I think you're headed in the right direction with spiced nuts. deviled eggs, or charcuterie. I'm not an eggnog fan but would want to contrast the creamy, sweet richness of eggnog with something savory, salty, earthy and fresh.

I love eggnog and need nothing else with it. But I would say you've got the right idea. I would definitely serve little things that are strongly flavored. Something with a little heat, something with acidity, something with spices. I would do the deviled eggs, spiced nuts, AND a charcuterie board with meat, cheese, pickles, slices of baguette. I would pile the deviled ages on the board and put a bowl of spiced nuts in the middle.

Thanks all-- you've got me thinking . . .

The thing is not to be too rich, but in the same festive and savory vein you were thinking. For instance, instead of salami and cheese, you could so lean slice pastrami or smoked turkey or something sweet, like quince paste and fancy crackers. Raincoast crisps are fairly lean for crackers (crackers tend to run greasy) and very interesting and fancy. I think spiced and roasted nuts sounds like a great pairing, especially if you do the fresh ground nutmeg on the eggnog. Roasting makes nuts feel a bit lighter.

Besides specific pairings, eggnog goes fine with produce, like guacamole or spinach dip and veggies or chips.

Devilled eggs and eggnog? nah...too eggy. Spiced nuts and perhaps some fruit....grapes?

rum

I’ve never had eggnog so I looked up the recipe. It sounds like a rich, sweet, drinkable dessert ie a pretty filling meal in itself. I’m not sure I’d want anything with it other than a small cookie and a brisk walk in the fresh.

"I’ve never had eggnog"

And you haven't missed a thing!! Nasty stuff.......overly rich and sweet and loaded with unnecessary calories.

What I'd serve with it is another drink option altogether. A nice red wine would work and would go well with any of the suggested accompaniments.

If you want a holiday season drink, treat yourself to a peppermint latte.

Of course other drink options, particularly bourbon, will be available (and this is a bourbon based eggnog. I'm nixing the eggs but still working on the menu. Frankly peppermint latte sounds even worse!

No to the peppermint latte, thank you. Or any other flavours. I like my coffee to taste only of coffee. But I’ll happily take the wine option if you’re offering GG.

Yeah, I'd pass on the peppermint latte myself as well :-) I only suggested it as a holiday themed alternative to the sickly sweet and highly calorific eggnog. The wine would be my holiday tipple of choice.

I agree that something simple like savoury crackers, nuts, etc. would be a good pairing - but Christmas cookies/cakes/breads are always appropriate too. Homemade eggnog need not be overly sweet, since you can control the amount of sweetening.

I love eggnog and have to restrain myself, since it's so calorie dense and goes down too easily 😉

I always make my own, and I prefer bourbon to rum.

i hate commercial eggnog. Homemade eggnog is frequently delicious, albeit rich. nuts, shortbread, grapes would be my idea of nice snacks to accompany the real stuff.

My father made eggnog. It wasn't sweet, other than from the milk and brandy, and, while rich, didn't have cream, so wasn't richer than any custard. I like refreshing drinks, so a little bit was fine with me. Frankly, I prefer my custard baked (love custard) so like eggnog French toast or bread pudding better than the cocktail. :D If it's sweet, I'd think Linda's suggestion of grapes would be great—sweet but sharp and juicy.

I love eggnog but would never eat anything salty with it. I also would not eat anything especially sweet with it, but perhaps butter cookies ginger snaps, Madeleines, shortbread, pound cake, or biscotti might be acceptable. Whatever it is should not be sweeter than the eggnog. It has never occurred to me have have something to eat with eggnog.

My MIL made nog, she always served with a plain bundt cake or cookies, so that is what I am used to. I preferred the crisp butter cookies rather than cake. Something about the crunch, I think is what appeal to me. I like Lars statement, should not be anything sweeter than the nog! That would be really hard with her nog, it was extra sweet and rich. Good, but most people could not do a lot of it. I have a VERY sweet tooth and too sweet is almost impossible for me.

I love eggnog but in my mind can’t pair it with anything but sweets. Christmas cookies, perhaps of the European type that aren’t as sweet. Or a Stollen or similar bread.

Thanks for all your suggestions -- there will be cookies for those who prefer sweet, and savories for those who don't. My guess is the eggnog will just be a taste (or a toast) and then on to cocktails.

Some light crispy cookies, and something with fruit, either fresh or a fruity cake. Maybe cupcakes, like carrot pineapple or cranberry something . . . I do pistachio and dried cranberry filled biscotti dipped in white chocolate at Christmas, due to the festive colors. But any biscotti would work too. If its a party, maybe some fresh fruit skewers marinated in some rum or brandy or something . . . I do cranberry orange and orange quick breads sometimes around holiday time . . .

For savory, just go old school and do Chex party mix. Buy some premade. Something for everyone.

This sounds more like an open house cocktail party rather than a 'pairing' with eggnog. As a guest, i would taste, a tBsp or two, as i like to try everything...then add ice in the same glass and have a bit of bourbon or scotch as i like it very watered down.

My invitations always mentioned a food theme, then a note to 'bring your beverage or cocktail of choice' after mentioning what will most likely be provided...beer/wine/virgin mary, etc.

Always the Sunday before x-mas however the date fell on the calendar. This year would have been perfect being the 19th. Canceled. I will take my spicy virgin mary mix to a small gathering, the 23rd, having a huge garden harvest of horseradish. Being the designated driver i will sip that.

I would love a deviled egg since i never make them. Any nibble sweet and savory i would like as a guest. We are veg heavy because of our crowd we know so well.

A bit shocking a few years ago invited to a cocktail gathering open-house type dealio...(not close friends). Two big plastic bowls of Costco cheese balls and nasty commercial chex mix so salty and full of disgusting chemicals.

Anywho, you are on the right track for your guests. Prep-aheads like some charcuterie platters and a fruit/veg platter...does not have to be huge...just variety. Nibbles.

I just made a cheese coin cracker today, resting in the fridge. New to me recipe. If good i will double it next week. And freeze the logs. I do like to try something new unfamiliar every year...

Doesn’t sound like an open house cocktail party to me at all. Sounds like one friend stopping by and pigeen wants to offer a snack.

Doesn’t sound like an open house cocktail party to me at all. Sounds like one friend stopping by and pigeen wants to offer a snack.

Need to read the entire post.

"pigeenOriginal Author

yesterday

Thanks for all your suggestions -- there will be cookies for those who prefer sweet, and savories for those who don't. My guess is the eggnog will just be a taste (or a toast) and then on to cocktails."

We all do this. The event is in our brains but first postings do not often fill/give the full story...

I thought the same at first...a friend hands off a homemade treat at the door...a gift in return handed off at the door...

My neighbor will be handing off gorgeous chocolates at some point the next week or two maybe. I made cheese logs to be cut and baked but now frozen. Cracker cheese coins. Antisipating her delivery, i will hand her a frozen log she can slice and bake. Very common in my neighborhood.

Yes, it has morphed into a cocktail party -- more and merrier!

Spiced nuts, variety of cheese and crackers,shrimp/ mushroom filo cups, mozzarella/ pesto filo cups, porterhouse steak bites, Christmas cookies. The eggnog was quite delicious and the party lots of fun.

Mmmmmmm!! I love things in phyllo cups!! And everything else of course, but somehow those cups say instant party to me.

Yes I was going to say savory Phyllo pastry filled triangles or squares. Or if you didn't have that squares of melted cheese or creamy cheese and herbs in tortillas. I also love eggnog with the Chinese donut. It is not very sugary and often you dip the donut in a sauce. It is a strange combo but there you have it. :-).

.

We have a family recipe that is amazing! It is dessert all by itself but homemade shortbread cookies were always available. It's rich and can only be consumed in small quantities. Your friend probably doesn't want to drink the eggnog he's gifting you. Another beverage and snack will probably be welcome.

I can’t imagine savory with eggnog. To me it reads more like a milk shake or milk punch. It needs dessert-ish things alongside.

I’d serve my mother’s fruitcake cookies, which I am lukewarm about most of the time but are a perfect accompaniment to eggnog. Mom’s fruitcake cookies are like spice cookies with chopped dried fruit and chopped pecans in them. I think shortbread would also be delicious.

I agree with bbstx about not having anything savory with eggnog, but now I'm thinking that I would like to have gingerbread or spice cake with it. Fruitcake would be good also.

I love eggnog season and wish it lasted longer. I will have to start looking for it in stores now, as I do not make my own. I try to avoid any in the stores that have HFCS, but sometimes that is not possible. There are some local dairies that have made eggnog in the past that is excellent and does not have HFCS. I still add a bit of grated nutmeg to it, however, along with the rum.

If I could tolerate eggnog at all, I could definitely see it being paired with something savory. Since it is more or less a booze enhanced milkshake, why would it not go with savories like a milkshake does?? Burger, fries or onion rings, milkshake.....heck, they even sell eggnog flavored milkshakes intended to be consumed with savories!!!

I don’t drink milkshakes with food. To me, they are the dessert.

@Lars, I actually prefer Milk Punch to Eggnog. Have you ever tried Milk Punch?

Milk does not agree with me, and so I look for eggnog made with cream, which upsets my stomach less. I will put up with the upset stomach for eggnog that has some milk in it, but I would definitely not want to try milk punch or any drink that is primarily milk - not because of flavor but because of its effect on me.

Funny to see this come up again. Our party is going on its third year and has proved quite popular.

Excellent, Pigeen! So glad the people enjoy it, since that's the real point, not what they ingest. :)

I'm not a milk shake lover, but where I live (similar to what Gardengal just wrote) they're served with hamburgers, or at least were when portions were smaller. I do love custard, but prefer it cooked. Even so, eggnog is often served with salty/savory appetizers. I seem to remember it being good with rumaki of all things. What Pigeen posted last year about what was served at the party in question sounds fine to me.