1st Ever Nog-off Winner (2005):
William E. Woodruff’s Eggnog
Prepared by Louise Terzia
Individual serving—multiply as needed:
1 medium size egg yolk
1 level tablespoon of finely pulverized sugar
2 tablespoonsful of thick cream
1 grating of nutmeg
1 teaspoonful of brandy or a good grade of whiskey (or 1 tablespoonful of 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. Sever in small glasses or cups.
Stiffly beaten egg whites may be added after the nutmeg, but more often they were used for angel food cake which was usually served with eggnog.
William E. Woodruff was the founder of Arkansas’s first newspaper, the Arkansas Gazette. Woodruff arrived in Arkansas Post from New York in 1819 and set up his printing business. When Little Rock became the territorial capital in 1821, Woodruff moved his business upriver. Between 1824 and 1827 he lived and worked on the northeast corner of the museum’s block. This recipe is found in Mary Fletcher Worthen's book, Matters and Things in General, available in the Museum Store.
2nd Ever Nog-off Winner (2006):
Robert Crittenden’s Kentucky Eggnog
Prepared by Louise Terzia
1 quart of milk
2 dozen eggs
1 liter Kentucky bourbon
1 quart heavy cream
1 ½ cups of sugar
nutmeg for garnish
Separate eggs and beat yolks 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.
Born in Kentucky in 1797, Robert Crittenden was appointed by President James Monroe as the first secretary of the Arkansas Territory in 1819. He governed the territory until the arrival of James Miller, the first official governor. Crittenden amassed political power through an alliance with Henry Conway whom he later mortally wounded in a duel. He also co-founded what is now Rose Law Firm. He died in 1834 while arguing a case in Mississippi. While this recipe is not directly related to Crittenden, it has the same Kentucky roots.
3rd Ever Nog-off Winner (2007):
Creamy Liquid Custard
Prepared by Robynn Mendez
8 teaspoons arrowroot (or ½ cup flour)
8 egg yolks, beaten
Vanilla to taste
1 ½ cups sugar
6 cups whole milk
2 cups cream
Bailey’s Irish Cream liquor (or alcohol of choice)
Sift dry ingredients together and add the egg yolks. Put milk and cream in a double boiler. Wait until the milk is heated and add the egg mixture. Stir until thick and strain into another bowl. Strain again into a container and add vanilla and alcohol (if desired). Refrigerate and serve chilled.
Louise Hummel, Robynn's grandmother, made this custard every year for their family's Christmas Eve party. Robynn is proudly carrying on the tradition.
4th Ever Nog-off Winner (2008):
Nicholas Peay's Eggnog
Prepared by Bill Worthen and his daughter, Rachel Worthen
6 dozen eggs, beaten separately
1 heaping tablespoon of sugar to each egg
1 1/2 to 2 quarts whiskey
Beat egg yolks very light, add sugar and continue to beat until sugar is dissolved and very light in texture and pale yellow in color. Add liquor slowly, continuing to beat. Fold in beaten whites and serve at once.
Nicholas Peay moved to Arkansas fro Kentucky in 1825 to run a tavern. Born in 1784 in Virginia, Major Peay served under General William Henry Harrison in the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811 and served in the War of 1812.
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.
5th Ever Nog-off Winner (2009):
Virginia Mitchell's Eggnog
Prepared by Starr Mitchell
1 ½ quarts of milk
2 cups sugar
1 ½ quarts of whipping cream
6 eggs, separated
1 ½ pint of bourbon
½ pint of brandy
¾ pint of run
Combine milk and sugar and mix until sugar dissolves. Whip the cream on high setting. Beat egg yolks well, on low setting. Add liquor, slowly, to yolks, starting with the brandy, then rum and last bourbon. Add the sugar and milk to 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.
Adapted from an old Tennessee recipe, Virginia Mitchell made this eggnog for 35 years. She’d pour it into fruit jars and keep it in the refrigerator for visitors. She noticed who expressed extraordinary appreciation and, for them, she set aside a full jar to take home.
6th Ever Nog-off Winner (2010):
People’s Choice Award:
St. Nick Nog
by Tandra Watkins, pastry chef for Ashley’s at the Capital Hotel
4 large eggs, separated (reserve egg whites for garnish)
2/3 cup sugar
1 ¼ -1 ½ cups Prichard’s “Sweet Lucy” Bourbon Based Liqueur
2 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
½ tsp vanilla extract
In a mixing bowl set over a barely simmering water bath, combine together the yolks and sugar, whisk until the sugar has dissolved.
Place the bowl in a stand mixer and beat the yolks until they are increased in volume and a pale yellow color. Meanwhile, place the milk in a saucepan and bring it to a boil.
Whisk the hot milk into the beaten egg yolks, then whisk in the “Sweet Lucy” and vanilla extract. Strain and refrigerate the mixture and mature for at least 48 hours.
Nog Garnish:
Reserved egg whites, room temperature
1 tbsp heavy cream
1 ½ tbsp confectioner’s sugar
1/8 - 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
Place a bowl over a pot on gently simmering water. Add all the ingredients to the bowl and whisk together continuously until the mixture reaches a temperature of 160° F.
Place the bowl on an ice bath to cool it down quickly. Then place it in a soda canister and charge it with 1 cream charger.
To Serve:
Ladle out the eggnog and then top off each cup with the nog garnish.
Makes 8-10 servings
Tasters’ Choice Award:
Reichardt-Hoeltzel Eggnog
Prepared by Becky & Charles Witsell
3 qts eggnog mix ½ gal eggnog ice cream
1 fifth 100 proof bourbon 1 pint rum
Sprinkle nutmeg on top. Add extra quart of eggnog mix to dilute.
This is the recipe as it was given to Becky by Pauline Hoeltzel many years ago.
7th Ever Nog-off Winner (2011):
People’s Choice Award:
John Robert Jackson’s Eggnog
Prepared by Bridget Fennell Farris
6 servings Many servings
2 eggs 12 eggs, separated
⅓ cup sugar 2 cups sugar
5 oz cream 1 qt cream
5 oz milk 1 qt milk
5 oz whiskey 1 qt whiskey
<1 oz rum ½ cup rum
Nutmeg 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 fold in. Grate nutmeg on top.
This Woodford County, Kentucky, recipe came from a Fennell family friend who got it from his grandfather. Bridget Fennell Farris prefers to serve hers with Irish Whiskey.
Tasters’ Choice Award (Tie):
Capital Eggnog
Prepared by David Burnette, Capital Bar and Grill
6 cups milk 12 egg yolks
2 cups heavy cream 2 cups sugar
⅛ tsp. nutmeg liqueur of choice
Cook 6 cups milk, 2 cups heavy cream and ⅛ tsp. ground nutmeg in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes or until steaming (about 150˚). Reduce heat to low.
Whisk together 12 pasteurized egg yolks and 2 cups sugar in a large saucepan until smooth. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until mixture reaches at least 160˚ (about 25 minutes). Whisk milk mixture into egg mixture.
Cool 30 minutes; transfer to a pitcher. Cover and chill 3 to 24 hours. Pour desired amount of praline or bourbon liqueur into each glass (we use Prichard’s “Sweet Lucy” Bourbon Liqueur). Top with eggnog. Sprinkle with freshly ground nutmeg.
OMnoG!
Prepared by Drue Patton, Argenta Arts Foundation
1 can of sweetened, condensed milk (chocolate preferably)
1 can of evaporated milk 2 eggs
1 cup of Ron Rico Rum Grated, fresh nutmeg to taste
1 cup of cheer
Blend it and drink up! OMnoG!
8th Ever Nog-off Winner (2012):
People’s Choice Award:
Capital Eggnog
Prepared by David Burnette, Capital Bar and Grill
6 cups milk 12 egg yolks
2 cups heavy cream 2 cups sugar
⅛ tsp. nutmeg liqueur of choice
Cook 6 cups milk, 2 cups heavy cream and ⅛ tsp. ground nutmeg in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes or until steaming (about 150˚). Reduce heat to low.
Whisk together 12 pasteurized egg yolks and 2 cups sugar in a large saucepan until smooth. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until mixture reaches at least 160˚ (about 25 minutes). Whisk milk mixture into egg mixture.
Cool 30 minutes; transfer to a pitcher. Cover and chill 3 to 24 hours. Pour desired amount of praline or bourbon liqueur into each glass (we use Prichard’s “Sweet Lucy” Bourbon Liqueur). Top with eggnog. Sprinkle with freshly ground nutmeg.
John Robert Jackson’s Eggnog
Prepared by Bridget Fennell Farris
6 servings Many servings
2 eggs 12 eggs, separated
⅓ cup sugar 2 cups sugar
5 oz cream 1 qt cream
5 oz milk 1 qt milk
5 oz whiskey 1 qt whiskey
<1 oz rum ½ cup rum
Nutmeg 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 fold in. Grate nutmeg on top.
This Woodford County, Kentucky, recipe came from a Fennell family friend who got it from his grandfather. Bridget Fennell Farris prefers to serve hers with Irish Whiskey.