When you grow up under the wings of a bona fide food scientist, the world of food is filled with danger. Eggnog is seldom on the menu, because traditional recipes call for raw eggs, and raw eggs can kill you.
Store-bought eggnog is another story. It uses fancier production methods that preclude weird contamination. All the same, lessons from childhood will scar you for life. I also never stick my hand out the window of moving car, for fear of becoming an amputee courtesy another moving vehicle.
Snowville Creamery has entered the nog market for the first time this year, bypassing the whole egg issue by introducing its egg-free Spice Nog. The product that has been flying off of store shelves, even at a $4.50/quart price point (suggested retail of $7.50 for a half gallon).
Eggs typically give eggnog extra richness, Snowville’s version manages the rich issue just fine. Its proprietary mix of milk and cream is fantastically high fat (12%), resulting in a thick, luscious, appropriately rich beverage. It does have some notable differences in the taste department from regular store-bought nogs. Snowville used sugar as a sweetener instead of the more common HFCS (high-fructose corn syrup). HFCS has earned a bad reputation amongst food activists, so its absence will be appreciated by lots of folks. That said, sugar seems to deliver a less sweet and syrupy nog than HFCS. Spice Nog boasts more of a natural dairy sweetness, which HFCS addicts may not recognize.
The thick, creamy Spice Nog is also jazzed up with lots of organic spices. According to the label, there’s organic turmeric, mace and cardamom. They provide the golden hue and some seasonal flavor.
For techies, it’s worth noting that the milk comes from A2 cows. Research suggests that A2 milk is more easily digested than regular milk. Activists suggest it has an array of health benefits that include diminishing the symptoms of autism.
Whatever your interests (science, safety, premium eats), Spice Nog tastes like the holidays.
For more information, visit www.snowvillecreamery.com.