The winter holidays are a time when family and friends come together to celebrate and share the delicious pleasures of the season. Whether you're planning a formal dinner party or a casual open house, Williams-Sonoma's Christmas Entertaining will help you host festive gatherings with ease and good cheer.
You'll find creative inspiration and practical guidance for six seasonal celebrations. Feel free to prepare the menus in their entirety, or choose a few recipes and decorating ideas to complement your own holiday traditions.
A fireside cocktail party revolves around festive drinks like lemon vodka martinis. Sophisticated finger foods include rosemary-roasted lamb chops and slices of golden beets topped with smoked trout. Chocolate truffles and candied grapefruit peel end the evening on a sweet note.
On Christmas Eve, celebrate as they do in Italy with a bountiful seafood feast served family-style. Begin the evening with Campari and soda plus traditional antipasto, followed by a platter brimming with shrimp, scallops and stuffed squid. A creamy ricotta cheesecake glazed with blood orange marmalade concludes the meal.
Reflecting the opulence of the big city, a second Christmas Eve menu features a lavish sit-down dinner. Pour Champagne cocktails and then savor a five-course meal defined by luxury—from delicate shrimp bisque and succulent beef tenderloin to an almond and apple tart laced with Calvados.
During the holidays, a country-style breakfast is the perfect way to take the chill off winter mornings. A coffee cake embellished with dried apricots and cranberries will fill your kitchen with welcoming aromas. Savory fare includes baked breakfast sausages and shirred eggs with smoked salmon.
Christmas in New England combines traditional holiday dishes with local favorites, including a sumptuous lobster salad. The centerpiece of the dinner is a standing rib roast with a garlic-peppercorn crust. Spiced eggnog, Yorkshire pudding and classic steamed fig pudding round out the menu.
After the bustle of Christmas, an easygoing open house is a relaxing way to usher in the New Year. Greet guests with hot spiced red wine plus some simple appetizers, such as toasted baguette slices topped with goat cheese. The hearty buffet menu includes a bourbon-glazed ham, crisp apple-fennel slaw and homemade gingerbread.
Menus are accompanied by beautiful photographs of both the food and the table settings. Suggested work plans streamline preparation. Reference sections offer expert advice on creating centerpieces, setting the table, selecting wines and much more. Designed to help you make the most of the holiday season, Christmas Entertaining is an indispensable guide to hosting parties that are as enjoyable for you as they are for your guests.
You'll find creative inspiration and practical guidance for six seasonal celebrations. Feel free to prepare the menus in their entirety, or choose a few recipes and decorating ideas to complement your own holiday traditions.
A fireside cocktail party revolves around festive drinks like lemon vodka martinis. Sophisticated finger foods include rosemary-roasted lamb chops and slices of golden beets topped with smoked trout. Chocolate truffles and candied grapefruit peel end the evening on a sweet note.
On Christmas Eve, celebrate as they do in Italy with a bountiful seafood feast served family-style. Begin the evening with Campari and soda plus traditional antipasto, followed by a platter brimming with shrimp, scallops and stuffed squid. A creamy ricotta cheesecake glazed with blood orange marmalade concludes the meal.
Reflecting the opulence of the big city, a second Christmas Eve menu features a lavish sit-down dinner. Pour Champagne cocktails and then savor a five-course meal defined by luxury—from delicate shrimp bisque and succulent beef tenderloin to an almond and apple tart laced with Calvados.
During the holidays, a country-style breakfast is the perfect way to take the chill off winter mornings. A coffee cake embellished with dried apricots and cranberries will fill your kitchen with welcoming aromas. Savory fare includes baked breakfast sausages and shirred eggs with smoked salmon.
Christmas in New England combines traditional holiday dishes with local favorites, including a sumptuous lobster salad. The centerpiece of the dinner is a standing rib roast with a garlic-peppercorn crust. Spiced eggnog, Yorkshire pudding and classic steamed fig pudding round out the menu.
After the bustle of Christmas, an easygoing open house is a relaxing way to usher in the New Year. Greet guests with hot spiced red wine plus some simple appetizers, such as toasted baguette slices topped with goat cheese. The hearty buffet menu includes a bourbon-glazed ham, crisp apple-fennel slaw and homemade gingerbread.
Menus are accompanied by beautiful photographs of both the food and the table settings. Suggested work plans streamline preparation. Reference sections offer expert advice on creating centerpieces, setting the table, selecting wines and much more. Designed to help you make the most of the holiday season, Christmas Entertaining is an indispensable guide to hosting parties that are as enjoyable for you as they are for your guests.