What will the holidays look like? As we all start to put together plans, the one thing we do know, is that it will be different! And that’s okay with us. I mean, the whole damn year has been “different,” to put it mildly.
So, why not try something new? Look up some new recipes, dust off some retired family favorites, or center a meal around a theme- -Christmas in Tuscany, foods native to your region, only red foods, etc.
A holiday meal is different even in format alone; it’s mostly served on platters. From the beginning of the meal to the dessert, shared platters are key. Platters are wonderful, ancient things, recalling feasts of antiquity where fellowship was cemented by sharing plates and eating with your fingers. This tradition carries through to a holiday meal. When else do you pass a large dish of meats and sides around the table, sharing and helping each other, an eye on making sure everyone gets their fair share of the feast?
My absolute favorite part of a holiday meal is the appetizer spread-- a beautiful thing that’s an indicator of a special day. It is a judgement-free zone, a wondrous land where a deviled egg can rest gently beside a mound of pimento cheese, next to a pile of sliced carrots, the juices from pickled giardiniera bathing everything in their vinegary, briny goodness. It is one of my favorite parts of a holiday feast, and I always look forward to the awkwardness of trying to keep a sweater clean while balancing a glass of wine on my knee and trying to not spill on the carpet.
Our platters are great. Perfect. Laid out on a table, they look like a beautiful sculpture laden with food, singing of abundance and indulgence, of celebration. I designed our platters to embrace the bacchanalian side of the holidays-- the fun, weird roots of the traditions we celebrate.
The Oval Platters are wide and have rims that make them ideal for passed mains and sides. They are equally at home on the dinner table as the appetizer spread, and the 3 Piece Set is an easy way to build out the table from there.
The Tapas Set is perfect for appetizers or sides. They are boat-like, narrower than the Oval Platters, and make a sculptural presentation out of small bites or delicious shared sides. Our olive tray is skinny and boat-like— a match for sweet or savory items. Olives or chocolate truffles fit so well on the tray, it feels like they were meant to be there. The rim of the Olive Tray ensures your spherical snacks won’t scatter in movement around the table. We also have anr Hors d’Oeuvres Tray, a stretched variation on the Olive Tray. Wider and longer, try this one for chocolate-covered strawberries or some pimento cheese toasts. The Appetizer Tray is a size above our Hors d’Oeuvres Tray and the widest of the bunch. This piece is a larger tray for appetizers or as part of a family-style meal.
