to a froth start work 4 pounds of butter

to a froth start work 4 pounds of butter to a cream & put the whites of eggs to it a spoon hill at a time till it is well work’d then put 4 pounds of sugar finely powdered to it in the same manner then put in the Youlks of eggs & 5 pounds of flower & 5 pounds of fruit. 2 hours will bake it add to it half an ounce of mace 1 nutmeg half a pint of wine & some french brandy.” (Recipe courtesy of the Mount Vernon Ladies Association.)

The master of Mount Vernon lent a hand to the holiday preparations, mixing up his celebrated batches of eggnog. With the recipe reduced to less ample terms, the ingredients wefe:

1 quart milk

1 quart cream

1 dozen eggs

1 dozen tablespoons sugar

1 pint brandy

1/2 pint rye whiskey ,

1/4 pint rum

1/4 pint sherry

His instructions give an indication of Washington’s state over the holidays: “Mbj liquor first. Separate yolks and whites of eggs. Add sugar to beaten yolks. Mix well. Add liquor mixture, drop by drop at first, slowly beating. Add milk and cream, slowly beating. Beat whites of eggs until stiff and fold slowly into mixture. Let set in cool place several davs. Taste freauentlv.”