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A Festive And Fabulous Holiday Menu

Albertina Roca
  |   October 23, 2013   |  

It's beginning to feel - and taste - a lot like Christmas ! The tree is up, the snow has coated everything in wonderful white, and the season is in full, festive swing.

Our Christmas menu selection this year is full of fabulous flavor, using the foods and ingredients we love so much around here. We looked for great innovative ways to prepare some classics, but also wanted to have pretty presentation and a bit of a wow factor - this is a once-a-year event, and your table should be anything but ordinary!

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START...

...with this festive Pomegranate Cheese Ball by How Sweet It Is. Twinkling pomegranate gems glisten and glow festively in this incredible appetizer that reminds us of a Christmas ornament (an edible, delicious one!) and acts double duty as a centerpiece. This classic-yet-chic cheese-ball appetizer is made with sharp white cheddar, mixed with some smoky toasted almonds, then sumptuously finished with cream cheese, mascarpone, and sage butter. Everything gets blended with an electric mixer and then formed not a ball. We are raving about this appetizer!

Pomegranate Cheese Ball

A delicious centerpiece to start off your feast! Photo: Pomegranate Cheese Ball by How Sweet It is.

Get the Pomegranate Cheese Ball recipe here >

FOLLOW...

Instead of a Christmas ham or turkey, we're making this a sophisticated, delicious and upscale alternative: Maple Balsamic Roasted Duck by Spoon Fork Bacon. Traditional dishes are great and all, but sometimes it's time to shake things up, but there's something very "everyday" about ham, and by December 25th, we've just about had enough with Thanksgiving turkey leftovers. This duck is juicy and tender, but with loads more flavor than a turkey. You can use a whole duck, or two if you're feeding a large crowd. This recipe also includes a Spiced Cranberry -Persimmon Chutney (which we think is just perfecto for this), but since a roasted duck is a super versatile main, you can pair it with your favorite sauce.

Maple Balsamic Roasted Duck

A very crispy Christmas! Maple Balsamic Roasted Duck by Spoon Fork Bacon.

Find the Maple Balsamic Roasted Duck recipe here >

SERVE WITH...

Creamy, cheesy, luscious Scalloped Potatoes by Oh Sweet Basil! We almost have no words to describe the incredibleness that is this au gratin dish. It's classic and comforting, and we think it will pair perfectly with our more complicated main dish. Russet potatoes, butter, heavy cream, a great sharp cheddar cheese, all spiced with thyme, bay and cloves, and baked until gorgeously golden and deliciously melty. We're planning to make this with sharp and buttery Fiscalini Farmstead 18 Month cheddar for an extra boost of flavor...and we're planning to make it our staple winter comfort dish throughout the season!

Scalloped Potatoes

A sumptuous side! Creamy Scalloped Potatoes. Photo by: Oh Sweet Basil.

Find the Scalloped Potatoes recipe here >

TOAST...

...with a warm glass of Glogg (recipe by Taste Food Blog). If you're ready to go beyond the Eggnog this year, you should definitely try this yummy alternative. Glogg is the classic Scandinavian Christmas drink. A kind of spiced mulled wine, it's made with cloves, cinnamon, red wine and brandy, served cozily warm with almonds and raisins. It's pretty much the grown-ups cup of hot chocolate, and it's much more beautiful to serve, the merry red drink adding to the Christmas atmosphere.

Glogg

Stay mellow and warm with a glass of Glogg. Photy by; Taste Food Blog.

Find the Gløgg recipe here >

AND FINISH WITH...

Mascarpone Nutella Mousse! The creamy hazelnut chocolate spread is pretty much an addiction of ours, and it's the perfect treat to end a holiday meal. This dessert combines sweet mascarpone with Nutella and heavy whipping cream. Just blend equal parts of each in a blender and you're done. Garnished with cheery red berries, festive green mint and (more) chocolate, this is the ideal clincher to our picture-perfect Christmas meal!

Nuts for Nutella! Nutella Mascarpone Mousse. Photo: Gourmet Food Store.

CONTRIBUTORS:

We'd like to thank the following bloggers for sharing their amazing recipes and beautiful photographs. Visit their blogs for more delicious recipes and tons of culinary inspiration.

www.SpoonForkBacon.com
www.howsweeteats.com
www.tastefoodblog.com
www.ohsweetbasil.com

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Author

Albertina Roca

Copywriter & Certified Cheese Addict

Meet Albertina, a seasoned food writing wordsmith and marketing creative split between the sizzling vibes of Miami and the charming streets of Buenos Aires. With a solid 20 years in the traditional and digital advertising world for the gourmet food industry, she’s mastered the art of making words as mouthwatering as the dishes they describe. She’s proudly been part of the Gourmet Food Store family (and its brands) since its very beginnings, and what a fun, flavor-packed journey it has been!

Highlights

Albertina's journey in copywriting is marked by a passion for creativity and a knack for connecting with audiences. Her expertise spans SEO-driven content that boosts visibility, engaging social media strategies that spark conversations, persuasive advertising campaigns that captivate, and heartfelt storytelling that resonates deeply.

Experience

With a diverse portfolio spanning numerous articles, blogs, and captivating content pieces, Albertina has left her mark on the industry. From informative guides to persuasive sales copy, her work not only informs but also inspires action.

Education and Background

Her journey began at Rutgers College, where she studied in History and Political Science, with a minor in English Lit. She honed her craft at The Miami Ad School in South Beach, where creativity and copy collided under the South Florida Sun. From the neon streets of South Beach to the tango beats of Buenos Aires, her pen dances with the rhythm of whatever gastronomic tales she gets to write at the time.

Currently savoring life in Buenos Aires, Argentina, she’s bilingual in English and Spanish, an avid reader, and cheese addict.

Her writing? Seasoned with creativity, spiced with experience, and garnished with a dash of wit.

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