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Before I begin my holiday shopping, before I plan the trek to a tree lot, before I even flip on the heater for the first time all winter, I make eggnog. Six weeks later, about two dozen friends squeeze into my tiny rented bungalow to gather around a large vintage punch bowl filled with the stuff, part of a festive tableau that also includes shrimp cocktail, batched Negroni, chips and dip, peppermint bark and more than a few mini quiches. This year, I’ve been considering splurging on a whole leg of Serrano ham. After all, Nogfest comes but once a year.
My annual holiday party began a few years ago when I stumbled on a punch bowl set in a Ventura antiques mall, “Tom and Jerry” lettered across the milk glass in bright red script. Why not throw a holiday party centered on a great punch bowl? It seemed as good a theme as any.
Tom and Jerry, a classic-cocktail cousin to eggnog and the set’s original purpose, seemed too labor-intensive a drink for a large gathering (I’d rather make the rounds with guests than try to keep a blend of cream, eggs and alcohol warm all night). Eggnog would do the trick. Nogfest was born.
Now each year, sometime in October, I dedicate an hour or two to shopping for and preparing Death & Co.’s eggnog recipe, carefully combining sugar, a whopping 16 eggs, milk, heavy cream and what feels like enough booze to stock a speakeasy until my stand mixer is full to the literal brim. Once mixed, it sits in a large red-topped plastic Cambro — a restaurant-grade food container — on the top shelf of my fridge, where it ages for weeks in order to let the ingredients and flavors coalesce and mellow. And on the evening of Nogfest, it’s carefully poured into the old Tom and Jerry punch bowl, then ladled into matching mugs.
Elvis, Nick Lowe and Frank Sinatra holiday records spin in rotation, and guests file in and out, some serving mulled wine from the stovetop, others playing Tetris trying to fit beers, canned wine or anything else into my overstuffed fridge. Kitschy, often vintage Christmas decor is scattered around the living room, including a ceramic Santa that my paternal grandparents used decades ago to store holiday cards (now, the black satchel holds napkins for guests). An Instax camera snaps photos throughout the night, the shots progressively funnier the more nog is consumed.
Conversations and laughter fill the very few spaces in my home where people can cluster, but they mostly occur around the punch bowl.
You don’t need a lot of resources to host your own Nogfest; I certainly don’t have a lot of space for it. The point isn’t throwing the picture-perfect party or designing a coursed menu. All you really need is eggnog and friends who are down to sip some each year. You don’t even need to age it. Here’s all the inspiration you need to host your own version, including the eggnog recipe from Death & Co., along with a video tutorial by the L.A. bar’s manager, Matthew Belanger.
But be warned: Last year, one friend consumed four or five servings of nog and was extremely hungover the next morning (I’d offered that same friend a pair of my sweatpants to borrow as the night wore on, as Nogfest is about comfort as much as it is merriment and eggnog). There’s a lot of alcohol and sugar involved, so sip responsibly.
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Death & Co.’s Vintage Eggnog
There are many eggnogs, but this might be my favorite of them all, thanks in large part to the quality and the curation of the bottles used. The Madeira is an especially nice touch. If you don’t have a stand mixer at home, large bowls and a hand whisk will do — especially if you plan to age your batch, which allows the sugar to dissolve over time. If you plan to drink it immediately, do as Death & Co.’s Matthew Belanger says and use a blender. And if you don’t feel like making eggnog yourself, drop by the Arts District bar now through the end of the month and let the pros pour you a glass.
Get the recipe.
Prep time: 45 minutes. Serves 20.
Fried Onion-Chili Crisp Dip
This might be the best dip recipe of all time, and it’s made an appearance not only on Nogfest spreads but also at pool parties, Friendsgivings, birthdays and other gatherings. There is no bad time for this dip. In a stroke of genius, former L.A. Times Cooking columnist Ben Mims combined two of the greatest condiments to ever grace a dining table: chili crisp and French onion dip. It’s cool, it’s spicy, it’s lightly sweet; this can be made a few hours beforehand, but make this the night prior to Nogfest to allow the flavors to intensify. If you have any left over from the event, spread it onto latkes or bagels the next morning.
Get the recipe.
Cook time: 30 minutes, plus chilling overnight. Makes 2½ cups.
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Cocktail Sauce (for Shrimp Cocktail)
I’m not saying that shrimp cocktail is a perfect pairing with eggnog, per se, but when I began dreaming up my holiday party spread, there was no way shrimp cocktail wouldn’t be present. Don’t make things tough on yourself: You can purchase fresh, cooked shrimp from your fishmonger or grocer of choice, along with bottled cocktail sauce, but should you choose to make your own, simply poach raw shrimp in salted water, then dunk into this quick, zesty recipe for homemade cocktail sauce by L.A. Times Food deputy editor Betty Hallock.
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Cook time: 5 minutes. Makes ¾ cup.
Glühwein
For any number of reasons, it’s possible that a few guests won’t want eggnog. Don’t force it. It’s always important to have other options on hand. For Nogfest, I keep the fridge stocked with beer, a vintage carafe filled with batched Negroni (equal parts Campari, gin and red vermouth) and a Dutch oven full of some sort of mulled wine that’s kept hot on the stove. With this Glühwein recipe from Lustig chef Bernhard Mairinger, you can re-create the spiced, warm wine prevalent in his Austrian village of Nussdorf am Attersee, scented with fresh citrus and spices like cloves and star anise.
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Cook time: 15 minutes. Serves 6.
Peppermint Bark Brownies
Your mileage may vary but in my home, Nogfest isn’t complete without multiple snack stations, especially when it comes to festive sweets. Head to the store and pick up a tin of peppermint bark, and if you’re feeling ambitious, add a gooey note to the classic treat with this recipe for peppermint bark brownies from former L.A. Times Cooking editor Genevieve Ko.
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Cook time: 40 minutes. Makes about 4 dozen.
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