ISSUE 43, CHRISTMAS, Part 7: New Orleans Christmas Dinner a Century Ago

Christmas Dinner New Orleans a century ago

Jules Alciatore, the chef at Antoine's responded to the request of the N. O. Times Picayune in 1917 to provide a menu for a Christmas dinner in the best style. So here is his bill of fare: Pompano, Lamb, and Turkey with chestnut dressing. Asparagus in December! the glass house farms of New Orleans must have been very adept. There are things that deserve discussion: Ojen Cocktail was made of an anise flavored liqueur that was unavailable from the 1980s to 2016. But in 2016 the Sazerac Cocktail Company revived the ancient Ojen tipple. So a licorice kiss to start the holiday.

Crab Gumbo was intriguing because it marked the turn away from terripin stew with Madeira classic opening course for a holiday feast. Oysters on the half shell, or Alciatore’s Oyster Rockefeller were another was to launch a festive meal.

The Montgolfier Brothers in France inaugurated the practice of steaming fish in paper. Alciatore’s fish course is the classic gulf coast fish en papillote.

Noisettes de Agneau [Not Moisette] depends upon a rich sauce made of lamb bones, vegetables, and wine rendered into a rich and thick blanket for the lamb.

The Turkey with chestnut dressing was classic French, but also classic southern.

Chocolate Cake . . . of course.