Larry Shore, head chef and co-owner of Red Cedar Bistro alongside his wife, Sandy Shore, has always been an example and proponent of making everything from scratch. Six a.m. is his self-imposed call time to begin making fresh pita bread every day, so naturally he already had a homemade eggnog recipe tucked into his holiday collection.
Despite their original opening date being in spring of 2024, opening in November felt special because it was now a month earlier than they had expected and came with a kind of serendipity they couldn’t ignore. The holiday season was stirring everywhere, including across the street at Dry Land, where from its distillery, the Mediterranean restaurant’s front door is visible just across Main Street.
Sandy saw the call for entries into Dry Land’s eggnog competition. Her bid, entering Larry’s recipe for consideration on Red Cedar Bistro’s behalf, was a way to counter what she describes as the chaos of opening a new restaurant— something fun, light and ultimately low stakes. Prior to their 2024 “Nog Off” win, their doors had been open for less than a month.
Larry’s eggnog recipe has been a trusty companion for the couple at each of their restaurants, appearing on their own menus for at least some stretch of time and always prepared the same way. It is unapologetically classic.
When Sandy told Larry about her entry on their behalf, he prodded, half jokingly, “Are they going to make it right?”
It was a fair question, especially considering how many years this recipe has followed them and how heavily it leans on precision. With no unconventional infusions to distract or disguise, balance is everything and there is no place to hide. The perfect ratio of cream to spice, the exact whisking, the careful timing of incorporating each ingredient. Its simplicity becomes its own form of rigor.
As the restaurant marks its first year in business, the couple can look across Main Street to the site of that early win— just one milestone of a long line that began during that first chaotic month.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups Whole Milk
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 3 Cinnamon sticks
- 1 Vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
- 1 tsp grated nutmeg
- 5 Eggs, separated
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 3/8 cup Heirloom
- 3/8 cup dark Rum
Instructions:
- Combine Milk, Cream, Cinnamon, Vanilla beans and Nutmeg
- Bring to boil over medium heat
- Once boiling, remove from heat and allow to steep
- In a large bowl or standing mixer, beat egg yolks and sugar until combined and thick ribbons form when whisk is lifted
- Slowly whisk in the milk and continue to mix until combined and smooth.
- Add alcohol and mix
- Beat egg whites until soft peaks form
- Gently fold into eggnog until combined
