beautifully according to these directions - it can be found several places but here is the Splendid Table link)
Filling:
4 Eggs, room temp
1c Buttermilk
2T Booze (rum, cognac or brandy)
1T Vanilla Paste or the scraping of ONE whole vanilla bean
3T Butter, melted and cooled to room temp
2c Sugar
1/3c All Purpose Flour
1.5t Salt, morton’s kosher preferred
To make pie:
Roll out pie shell, set in tin, crimp and then freeze while you make filling.
Preheat oven to 475.
In a large bowl, whisk eggs, buttermilk, booze, and vanilla together.
In a separate smaller bowl, whisk sugar, flour and salt together - using the sugar to break up any flour lumps.
In the largest bowl, add the dry to the wet and whisk together until well combined. Whisk in melted, cooled butter until very well combined (this part is important, make sure it’s IN there otherwise it will break off and float to the top of your pie during bake).
Pour into frozen pie shell and place (on a sheet pan to catch any overflow should they happen) in the oven.
Bake at 475 for 10 minutes and then turn down to 350 and bake for 35 minutes, but checking often. It is done when it still wiggles, but doesn’t wet jiggle.
Let it cool for at least an hour before cutting.
This past weekend my New York Times Magazine Eat Column was about Pralines and the incredible landscape that is gas station food culture in the South. It sent me down a rabbit hole of this incredible landscape. I discovered a new book that is currently been released by the truly gifted and talented Kate Medley. I’ve long admired Kate’s work and keep trying to figure out a project I can solicit her engagement in - I would love to work with her someday. But, for now, I’m honored to use this space to direct any new acolytes her way.
Kate’s incredible career of photojournalism and filmmaking and writing sets me on my heels - I stand in constant admiration of her work. I aim, in my writing practice, to evoke the kind of sensuality and sense of place that the South evokes and Kate is an example and inspiration in this practice.
Her new book is called Thank You Please Come Again: How Gas Stations Feed & Fuel the American South it out now and I encourage all of you to add this to your list of gifts for friends who are interested in beauty, tradition, the South and smart writing. There are also essays (and a forward) by Keise Laymon, one of the most important writers to emerge from the South in recent history.
Do yourself a favor and grab a copy of this remarkable endeavor.
(Also, check out this BitterSoutherner blurb about it! Which, if you’re not a BS reader - you should ALSO dig in deep there.)
That’s it for this week, friends. I’m happy to be back on track with you all and I’m so glad you’re here with me every week.
Don’t forget to engage in the comment section and let me know if you make any of the recipes I post here. As Paul Bertolli says in his brilliant Substack Notice! (to which you should subscribe): “what you notice, may help others in their noticing!”
Have a great week, stay warm and happy and I’ll see you next time!
Love, Lisa
Hi, was curious could you replace egg nog for the buttermilk in your buttermilk pie recipe?
Thanks
That sliver of pie is a beauty!