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Posts Tagged ‘Christmas dining’

Christmas Dinner: Traditional or Exotic to Cap the Year?

Thursday, December 22nd, 2016

FFDM Belvedere Collection: Christmas dinners are best shared by families, friends and other loved ones.

Christmas is a special season for so many reasons and this isn’t so just because of the wreaths or mistletoe or Santa Claus figurines. Christmas is Christmas because of the beautiful traditions that are being observed all over the world.

Now that we’re celebrating Christmas, you might want to borrow some interesting foods served in different countries during this festive season. Here are some foods that you might consider adding to your Christmas menu this year –

  • Coquilles Saint-Jacques from France is a dish comprising of scallops, cheese and herbs. These are then served as appetizers in little shells. Imagine your guests’ reaction to this unique appetizer. Try pronouncing its name and you’d be esteemed as an expert chef!
  • Feast of Seven Fishes is a heavenly dish made with linguini, clams, calamari, and shrimp scampi. This dish is meant to commemorate Jesus Christ’s birth according to Italian tradition.
  • Chiles en nogada is a Mexican festive dish comprised of fire-roasted Poblano peppers stuffed with meat. These are then covered with a creamy walnut sauce and garnished with pomegranate seed.
  • Zakuski from Russia is a fish appetizer that features salty and sour flavors highlighted by vodka shots.
  • The Venezuelan Hallacas are stuffed with a mixture of peppers, capers, raisins, and different meats. They are then wrapped in plantain and maize leaves. Expect spice, sweetness, and saltiness in one.
  • The German Stollen is their own version of the traditional fruit cake complete with rum spices and a unique sugary coating. What could be more satisfying than having the spices compete with the sweetness of the coating? Your palate becomes a pleasant battleground of flavors.
  • Ceia de Natal is a turkey feast made special with champagne and spice marinade.
  • The Philippine Bibingka is a flat cake that’s served on banana leaves. It is garnished with grated coconut and a pat of butter.

With more guests coming in this Christmas, it’s best to have extra storage and serving surface for food. Hooker Furniture Dining Room Retropolitan Buffet will provide both.

Christmas is delicious also when you serve special dishes or complete meals that have been traditionally enjoyed. Mince pies are a modern classic which are now replacing wholemeal bagel, cranberry sauce and strawberry jam.

Truffle oil still reigns supreme as is the greenish hint of kale in 2013. Culinary trends are fused with unique ingredients this year. All have the power to offer a tasty twist on your upcoming Christmas dinner.

The flavors of 2016 offer versatility such as the creamy texture of the pork belly. Pork belly is a traditional Oriental ingredient especially among the Chinese. These days, this is an ingredient that’s not just found in Chinese menus anymore.

Your first choice should be roasted pork belly – it’s easy to make and the crispy skin is simply irresistible. This is also a wonderful alternative to ham if you’re willing to try something different.

Another traditional Christmas food is the pomegranate. This is mainly Turkish but with a twist of sweetness. It is also a super food that has the potent antioxidants. Decorate your roast lamb or rocket and almond salad with this fruit.

Who says Christmas dinner isn’t the right venue for a new venture such as an octopus dish? Lino Sauro, a winning chef from Sicily, just adds olive oil to the succulent tentacles of the octopus and what he’s achieved is one of the Sicilian favorite dishes. Sauro states that no Sicilian summer is complete without this special dish.

Octopus is both versatile and texture-rich so you can use it in just about any dish from pasta to salads. Braise the octopus with red wine then serve it with bone marrow and rice pasta.

Christmas Dining Table

What are these dishes without a dining table to frame ‘em? Choose the beauty of sleek metal for your modern theme or a wicker ensemble for your rustic interiors to complete your Christmas dinner.

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Posted in Interior Design 101, Winter Season | No Comments »

Celebrating the Season Outdoors

Monday, December 19th, 2016

Uttermost Accessories Suzuha Large, Finial 19235 is an interesting decor for your outdoor setup.

If you’re thinking of entertaining friends and family during the holidays but are problematic about the amount of space needed to do that, then have no fear. Your festive ideas can still come into fruition if you learn to use the outdoor space to your advantage.

Here are some outdoors ideas that will make the holiday season truly a moment of merriment –

 Create a Makeshift Bar  

All you would need is a sleek cart for your outdoors bar and you could start prepping and serving your guests with luscious cocktails. Any space in your front or backyard could be transformed into that holiday makeshift cocktail station.

In the absence of a bar cart, you can also set up card tables for that makeshift buffet or bar. Just cover it with a tablecloth or a plain white sheet and you’re done.

Add some barware, cutting board and some seasonal décor and you’re good – you’re absolutely good.

Maitland-Smith Accessories Bamboo Cast Brass Bar Cart 3020-042

Or a Coffee Cart

You can also repurpose your garden or bar cart to a mobile breakfast station. Add some gourmet coffee and some juice choices plus some newspapers for the complete breakfast experience.

Ask Guests to Contribute to the Fun

No, don’t think that they’re going to bring decorative items. Just ask them to make memories with you buy bringing some musical instruments that they can play. You could jam with them for nights of musical entertainment.

Apart from musical fun, your guests could also add some puzzles and games to what you already have in your collection. Make sure the kids have their own crafts and other fun activities so that both adults and small ones would have a grand time.

Set Up Outdoor Furnishing

Limited on furniture for your outdoor haven? No problem. Bring some pillows and blankets and they’d instantly become the cozy fireside seating units for your guests and loved ones.

If you are expecting a group that’s much larger than your dining room, then you have more reason to set up the outdoors. Find an outdoor dining table that will be able to accommodate the extra guests.

‘Thinking of using hardwood table? Just make sure that it will be set up in a covered area or a part of your yard that can have a makeshift roof should the elements rain down on your holiday refuge.

Now, as you set up the dining table, just don’t be content with a bare look. Decorate it. Go bananas on your lanterns and centerpieces. Or you could take some ideas from al fresco dining restos such as setting up some metallic chairs and tables underneath a picnic umbrella. Sitting on metal doesn’t mean you have to suffer from discomfort so make sure that the seats are still comfortable. You can provide some thick colorful cushions to up the level of comfort while also adding pizzazz to your design.

Prepare for Chilly Nights

You must also prepare for chillier evenings. Have an outdoor fireplace set up or just have a fire pit built especially for your outdoors entertainment area. This fire pit is a surefire way to make the entire area more inviting.

Let the Lights Glow

But what is an outdoor entertainment area without the bright lights? Be sure to install ample lighting – don’t worry, you won’t need a lot – just enough so people could have their merriment while still seeing each other. If you’re thinking of a romanticized version of an entertainment area where candles are lit, then be sure to have these lights protected from the elements.

You might want to install stair and pathway LED lights, too, especially when you’re entertaining during the evening. All lighting fixtures must be outdoor-rated so it will be able to take cold, hot or damp weathers. Weatherproofed lighting is the only way to go if you want you and your guests to be safe.

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Posted in Outdoors Style | No Comments »

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