Chances are that by now, you have your Christmas Day (or Christmas Eve, depending on tradition) dinner menu planned. But have you thought about breakfast? Or how about some festive cocktails to enjoy after all that hard work of opening presents? Here are some delicious ideas from our chefs at the Williamsburg Lodge and Williamsburg Inn.
This holiday, bring both the heat… and the sweet… to the table. First up is our recipe for a savory frittata (you probably already have the ingredients in your fridge), and a unique spin on a spicy Bloody Mary. For the more adventurous cooks, we’ve also included a recipe for crepes, paired with a cranberry champagne cocktail. Because the level of difficulty is a little higher on this breakfast choice, we’ve also included a short video demonstration.
It’s funny that both recipes remind me of two of my favorite Christmas movies. The frittata brings up images of The Family Stone. Yes, I’ll be sure to hold onto that skillet very carefully as I put it in the oven. And I bet America’s favorite elf, Will Ferrell, would just love to pour maple syrup all over those crepes!
As a bonus gift—from us to you—we’re also throwing in a fun holiday sangria recipe from Chef Travis Brust. Most of you probably think of hot apple cider this time of year, but his sangria option is a chilled (and delicious way) to serve up a holiday favorite. Plus, the rosemary and pomegranate provide the perfect festive color combo.
Frittata & Bloody “Maria”
- 15 eggs
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
- 2 Tbsp fresh basil, chiffonade
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- Favorite fruit to serve with frittata
- Preheat oven to 350
- Place medium-sized cast iron skillet over medium heat
- In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs until well incorporated, mix in 1/4 cup Parmesan and heavy cream. Place to the side.
- Add oil to the skillet once it’s hot
- Sauté onions and peppers until tender. Season with salt, pepper, and 1 Tbsp basil
- Immediately add egg mixture and mix it well with the vegetables.
- Place in oven for 25-35 minutes or until cooked all the way through
- Garnish with remaining Parmesan cheese and basil. Serve hot with a side of fresh fruit.
PAIRED WITH BLOODY “MARIA”
Forget the vodka; this twist on a breakfast classing require Tequila! And not just any tequila either. Our mixologist recommends George Clooney’s CASAMIGOS. Add a little 18th-century star power with Patrick Henry’s Revolutionary Bloody Mary Mix (sold in many Virginia ABC stores) and you have a real winner.
1 1/2 oz CASAMIGOS Tequila
Patrick Henry’s Bloody Mary Mix
Lemon, lime, olives, and jalapenos as garnishes
Pour tequila over ice. Add Bloody Mary Mix; then garnish with olives and jalapenos. Lemon and lime slices are also an option!
Crêpes & Sparkling Cranberry Cocktail
- 16 crêpes (store bought or your favorite recipe)
- 3 cups ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 lemon
- 2 Tbsp favorite jam (We used tomato conserve).
- 2 springs fresh mint
- 5 blackberries (diced)
- 1/4 apple (diced)
- 3 strawberries (diced)
- 10 blueberries (halved)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 Tbsp powdered sugar
- In a bowl, mix ricotta cheese, honey, lemon juice, and jam
- Fill crepes to desired thickness and roll.
- Pull mint leaves and place to side (save the stems!)
- In a small pot, over medium heat, add water and granulated sugar and bring to a bowl. Allow to simmer for two minutes. Pull off the heat and steep the mint stems in the hot simple syrup for three minutes. Then, chill.
- When simple syrup is chilled, toss in the berries, apple, one Tbsp of chiffonade mint, and simple syrup in a bowl. Let this sit for five minutes during this macerating process.
- In a mixing bowl, whip heavy cream and powdered sugar until soft peaks. Taste for desired sweetness.
- To plate, place two crepes per person on a plate, top with whipped cream and macerated berries, and enjoy!
PAIRED WITH SPARKLING CRANBERRY COCKTAIL
For this one, use your favorite dry or semi-dry sparkling wine or champagne. We chose Chateau Simonet. What makes this one so unique is the elderflower liqueur. And the St. Germain bottle is so beautiful, it makes for a great display on your bar.
1/2 oz St. Germain (elderflower liqueur)
4 oz Chateau Simonet Sparkling Wine
Splash of Cranberry Juice
Garnish: Lime Twist
To build: just pour all ingredients into a champagne flute and garnish with a lime twist!
POMEGRANATE APPLE CIDER SANGRIA
Once this time of year rolls around, I love to add pomegranate to drinks to make them more festive. This recipe is as colorful as it is delicious. You can even make it the night before and sip on it throughout the next day.
- 4 cups of ice
- 2 apples (sliced)
- 1 orange (sliced)
- 1 pomegrante (sliced)
- 1 bottle of Moscato (substitute with Sauvignon Blanc for a less sweet version)
- Equal parts mulled apple cider (chilled)
- 2 ½ - 3 oz brandy
- One mini sprig of rosemary
- Add ice to pitcher or mason jar drink dispenser
- Pour in your wine & cider
- Add brandy
- Add fruit
- Top with sprig of Rosemary
Remember, if you’d rather not do the cooking, we’ve got you covered! We have a few breakfast options on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, in both our hotels and historic taverns. Just click on the location below for times and a sneak peek at the menus.
CHRISTMAS EVE - Breakfast
CHRISTMAS DAY - Breakfast/Brunch
The Making History team would like to toast to you and yours this Christmas! If you decide to make any of these recipes, we’d love to see your pictures. Upload them in the comments or share on Instagram and tag us #colonialwilliamsburg.
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