Holy Moley Pumpkin Nog

In the interest of full disclosure, we admit that we kind of dropped the ball on our October eggnog recipe.  We meant to celebrate National Pumpkin Cheesecake day with a pumpkin-flavored eggnog.  But we were too busy putting together our row cover chicken tractor, and we forgot all about it.  So, to make up for it, we wanted to belatedly celebrate another October holiday, and one that is observed mainly by dedicated chemistry nerds (including us): National Mole Day.  National Mole Day is October 23 (after the 10²³ part of Avogadro's number, 6.02 x 10²³, the number of items in one mole of something.  (Just like a dozen means twelve of something.  If you want to know where the number comes from, look here.)  National Pumpkin Cheesecake day is October 21, for no good reason that we can see, other than being in the prime of pumpkin season.  But celebrating two October holidays belatedly equals celebrating one October holiday on time, right?  Anyway, here's how we prepared pumpkin cheesecake-themed eggnog, with the recipe given in terms of moles. (Translation follows below.)

Start with the yolks from 9.96 x 10^-24 moles of eggs and beat them until thick and light yellow.  Mix in 18.9 moles of milk (assuming that an average molar mass of milk is around 19 g and has a density of around 1.01 g/mL), and heat to 160 °F.

Add 1.18 x 10^-25 moles of brown sugar crystals (assuming a crystal size of 1 mm x 1mm x 1mm and a packing fraction of 0.6), 1.66 x 10^-24 moles of cream cheese (since one foil-wrapped 8-oz package is definitely the SI standard unit of measure for cream cheese), 2.24 x 10^-22 moles of pumpkin as puree (assuming an average pumpkin diameter of 20 cm and pumpkin core diameter of 10 cm, with the core containing seeds and other stuff) another 18.9 moles of milk, 1.25 x 10^-24 moles each of ground cinnamon and ginger (assuming a particle size of 0.1 mm x 0.1 mm x 0.1 mm and a packing fraction of 0.6), and 2.49 x 10^-24 moles each of ground allspice and cloves (same assumptions).  Mix in the cream cheese and sugar first so they melt/dissolve nicely, then pumpkin, then milk and spices.

Mix it all together well with the eggbeater.

Wait until cool if possible, and pour into glasses.  (We couldn't wait until it cooled all the way to room temperature).  Serves 0.996 - 1.33 x 10^-23 moles of people.  If you expand this up to the one-mole scale, let us know.  Actually, we might be able to tell anyway, because that would probably require every egg in the entire world, and deadly eggnog floods would claim the unsuspecting and those who could not escape up the giant mountain of eggshells left behind.  Although, if one had to choose a way to go...

The Recipe:
9.96 x 10^-24 moles of egg yolks (6)
37.7 moles of milk (3 c.)
1.18 x 10^-25 moles of brown sugar crystals (0.5 c.)
1.66 x 10^-24 moles of cream cheese (8 oz.)
2.24 x 10^-22 moles of pumpkin as puree (0.5 c.)
1.25 x 10^-24 moles of ground cinnamon (0.25 t.)
1.25 x 10^-24 moles of ground ginger (0.25 t.)
2.49 x 10^-24 moles of ground allspice  (0.5 t.)
2.49 x 10^-24 moles of ground cloves  (0.5 t.)

Beat the egg yolks until thick and yellow, add half the milk, mix well, and heat to 160 °F.  Add cream cheese and sugar, mix well, then add pumpkin, spices, and the rest of the milk.  Pour into 6-8 glasses and serve while telling corny chemistry jokes.  Best enjoyed between 6:02 pm and 6:02 am.


How did you celebrate national pumpkin cheesecake day and national mole day?  Do you think it would be totally awesome to swim in a river of pumpkin-flavored eggnog?  Let us know in the comments section below!