CUISINE
Cannoli gingerbread cottage
Sprinkle and Style
SETTING AND SAVORING THE HOLIDAY TABLE
By Suzanne Corbett
Campbell House Christmas table
Sparkle and flash and set to impress define the holiday table : Stylish tables elegantly arranged with china , flatware and decorations covered with a bodacious bounty overflowing with yuletide delights ; culinary indulgences driven by cravings and traditions to create a spectacular table yielding memories I ’ ll savor for Christmases yet to come .
Before setting the table to satisfy this year ’ s holiday cravings , I chose to explore the traditional to the trendy , past and present Christmas tables , along with seasonal specialties , which not unlike Santa , appear only once a year . Once again , I ’ ve made my picks . A unique collection ranging from seasonal pop-up dinners and a Gilded Age table , to decadent libations and whimsical desserts – all designed to be devoured and enjoyed before the clock strikes midnight on New Year ’ s Eve .
Gilded Tabletops : Christmases past have been a popular theme since Charles Dickens penned “ A Christmas Carol .” That ’ s a good thing for fans of the Gilded Age or Victorian era , and history house museums such as the Campbell House , which interprets the holiday ’ s luxurious foodways in its dining room . The Campbell table reflects tables of the age when one ’ s social status could be determined via elaborate tabletop displays , place settings and multi-course menus . A trip to Campbell House may encourage you to polish your grandmother ’ s silver and buff up the china in order to set a holiday table with a little Victorian panache , which includes place cards , Victorian poppers and table gifts of chocolates - all originally found on the Campbell table and in the museum ’ s nonprofit gift shop .
Magical Pop-Ups : Here today and gone tomorrow defines popup dining unless it ’ s Christmastime , when pop-up venues remain throughout the season . Such is the case at St . Louis Union Station when Magical Meals appear in the Grand Hall on evenings the Polar Express makes its scheduled holiday runs . What makes this pop-up table special are not the elves or the decorations ; it ’ s the imaginative split buffet - one for adults and one for kids - accented with a gingerbread village dessert buffet . Best yet , anyone simply wanting to toast the holidays at the bar has the chance to enjoy the 3-D light shows projected hourly on the Grand Hall ’ s ceiling and walls - a show that remains and changes after this year ’ s Magical Dinners fade into Christmas past .
Cups o ’ Cheer : Making the holidays rock begins with a toast . Thanks
54 GAZELLE STL