"Spirits" of the Holidays Eggnog

When I first came up with this recipe, my mother commented about the alcohol content. I felt compelled to remind her that I had never consumed any alcohol until I was in my mid-30s. Her reply: "Well, you appear to be making up for lost time." The first Christmas after she passed away, I felt extremely melancholy. My siblings all live in different areas of the country, and it would be the first Christmas we would all be apart. To brighten things up, I took out my mother's recipe book and got to work. I sent each sibling 12 packages, each containing an edible gift from her collection, along with a bottle of this eggnog. I included the original recipes and the memory (there was always a memory) attached to each. It was a lot of work, great fun, and NOTHING could have pleased them more!

This makes a very large amount, so take into consideration your refrigerator space for chilling. I like to bottle it and give it away during the holidays. You can always omit the alcohol, especially the rum. But, the apple brandy really works well.