Dave’s Favorite Seasonal Beverage…Just Skim Off the Egg Whites

I think many of us have weighed in on Black Friday--the official kick-off of the Christmas season--beginning, for many retail outfits, on Thanksgiving evening. But, let's face it, Thanksgiving is the beginning of the holiday season.

With a few exceptions and some minor adjustments, the food and snacks and beverages don't really change much during the month-long holiday. And, it really does last a month, even if we don't get all those days off.

See, in my family there's a certain beverage we always had at both Thanksgiving and Christmas--and at various times between the two days. And that beverage is boiled custard.

Now, I know at least one person who would be gagging right now, but he's in the Caribbean, so we won't concern ourselves with that.

Yes, boiled custard. It's a Dave Spencer family staple. I have no idea how you make it, but my grandfather sure tried...and succeeded by most accounts.

Personally, I didn't care for it and mainly because he'd always leave egg whites floating on top. But I drank it, nonetheless. Everybody drank it. And we asked for more. Nothing less would do.

To be fair, there were members of my family who really did like it. Not me, though. But it was as much a part of our family's holiday celebration as anything was. He always brought it to the festivities in a great big Kraft Miracle Whip jar that's older than me, which, as you can see, we still have. It's an heirloom.

And, let's be clear about something. If my grandfather were still alive, this blog wouldn't exist. But he's been gone since 1994, so I'm safe.

But let's also be clear about something else:

Christmas wouldn't have been Christmas without that boiled custard.

Now, I guess you're wondering why I call it my favorite seasonal beverage. Well, it's because the store-bought stuff rocks, that's why. Seriously, I love it. Outside of sugar cookies, it is my favorite "sweet" at Christmas. I've never met a brand I didn't like. And I'd like to meet more and compare. But, again, I've liked all that I've had.

And, you know what? I've even bought it and poured it into that old Miracle Whip jar, just for old time's sake.

Minus the egg whites, of course.