blue artichoke

I made another batch of eggnog last night and started one today that has to hang out in the fridge for a few days midway through the recipe. I'm still very disappointed with my eggnog recipes.

Eggnog #5* "Baltimore Eggnog"
Recipe from House & Garden's Drink Guide, November 1973. It is an uncooked, alcoholic nog. The egg yolks, whites and heavy cream are beaten separately, which uses a lot of bowls and requires frequent washing of the beaters. There is quite a bit of alcohol involved: brandy, light rum and peach brandy. After combining all of the separately beaten ingredients and the alcohols, the eggnog split into two layers (similar to how water and vinegar split into layers). The egg whites formed a foamy and light top layer that didn't mix into the more liquid nog part, leaving me with a glass full of foam after I drank the nog. The foam had to be scooped out with a spoon. And, because I'm a firm believer that eggnog shouldn't require cutlery, this recipe gets two thumbs down.
ease of preparation: - (too many bowls, too much to clean up)
flavor: - (tasted OK, but the peach brandy gave it a non-eggnogish flavor
texture: - (required cutlery, boo!)

Eggnog #6 "Aunt Kat's Creamy Eggnog"
Recipe from someone's Aunt Kat, in Southern Living, December 2001. This one is cooked and alcoholic. I haven't tasted it yet because it requires several days in the fridge before finishing the recipe. This one, like Eggnog #2, required me to add bourbon to the hot custard and, like the other recipe, curdled when I added the alcohol. Why do recipes instruct cooks to self-sabotage? I did a bit of research and found that the custard will curdle if it gets too hot/cooks too long. But that wasn't the reason this time, because I used a thermometer. The custard was at its ideal temperature (160F) when I added the alcohol. What gives? I'll have to do a bit more research. I'm beginning to think that there may not be a winner to the Snackdown Eggnog Battle.
ease of preparation: +
flavor: ? (haven't finished the recipe yet)
texture: -, curdled and chunky

*You'll notice that I skipped Eggnog #4. It is another one that has to hang out in the fridge for several days. Report forthcoming.

Dinner last night: Chicken Divan and baby carrots
Dinner tonight: Sephardic Beef Stew