Christmas Dinner Course One

So I decided to share my Christmas feast on the blog in multiple parts because....well...it was a feast. There was a hell of a lot to it but its my tradition every year to cook from early am to night Christmas Day and prepare a multi-course menu paired with wine. For so long we would open presents and then just bum around all day, so I love the new tradition of the formal dinner that keeps you busy the entire day-with great reward!



To start off a menu like this, I always like to have a real small snacking course. This year, I wanted to do my own (cheaper) version of a traditional russian toast. My uncle is Russian, and whenever we eat with him we toast over vodka and caviar/creme fraiche blinis. First of all, it's DELICIOUS. Second of all, the Russians are great toast makers. I wanted to incorporate a little bit of this into our foursome family Christmas table, but more affordably. Alongside with a chilled vodka shot (one per person), I served a tray of smoked salmon and smoked mackerel and creme fraiche blinis (the mackerel was so salty and delicious!) and a small plate of cheese. The blinis were meant to be paired with the vodka toast (you take them together after your toast). The cheese that wasn't eaten, I set aside to put with my dessert cheese in the last course.



When I do big dinners like these, with full menus, table settings are extremely important. It requires a little more work on the serving and plating end, but people get so much more in the mood and the whole experience is improved when a nice table is set.



For this setting, I found real cute "The Night Before Christmas" salad plates with red cloth napkins.





I placed a little nutcracker figurine at each setting with appropriate glassware for the entire evening. Red candles and pinecone centerpieces finished it off...was very fun!