Festive Feast
The most wonderful time of the year for your belly is just around the corner.
But even a veteran host can get overwhelmed when it comes to the Christmas crunch time. It can be hard to juggle relatives calling all morning, basting the turkey every half-hour and wrapping those final gifts — all the while creating a memorable grazing table for guests to pick at as they trickle through the door.
So, we’ve teamed up with Captain’s Table to simplify what can be the daunting task of hosting a festive function and creating the perfect platter for your guests.
We’ve also enlisted the help of Nikki Phillips from Sydney catering business Shared Affair for some pro tips. Whether you’re throwing a Christmas Eve party with 60 of your nearest and dearest, a Friends-mas with your out-of-town mates, or the classic Aussie Christmas lunch itself, read on to make an impressive and creative grazing table for your festive feast.
SET THE SCENE
Delicious food and coming together with family and friends are undeniably the best parts of the festive season. So it’s also the perfect time to “channel your inner Martha Stewart and go all out on the table settings,” Phillips says.
A fresh linen tablecloth paired with matching napkins and some jolly decorations goes a long way. “I like to start with a colour scheme then build my table from there,” she says. “For Christmas, you can’t go past a garland. Start with fresh foliage or flowers then add in fun elements like crackers, gingerbread men, mini citrus fruits and candy canes.”
ADD YOUR INGREDIENTS
When it comes to selecting ingredients, colour coordinating adds an element of festive fun.
Phillips suggests the following: “If you are going for traditional Christmas colours for the table, then go for it with the food as well. Red and green are the easiest colours to pick up in food — cranberry studded cheese, wax cheddar, berries and fresh herbs will make your feast look as good as it’ll taste.”
And don’t be afraid to get sentimental. Every family thinks their Christmas ham or prawn cocktail is the best, so stick to tradition and ask your family for their go-to recipes. Not only will it be sure to make mum or grandpa proud, but you’ll get to reminisce on Christmases past with every bite.
“Your Christmas graze should conjure up all of your best Christmas memories while creating new ones with your friends,” Phillips says.
Finally, don’t stress too much about placing the sweet bites, like the berries and candy canes, alongside the savoury ingredients. Your guests are here for the long haul and will likely graze intermittently throughout the day. Besides, there are no rules at Christmas.
QUALITY NOT QUANTITY
Instead of a table full of cheese that you’d eat on any given Friday night, opt for memorable, delicious and harder-to-find cheeses. Then, fill up the rest of your spread with cost-effective items like seasonal fruit and Captain’s Table crackers.
“I tend to splurge on the luxury items. One great cheese that people can’t get enough of will be more memorable than a bunch of mediocre cheeses,” Phillips says.
Since this time of year is all about decadence, why not give baked brie a try? Simply place the brie in an ovenproof dish and pop it in the oven at 180 degrees celsius for about 15 minutes (or in the microwave for two minutes if you’re in a pinch). Cut a hole in the top to reveal the warm, gooey centre and garnish with thyme, goji berries and roasted garlic bulb.
Hot tip: squeeze one of the soft roasted garlic cloves out of the bulb and place it on top of your cheese-dipped cracker. It’s the ultimate flavour bomb — but maybe save that for after all your mistletoe duties are fulfilled.
YOUR SHOPPING LIST
Want to recreate this perfect platter for your festive feast? Here’s what you need (amounts at your own discretion):
- Captain’s Table Classic Water Crackers
- Captain’s Table Rosemary and Thyme Water Crackers
- Olina’s Date and Apricot Artisan Crackers
- Olina’s Fig and Black Olive Artisan Crackers
- Cranberry Cheese
- Crusty Baguette
- Cherries
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Goji berries
- Grapes
- Figs
- Crabapples
- Candy canes
- Walnuts
- Stuffed baby peppers
- Pickled onions
- Fruit cake
- Glazed ham
- Brie
- Garlic bulb
- Chocolate rum balls
- Cinnamon star biscuits
Images: Cole Bennetts
Food styling: Nikki Phillips