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Christmas is only a week away, so now my thoughts turn to food, of course. This year I am cooking Yuletide dinner for 8-10 people and trotting out my French cookery skills to (hopefully) wow our guests.

Inspired by the work of Marvin Woods with African-American Gullah cooking, I have been playing around for some time now with the idea of melding traditional Southern ingredients and dishes with classic French techniques and methods. Think of it as a sort of a Creole for the interior of the U.S. South or as Provence in Georgia, if you will. This Christmas dinner is an attempt to put that idea into practice on the level of a whole menu.

I think I have hit all the proper Southern holiday buttons here: Pork, biscuits, sweet potatoes, cranberries, mash, pecans, rice. At the same time, I hope the application of French preparations and techniques will render the meal new and exciting while retaining the familiarity of the seasonal favorites.

My plan is to serve in three overlapping courses, though if there is too much complaining from the diners, I will serve buffet style and be happy with that.

Ouverture

Soupe de Canneberge à la Crème avec Les croûtons de cannelle
(Cranberry and Cream Soup with Cinnamon Croutons)

Asperge Lard-Enveloppée
(Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus)

Pilaf Cinq-Vert
(Five Greens Pilaf)

Suite

Jambon poached en pâtisserie à l’ancienne
(Poached Ham in Pastry Old Style)

La mâche de Calebasse avec les noix de pécan rôties
(Butternut Squash Mash with Roasted Pecans)

Mélange végétal rôti sur un lit des épinards fanés
(Medley of Roasted Root Vegetable on a Bed of Wilted Spinach)

Biscuits de Babeurre De Sauge Et De Fromage
(Sage and Cheese Buttermilk Biscuits)

Final

Patate douce Individuelle Crème brûlées
(Individual Sweet Potato Crème brûlées)

Bûche de Noël au Café
(Coffee flavoured traditional French Christmas Log)