Nottinghamshire duo Rob Lord and Farhan Ahmed continued their bright start to County Championship life, each claiming three wickets as Essex were dismissed for 457 on the second day of action at Chelmsford.
Micheal Pepper joined Tom Westley as century-makers in the hosts’ first innings, while Simon Harmer added 51, including a seventh-wicket partnership worth 133 with Pepper.
Notts concluded the day trailing by 420, with Ben Slater unbeaten on 26 when bad light and rain saw play for the day abandoned with 36.1 overs remaining.
Resuming 362/5, the sides were taken off for rain just three deliveries after taking the new ball - seven overs into the day - by which point the hosts had added 17 to their overnight score.
That, and the solitary wicket of Tom Westley - who played a steepling Rob Lord delivery onto his own stumps to depart for 122 - proved the only disruptions for Essex in the morning session as Pepper and Harmer combined to add 52, including the former bringing up his half-century, before lunch.
Their partnership reached 100 after the break - an over before the home side reached their fourth batting bonus point - and Harmer and Pepper brought up their fifty and hundred, respectively, in quick succession.
But Notts found their own bout of joy as the afternoon session wore on.
Freddie McCann’s introduction into the attack brought the demise of Harmer - bowled reverse sweeping - before Shane Snater’s wild swing saw him bowled by Farhan Ahmed with Essex on 441.
He had a third soon after as Sam Cook was stumped, with Pepper the last to fall on 115 - bowled by Liam Patterson-White.
In reply, Notts had 19 on the board when Haseeb Hameed crunched Sam Cook to point on the stroke of tea.
They were otherwise untroubled as Essex were made to rotate seam and spin with bad light taking effect, Freddie McCann finishing unbeaten on two alongside Slater when the umpires called time on the day.