It just takes eggs, dairy and some kind of alcohol to make eggnog, but it's the different combinations of those ingredients, what type of spirit (and how much) along with an additive or two that sets one recipe apart from another. On Dec. 9, there was a competition for best nog bragging rights at the 12th Ever Nog-Off at the Historic Arkansas Museum.
The popular event had a line of guests going out the door waiting to sample the holiday drink. Estimates by the museum put more than 1,000 people attended throughout the evening, which included caroling around a fire pit outside, music by Charlotte Taylor and the opening of Rex DeLoney's art show, "Eclectic Color: Diverse Colors for a Diverse World."
Winners of the Taster's Choice and People's Choice awards for their nog were Matthew Dunn and Ben Edwards of the Capital Hotel. Their special ingredient? Pecan flavoring.
Top honor in the Not Your Great-Great-Great-Grandfather's Eggnog category for the favorite nontraditional eggnog was given to Elizabeth Strandberg of Loblolly Creamery and Seth Barlow of O'Looney's Wine & Liquor for their St. Elizabeth's Spiked Nog, made with eggnog ice cream and St. Elizabeth's Allspice Dram.
Celebrity tasters were Amy Bell, Alexia Elichiry and Becky Falkowski.
-- Story and photos by Cary Jenkins
High Profile on 12/18/2016