Orange Nog — Edible Reveries

There is a cookbook in my mother’s home that she received as a wedding gift in 1970,The Culinary Arts Institute Encyclopedic Cookbook. She’s been using it all these years, and I’ve been cooking from it since I was about 6. It is stained, torn, floury and all together well loved. This is my baking bible - it’s measurements are exact and classic. But outside of the baked goods sections, some of these recipes are weird and from another era!

I never really ventured outside of the baking section until I bought my own used copy on Amazon. My copy is even older than my mother’s, from 1950. I can’t say I’m willing to try recipes like Gherkins in Dried Beef Rolls or Molded Cheese Salad, but when I started wandering through the drink recipes I saw something that sounded delicious called Orange Nog. The only nog I have ever known about is egg nog, and I keep that down to one glass a year at the holidays, plus maybe some fancy french toast to finish the carton. What would orange nog be like, I wondered?

Culinary Arts Institute Encyclopedic Cookbook -- why is this perfect homemaker cross-eyed? — Culinary Arts Institute Encyclopedic Cookbook -- why is this perfect homemaker cross-eyed?

Orange nog is essentially just lightly sweetened milk shaken over ice with orange juice. So simple and lovely I wonder why I never thought of it myself, I picture serving frosty glasses of this nog to my future children. Their cherubic faces smile up at me and chirp, “Thank you Mama!” They seem to have perfect Downton Abbey English accents and are all wearing newsie caps. Mary Poppins music is playing in the background. My fingernails are perfectly manicured and I think I’m effortlessly walking in heels!

...Or maybe I’ll just make the nog to make myself drink milk.

Orange Nog

INGREDIENTS

½ cup of milk (any variety will do -- I suspect that non-dairy would work well, but haven’t tried it myself)

¼ cup orange juice

¼ tablespoon sugar

½ teaspoon orange zest

ice

Place all ingredients in a jar or cocktail shaker. Cover and shake until frothy and well combined. Pour into a glass, straining and leaving the ice behind. Serves one happy camper who is getting her calcium for once!