Ingredients:
The Liquid Wrench Part 2 cups bourbon 1 cup dark rum 1 cup brandy 1 vanilla bean cut in half lengthwise 1 whole nutmeg, which you bust up with a hammer or something hard and heavy 2 cinnamon sticks 7 whole cloves The Eggnog Part 6 eggs 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 quart milk 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, the ground kind 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, the ground kind

Instructions:
You must make the liquid wrench part of this recipe one week before you’re ready to consume the potion. Pour the bourbon, rum and brandy into a one-quart bottle or jug. Split the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into the booze mixture. Then, add the vanilla bean pod to the mixture. Add the cracked nutmeg pieces, cinnamon sticks and cloves to the mixture. The bottle must be tightly closed with a cork or an airtight lid. Put the closed bottle into a sack and stick the bottle in a closet for at least one week. (A couple of months ahead of time is also okay.) The eggnog part: Make this in a saucepan on the stove over low heat. Beat the eggs, sugar and salt together. Stir in half the milk (2 cups). Cook over low heat until it thickens and will coat the back of a spoon. Stir constantly. Remove from heat and mix in the remaining milk and vanilla. Chill in refrigerator overnight. Stir in the liquid wrench before serving. Use a seat belt if you’re sitting on a barstool. Happy New Year! Readers with questions or comments for Dave Kessler may write to him in care of this publication.