December Dinner with Friends
our december inspirations for a simple dinner with friendsbecause you should invite some friends over for dinner
the inspiration
THIS MONTH WE ARE INSPIRED BY PARIS.Allow us to whisk you away to Paris: the City of Light, Love, and Art. Paris is the capital of France and center of the Île-de-France region located in north central France on the Seine River. The world’s center of diplomacy, finance, culture, commerce, fashion, gastronomy.
From haute cuisine to haute couture, it’s hard not to talk about how influential Paris is. It’s a city that lives up to its hype with culture, museums, stunning views, and cuisine. We’ll transport you to sidewalk cafes and high end restaurants serving classic French dishes from the surrounding regions.
“It does not matter where you are in Paris.
You are in Paris.”
to set the mood
THE AMBIENCEPut a bow on it! I just picked up a few lovely spools of black and cream ribbon and all month long I’ll be putting bows on everything! Champagne coups, invitations, menus, flatware, olive pedestals…
It’s the season of hosting! Read out tips & tricks to make hosting easy. And we urge you to incorporate some French holiday traditions this season!
Do as the French do because the French do it better :)
THE CONVERSATIONMy second tip is to set conversation cards on the table. You can find ours on the site, use this month and don't forget to check out our past months as well. Putting a little care into curating the moment, but not overly directing really makes a gathering special.
WHAT TO WATCHThe Big Night: This movie is a gem this time of year. Full of cozy, festive vibes, it's all about family, friends, & togetherness— pure nostalgia and total comfort.
PLAYLISTNothing sets the mood like the right music— let us help. Find winter tunes here.
MOODBOARDLove a moodboard! See my December Pinterest board here.
for the table
THE SETTINGDecember is a beautiful time of year. We get to focus on all of the important things; love, giving and togetherness. But, expectation can really add stress to a season that should be about joy.
Our tables this month are all about whimsy. Simple ways to infuse charm and delight without pressure of perfection.
THE DESIGNOur new Design Edit boxes, curated by Ethan Allen with his extensive experience from MartinPatrick3 and Vivid Home, offers hand-selected, luxurious items that add elegance and style to your home and dinner parties
“I wanted to find a careful balance of things you didn’t know you needed until you saw them all together. As I love to entertain, I wanted to show you some of my favorite items I’ve been using for get togethers. Hosting friends and family is more fun when you have the right pieces to elevate the the food and the experience. “ — Ethan
Shop the Design Edit for the holidays and read our Q&A with Ethan.
THE APÈROWe start our December meal with a Grand Aioli. It's a spread of crudités, poached shrimp, potatoes, and quail eggs all served with a deliciously garlicky aioli for dipping.
It's a gorgeous set on the table! And a perfect way for guests to settle into the meal. We love it with a crisp white wine.
on the menu
Let us take you on a tour of the classic dishes France has to offer. While many of these courses are rooted in other regions, the chefs and restaurants of Paris have refined them.
Start with the Grand Aioli, a spread of crudites and poached shellfish served with very garlicky aioli and crusty baguette. The delicately poached pike quenelle and rich but balanced Sauce Nantua will take you back to the era of Haute Cuisine.
And drum roll please! Our Bœuf Wellington has returned for the month of December!
FEATURED COURSEPike Quenelle
Pike quenelle is as classic as it gets! It’s one of the most delicious, indulgent things you will ever eat. Our very refined version drew national attention at Grand Cafe. You can read about it here, or just order and try for yourself!
“This month’s menu is recalls an extended December weekend I spent in Paris. The chill in the air had the tourists away and so we wandered (the French have a word for someone who does this- Flâner) through the streets meandering as we wished. It was mid-morning and we stopped at Baron Rouge for oysters. We stood on the street and slipped these little briny beasts down our throats, she drank champagne and I had muscadet, both notoriously known for playing well with freshly shucked oysters. ”
recipes for you
SO, YOU BOUGHT A DOZEN OYSTERS. NOW WHAT?
First thing’s first.
A SIMPLE GUIDE TO SHUCKING (and eating) RAW OYSTERSExplore the delightful world of oysters! Learn the art of preparing and enjoying oysters, from shucking to serving.
GRILLED OYSTERS WITH CRÈME FRAÎCH... AND POTATO CHIPSRaw oysters can be polarizing for newcomers, but we promise these grilled oysters will be everyone’s (even oyster-skeptics) favorite dish of the night. Potato chips provide crunch and another layer of umami. We don’t want to say they’re the star - especially when oysters are involved - but we won’t lie when we say they really make the dish.
SEAWEED MIGNONETTE RECIPEThere are plenty of ways to eat a raw oyster: purists think it’s sacrilege to put anything on an oyster while others favor a squeeze of lemon and a small dab of horseradish or cocktail sauce. But we think mignonette is the perfect accompaniment for raw oysters.
BŒUF WELLINGTON
A bœuf wellington is not only a showcase of technique but also a form of craftsmanship— it’s also a massive undertaking! We’ve broken it down into two days to make it seem less overwhelming.
GET THE RECIPE or just order it ;)
POACHED SHRIMP AND LOBSTER
Poaching shellfish may seem intimidating but it’s as simple as a court bouillon, an ice bath, and a timer.
This is an easy party trick with a killer presentation and a whole lot of "Wow, you made this?" moments.
GET THE RECIPE
MILK CHOCOLATE POTS DE CRÈME
Pots de Crème translates to “jars of cream.” This recipe is a classic, especially for Paris Dining Club. Serve in a hollowed out orange for pure delight.
GET THE RECIPEto drink
SOMMELIER NOTES FOR DECEMBEROur favorite local sommelier, Bill Summerville writes,
“Be sure to ask for champagne from a grower-producer. This is a champagne producer who grows all their own grapes- very important. They oversee every aspect of the grape’s maturation unlike the big producers, who grow grapes, but also buy grapes in bulk like a commodity. Larmandier-Bernier is a favorite grower-producer.
Muscadet and champagne will go well with both the Grand Aioli and the oysters. Most whites will, but I’ve been recently drawn to wines from coastal regions for seafood- Rias Baixas, Txakoli, Sherry, Provence, Liguria, Campania.
Champagne and other bubbles will go well with the Pike Quenelle and it’s Sauce Nantua contrasting the richness of the dish. For a fun complementary pairing try a savory chardonnay from the Jura region or for adventure try a fino sherry and see how the briny viscosity of the sherry melds with the sauce. Avoid lighter whites.”
Read Bill’s full notes & recommendations for December.
LOOKING FOR SOMETHING ZERO-PROOF?Checkout Marigold’s selection of nonalcoholic pairings here.
BATCH MARTINIS ANYONE?Sarah Coombs, our marketing girlie, and Britt St. Clair, our operations wiz, both share a love for martinis. Their #1 holiday hosting tip? Serve martinis!
We have a simple batch martini recipe for you.
Sarah & Britt prefer their martinis dry, with gin and two olives :)
And remember, martinis are like boobs. One isn’t enough and three is too many. Please drink responsibly.
the gift
THE MEMBER GIFTEach season, our members receive a complimentary hand-selected gift. This season’s gift is perfect for holiday entertaining. We’re obsessed with these Love & Victory Diver Cocktail Picks from Shop Senti and we can’t wait for you to show them off!
(dinner) party with us
Members get access to exclusive long table dinners, workshops, and more at The Studio. Sign up for tickets.
Catering and In-home Dinner Party Experiences — Get lost in the evening & treat your guests while a private chef and service team take care of all the details.
Dinner Party in a box — Skip all the prep and shopping, we deliver.
“Instructions for Living : Pay attention, be astonished, tell about it.”