The biggest food day of the year may be behind us but that doesn’t mean it’s time to pack up the pretty dinner plates quite yet. Oh no, we are just getting started y’all! A few weeks ago I threw a Holiday Dinner with Friends gathering and I can’t wait to share all of the details. I’m going to recap everything from the menu to the oyster shell place settings in hopes you can glean a little inspiration and host a fabulous, stress-free, dinner for your own friends & family this holiday season!
I was lucky enough to host my friends at the Siebrook House on Seabrook, SC. Siebrook Beach House is a 5 bedroom home on Seabrook Island, located on the Crooked Oaks golf course and very close to the beach. It’s the perfect rental for a week long getaway with family or just a quick weekend retreat with friends. The Siebenhausen family goes above and beyond to make sure you and your guests are comfortable and feel right at home. These two have thought of everything!
When hosting a holiday dinner party, you really need to come up with a game plan, well in advance, in order for the evening to run as smoothly as possible. Know what you are cooking. Pick out your place settings and color scheme weeks in advance. Look around your home for items you already have on hand that will work on your dining room table – candles, vases & small holiday trinkets. My friend, and co-collaborator, Kristen LeQuire of LeQuire Photo and I landed on earthy tones for this tablescape that would work well with items we already owned but could be made to look festive with just a few simple elements. Like the personalized menus, oyster place settings & glass Christmas trees.
The painted menus were actually computer printed on water color paper. My talented friend, Jennifer Hoel, hand painted over the printed font to make each look extra festive. Guests left with their very own painted menu along with their personalized oyster shell. If you are painting impaired, like myself, you could trace the image or, have your kids paint over the menus for a super sweet touch.
For the florals we called on the insanely talented ladies behind The Charleston Flower Market to put together six gorgeous, smaller, arrangements using local, and less expensive, greenery like magnolia leaves, eucalyptus, lotus pods, berries and pine cones. All of these elements will keep for weeks, can be found in your yard or local stores and can be re-used in future arrangements. Currently I have the pine cones, lotus pods and berries in my mantle display.
When thinking of the menu I knew I wanted to start with a huge cheeseboard that would keep my guests content while I worked in the kitchen. No holiday meal is ever ready on time so keep that in mind when planning for your guests. I also knew I wouldn’t have the time, or the ability, to put said cheese board together so I called on the best of the best, Kim of The Cheers Experience. My guests happily grazed on this gorgeous board before the meal and went back to it about an hour after – it was that good! Friends – when hosting a large dinner party you will not be able to do everything yourself. Sub out what you can – appetizers, dessert, plates, glassware – figure out what pieces of the evening you want to own and then find vendors who can help with the rest.
Now for the food. I wanted to keep the recipes as simple as possible with just a little added flair. Stacked potatoes instead of mashed, pancetta balsamic brussels in lieu of plain ~ minimal updates that make for a gorgeous presentation. When hosting a seated, plated, dinner party, you must be realistic about what dishes you choose to cook. Make sure you are comfortable prepping, baking and serving, each dish. Now is not the time to go all James Beard. My best advice – keep it simple. The most difficult part about hosting a larger dinner party is making sure all of your dishes remain warm until ready to serve. If you don’t have a warming drawer, use the broiler to quickly crisp up your roasted veggies. (Keep an eye on them, they will burn quickly).
Duffy Christmas Menu 2019 with Wine Pairings
Appetizer // Cheese Board // The Cheers Experience
Salad // Maple Roasted Carrot Salad // Wine Pairing ~ Talbott Kali Hart Chardonnay, @talbottvineyards
Main Dish // Roasted Beef Tenderloin // Wine Pairing ~ Penfolds Koonuga Shiraz/Cab, @penfolds
Side // Crispy Cheesy Potato Stacks // Wine Pairing ~ Elouan Pinot Noir @elouanwines
Side // Balsamic Roasted Brussels // Wine Pairing ~ Man Vitners Chenin Blanc @vineyardbrands
Dessert // Ricotta with Honey & Crushed Pistachios //Wine Pairing ~ Sokol Blosser Riesling @sokolblosser
All wines can be shopped at Sauer Grapes on Daniel Island. Wine pairings courtesy of Brittany Zara of Cheers SC & Vine to Table SC.
Gorgeous Pictures Courtesy of the insanely talented Lequire Photo
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