Eggnog Improver

Owing to a housekeeping lapse, this jar has spent the last year, unlabeled, on the back of the potting bench in the garage.  Fortunately, as I'm the only gardener on the premises there was no danger of it being used accidentally to perk up a tray of seedlings.  Yesterday being devoted to a variety of housekeeping tasks, not only did I finally put a label on the jar, I made my annual batch of eggnog.

I mixed up the Eggnog Improver last year, and of course, didn't write down the ingredients.  My guess is that the alcohol is my usual eggnog mix of rum, bourbon, and cognac.  For spices, I can see cinnamon sticks, star anise, and whole cardamom pods.  There might be a vanilla bean in there, but it's really too dark to tell for certain.  Nutmeg is always grated fresh when the eggnog is served.

The first eggnog pouring here at the Blue  Door is always on the solstice, and this year I've remembered to buy a Christmas tree, so Wednesday evening will be a nice, small celebration to encourage the light to come back.