And the winner is...

    










...Nicholas Peay's Eggnog!

This purist recipe that consists of mainly the egg and the nog (whiskey) but with “none of that dairy stuff” has stood the test of time and is enjoyed today by the 7th generation of the Peay line. It was also enjoyed by our visitors to the Fourth Ever Nog-off, who voted it the winner.

Born in 1784 in Virginia, Major Nicholas Peay served under General William Henry Harrison in the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811 and served in the War of 1812. In 1825, Peay moved to Arkansas from Kentucky to run a tavern.

Nicholas Peay was also the great, great, great grandfather of Historic Arkansas Museum Director Bill Worthen whose family has enjoyed this recipe for many years.

Below are the recipes from the past four Nog-offs, along with a few tasting notes from our voting visitors. Enjoy! And happy nogging!

Nicholas Peay’s Eggnog

Winner of the Fourth Ever Nog-off

Prepared by Historic Arkansas Museum Director Bill Worthen

6 dozen eggs, beaten separately

1 heaping tablespoon sugar to each egg

1 ½ to 2 qt. whiskey

Beat egg yolks very lightly, add sugar and continue to beat until sugar is dissolved and very light in texture and pale yellow in color. Add liquor to the yolk mixture slowly, continuing to beat. Beat egg whites until stiff. Gently fold into yolk mixture and serve at once.

Tasting Notes: “Like whiskee in a cloud!” “Wow! I’m glad we got here at the tail-end…I would’ve done myself serious damage otherwise.” “Very smooth!” “A good drink for the upcoming depression—only 3 ingredients, and one is alcohol!” “The best and the best server!”

Grandpa’s Medicinal Eggnog

Prepared by Trent Kays

Contender in Fourth Ever Nog-off

12 eggs, separated

1 ½ c. superfine sugar

1 qt. whole milk

1 ½ qt. heavy cream

3 c. bourbon

½ c. dark rum

2 c. cognac

Nutmeg

Cinnamon

Vanilla

In a large bowl, beat egg yolks until thin and page yellow. Add sugar to yolks. Using a wire whisk beat in milk and 1 quart of cream. Add alcohol. Add cinnamon and vanilla to taste. Just before serving, beat egg whites until stiff and then, fold into mixture. Whip remaining heavy cream until stiff and fold into mixture. Sprinkle with nutmeg and serve.

Tasting Notes: “Good for what ails you!” “Thish wash really goooood! Thanksh for the contribushon!” “Great to warm you up and to cheer you up!” “Smooth, even taste. Great consistency.” “Very smooth and goes down easy—like comfort food!”

John Robert Jackson’s Eggnog

Prepared by Bridget Farris

Contender in the Fourth Ever Nog-off

12 eggs, separated

2 c. sugar

1 qt. cream

1 qt. milk

1 qt. whiskey

½ c. rum

Nutmeg

Beat egg yolks until thick. Add sugar until mixture is smooth. Stir in cream (whipped or not, your preference) and milk. Add rum and whiskey slowly so to not cook the eggs, stirring the whole time. Do not whip! Beat egg whites until stiff and folk in. Grate nutmeg on top and serve.

Tasting Notes: “Not too boozy, not too sweet—Goldilocks eggnog.” “The best eggnog.” “Strong!” “Very festive, rich, in the spirit of the season. Delicious. My clear winner.” “Mellow, goes down easy.” “Party Nog.” “Strong…good.” “Tastes like nog should.” “This is Christmas!”

Nutty Aunt Hazel’s Nog

Prepared by Kitty Lane and David Patterson

Contender in the Fourth Ever Nog-off

12 eggs

1 c. sugar

½ tsp. salt

3 pints heavy cream

Grated nutmeg

1 c. hazelnut liquor

Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until thick. Slowly add liquor while beating at slow speed. Chill for several hours. Add salt to egg whites. Beat until almost stiff. Whip the cream until stiff. Fold the whipped cream into the yolk mixture, then folk in the beaten egg whites. Chill 1 hour. Top with nutmeg.

Tasting Notes: “Almost like a dessert.” “I like hazelnut liquor—yum!” “I love the sweet creaminess of this nog.” “Light and fluffy.” “Smooth and nutty—surprising!” “The best dang dessert!”

Past Nogs

Creamy Liquid Custard

Winner of the Third Ever Nog-off

Prepared by Robynn Mendez

8 tsp. arrowroot (or ½ c. flour)

6 well beaten eggs

1 tbsp. vanilla

2 ¼ c. sugar

½ gallon whole milk

½ pint cream

Irish cream liquor to taste (optional)

Sift dry ingredients (sugar and arrowroot) together. In a large pot, mix beaten eggs and milk together. Add dry ingredients. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for about a ½ hour or until thick. Strain the custard mixture and add vanilla. Let cool overnight and stir in the cream.

Bett’s “Boiled” Custard

Prepared by Wally Nixon from the recipe of Betty Jean Coleman Daniels

Contender in the Third Ever Nog-off

½ gallon whole milk

9 eggs, separated

1 ½ c. sugar mix with 1/3 c. flour

2 tsp. vanilla

Dash nutmeg

Brandy, rum, bourbon or scotch to flavor, if desired

Put milk in top of double boiler over lightly boiling water until little bubbles form around edge of milk. Never allow the milk to actually boil. Separate 9 large eggs. To yolks, beaten, add sugar/flour mixture. Slowly add a cup of the warmed milk to the egg mixture, stirring constantly. Return egg and milk mixture to double boiler and cook until mixture begins to thicken—about 10 minutes. A thinner custard may work better for a drinkable eggnog. Remove from hear and cool overnight. Add vanilla to cooled custard. Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold gently into cooled custard and add alcohol, if desired. Top with whipped cream and a dash of nutmeg.

Virginia Mitchell’s Eggnog

Prepared by Starr Mitchell

Contender in the First, Second and Third Ever Nog-offs

1 ½ qt. milk

1 ½ qt. whipping cream

2 c. sugar

6 eggs, separated

½ pint brandy

1 ½ pint bourbon

¾ pint rum

Combine milk and sugar and mix until sugar dissolves. Whip the cream on the high setting. Beat egg yolks well, on low setting. Add liquor, slowly, to yolk, starting with the brandy, then rum and last bourbon. Add the sugar and milk mixture to yolks. Beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Fold whipped cream into liquor mixture. Lightly fold in egg whites. Set in fridge at least one day ahead. Improves with age.

Robert Crittenden’s Kentucky Eggnog

Winner of the Second Ever Nog-off

Prepared by Louise Terzia

1 qt. of milk

2 dozen eggs

1 liter Kentucky bourbon

1 qt. heavy cream

1 ½ c. sugar

Nutmeg for garnish

Separate eggs and beat until creamy. Whip sugar into yolks. Beat whites until they stand in peaks, adding ½ cup additional sugar, if desired. Beat yolks and bourbon together, add whites. Beat cream. Add cream and milk to mixture. Add nutmeg to taste and garnish each cup with nutmeg. Makes 1 ½ gallons.

William E. Woodruff’s Eggnog

Winner of the First Ever Nog-off

Prepared by Louise Terzia

Individual serving-multiply as needed:

1 medium size egg yolk

2 tbsp. thick cream

1 level tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. brandy or good grade of whiskey (or 1 tbsp. dry sherry)

Beat the egg yolks to a lemon color. Slowly add the liquor while beating, then, still beating, gradually add the sugar a little bit at a time. Beat in cream, whipped, grate the nutmeg and mix in well. Chill. Serve in small glasses or cups. Stiffly beaten egg whites may be used after the nutmeg, but more often they were used for angel food cake, which was usually served with eggnog.