O editors are nothing if not intrepid, and when word got out that there was an eggnog tasting going on near my desk, nog lovers and skeptics came running (well, the skeptics may have been a little reluctant, but they came). We pitted 6 different nogs--including traditional supermarket brands, healthier versions and even a homemade one--against each other in a blind tasting. Here are the three we loved best.

Turkey Hill Grade A Eggnog
Pictured: Back row, left
$2.49 for 1 quart
1/2 cup: 190 calories, 9 grams fat
The consensus among tasters is that this pasteurized, homogenized nog--which has rum flavoring (though not actual rum) and spices--is the standard against which all others should be judged. Our resident eggnog lover declared Turkey Hill her favorite.

Lactaid Eggnog
Pictured: Back row, right
$2.49 for 1 quart
1/2 cup: 170 calories, 9 grams of fat
This lactose-free drink tasted more like vanilla pudding (or "pudding mix before it's puddi-fied," according to one taster) than eggnog. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. Said another, "It doesn't taste like eggnog, but it's good."

Homemade
Pictured: Front row, middle
This O mag recipe was one of the simplest I found. I made a thin custard from cooked eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla and nutmeg; then, once it cooled, I stirred in whipped heavy cream. Some tasters liked the resulting froth, and one even said, "This tastes like a milkshake!" Conclusion: This is the eggnog for people who don't like eggnog.

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