Eggnog vs. Rompope: Differences & Which Is Better?
Eggnog and rompope are similar drinks, most popular around Christmas since they are considered traditional holiday beverages. However, although they have mostly the same ingredients, they are still distinct drinks, and it is important to learn the differences if you want to consume them. So, what are the main differences between eggnog and rompope, and which one is regarded as the better choice?
Eggnog and rompope are both drinks that include eggs as their main ingredients, along with some milk, sugar, and vanilla. However, rompope is a drink of Mexican origin, and instead of whole eggs, this beverage uses only egg yolk along with almonds for an extra nutty flavor.
In this article, I have made a close comparison between eggnog and rompope, so you would be able to make the difference. These drinks are indeed very similar and they contain the same ingredients, they still have some distinctions that need to be acknowledged. If this is your first time hearing about rompope, do not worry since below, I have explained in detail what kind of drink is in question and what you should expect.
What Is Rompope?
Rompope is a traditional Mexican drink that is really similar to the classic eggnog recipe. rompope is also most popular around the holidays, and the origin of the recipe comes from the Spanish culture, i.e., the Spanish egg punch, also known as “ponche de huevo”. Originally, this is a sweet and fragrant drink. However, there can be some alterations to it, so it would contain some different flavors.
Rompope was first introduced by nuns in the 17th century, who started selling it after they had perfected the recipe. It did not take long for this drink to gain its popularity and be spread throughout the whole territory of Mexico. Nowadays, this drink can be found in Mexican restaurants outside of Mexico, especially around the holidays.
What is special about rompope is that it requires almonds in its content; therefore, when you taste it, you can notice a little bit of nutty flavor in the drink. The base ingredient is milk, so the almond paste is mixed together with it and some additional flavors, such as cinnamon and sugar. The egg yolks are added later, but they need to be fresh at all times, so this drink would achieve a delicious taste.
Rompope is usually served chilled and with ice. However, some people prefer it warm, depending on the season in which they drink it. Also, many times people make the rompope an alcoholic drink, especially around the holidays. That means that you might come across rompope that includes rum or whiskey.
How to Make Rompope?
To make rompope accurately, you firstly need to obtain all the ingredients you need. There are different recipes for rompope. However, some of them are irreplaceable, so you definitely need them to create the drink in the first place. Therefore, before you start your process, make sure that you have the following ingredients:
- Egg yolks
- Milk
- Sugar
- Spices
- Cinnamon
- Slivered almonds
- Vanilla
- Rum (optional)
Once you obtain all the ingredients, you can begin with the first steps of the recipe. If you follow the steps closely, you will make a delicious rompope drink even from your first try.
Warm the Milk And Add the Spices
Find a suitable pot to pour the milk and add sugar, clove, cinnamon stick, and ground nutmeg. Put the pot over medium heat and whisk the mixture continuously, so the milk will not burn. After that, pour two cups of milk into a bowl, and add the slivered almonds.
Blend the Mixture
After the milk with spices has cooled thoroughly, you can discard the cinnamon stick, and pour the mixture along with the almonds in a blender. Blend the mixture until it gets smooth, and then pour it in a pot on the stove with some vanilla included.
Add the Egg Yolks
Whisk the egg yolks into the mixture, so they become blended with it. Heat the mixture over medium heat for around 15 minutes, and whisk until the mixture becomes thick.
Serve
You can serve the rompope warm or cold, according to your preference. You can add a little bit of cinnamon at the top, so your drink will look nicer. Before you serve, you may decide that you want to add a little bit of alcohol to your drink, so you may add a splash of rum in the glass.
What Is Eggnog?
Eggnog is a traditional Christmas drink, so it is mostly drunk around the Christmas holidays. However, some people prefer this milky drink even in summer.
Eggnog is primarily made of eggs and milk, and then different flavors are added to it. The most common flavors that are included besides milk and eggs are sugar, nutmeg, and sometimes cinnamon.
In the past, eggnog was known under the name milk punch because it was made in big punch bowls. Before the invention of electricity and refrigeration, only wealthy people enjoyed this drink, so it was not common as it is today. However, nowadays, you can easily make eggnog at home with simple ingredients and without any particular utensils and tools.
To make traditional eggnog, you need milk, egg, heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract. Some people like to add a little bit of alcohol to this drink to make it more festive. Therefore, you can come across eggnog that contains rum, whiskey, or brandy.
Since it is mostly drunk around Christmas, people tend to decorate eggnog with cinnamon sticks and nutmeg sprinkles. In addition, you can even see candy canes inside of an eggnog cup because many children enjoy the drink as well.
How to Make Eggnog?
To make eggnog, you may use two methods – either the hot or the raw method. Eggnog is made in a very similar way to rompope. However, you do not add almonds to the drink. To make eggnog, you need to obtain the following ingredients:
- Eggs
- Milk
- Sugar
- Spices
- Cinnamon
- Vanilla
- Heavy cream
- Rum/ Whiskey/ Brandy (optional)
Both the hot and the raw methods include the same steps, with the difference that in the cooking method you use heat to make a custard-like mixture for the drink. Therefore, you do everything in the same way without using heat. In other words, the steps I have provided are the same for both methods, so you just have to decide whether you want your drink to undergo the cooking process.
The steps are the following:
Whisk the Egg Yolks And Sugar
Firstly, you will need to whisk the egg yolks completely, so the sugar would perfectly blend in the mixture. The egg yolks and sugar combined make the perfect natural thickener.
Add Milk And Heavy Cream
After the egg yolk mixture has thickened, you may add the milk along with the heavy cream. In this step, you also add cinnamon and nutmeg to achieve the traditional flavor of the drink.
Whip the Egg Whites
The final step of the cooking procedure is to whip the egg white and add them to a bowl with everything else. This is where you decide whether you want to add some alcohol or not. Usually, people add a little bit of brandy to spice up the flavor of the eggnog.
What Is the Difference Between Eggnog And Rompope?
If you have read the properties and characteristics of both eggnog and rompope, you are probably aware that they are quite similar, both in look and in ingredients. Therefore, many people do not really understand the difference between the two, and they regard both of the drinks as the same. Although they include most of the same ingredients, they still have some typical differences that make them distinct.
Firstly, it is important to point out that rompope is a traditional Mexican drink, so it is mostly drunk by Mexican people and in Mexican regions. On the other hand, eggnog is popular worldwide in Christian families, especially during Christmas. Therefore, it would be appropriate to say that eggnog is quite more popular than rompope.
Secondly, they also have some differences in the ingredients they use in their content. For instance, eggnog requires both egg whites and egg yolks for its structure, while in rompope, only egg yolks are used.
In addition, eggnog does not include slivered almonds, while rompope does and because of this, the drink has a nutty flavor.
Eggnog Vs. Rompope: Which Is Better?
Since they are very similar drinks, it is usually very difficult to determine which one is better. Most of the ingredients are the same, so some people are not able to make a real difference between the two. However, if you pay close attention, you will be able to taste the nutty flavor in rompope due to the inclusion of almonds.
Therefore, if you are a fan of nuts, and you want the sweet flavors produced by almonds, it is very possible that you would consider rompope the better drink. In other words, it depends on your taste whether one drink is better than the other.
In conclusion, you could see the main differences that occur between eggnog and rompope. Although they are very similar, it would be good to try something slightly different and from a different culture, such as rompope.
