Season’s Eatings

By Francois Payard

As a third-generation pastry chef, whether I’m in a commercial kitchen or cooking at home, the holidays always call for something special. In Nice, France, where I’m from, the most important holidays are Christmas and New Year’s Eve. In my family, we celebrate both with an intimate dinner attended by just immediate family. We begin with foie gras (an indulgence) and a carefully chosen array of cheeses. I’m partial to Époisses and Comté. The main dish might be a juicy roasted capon with chestnut stuffing and a hint of black truffle. Chestnuts always bring me back to my winters in France, walking through town as the scent of roasting chestnuts drifts along the streets. We round out the meal with a few simple sides of seasonal vegetables.

In my family, my mother is the one with the true sweet tooth. She isn’t a pastry chef, but she was wise enough to marry one. She jokes that she was born in a chocolate bowl. My father and I honor her by baking a few holiday desserts every year. Among our favorites are yule logs—bûches de Noël—in both chocolate and chestnut. For those keeping an eye on their waistlines, we also gather fruit from our garden (strawberries and raspberries, especially), macerate them in sugar and lemon juice for a few hours, then add lemon zest and serve them with a bright lemon sorbet. Afterward, we meet friends for drinks to keep the celebration going.

This holiday season, I’ll be re-creating my family’s yule logs, which will be available exclusively at Le Bilboquet Market in Palm Beach. For anyone looking for an excuse to spend the holidays in South Florida, consider this one more reason.

Wherever you are, I wish all Spotlight readers a wonderful holiday season. I hope to see you at Le Bilboquet Market, where I’m always striving to surprise our guests with dishes, pastries, and specials that are as interesting as they are delicious.

Payard’s Entertaining Tips

Plan ahead. Confirm who’s coming, what you’re making, and which ingredients you need to buy or pre-order.

Pace and prep. Study your recipes and map out your week so you can chop, pre-cook, freeze, or marinate in advance.

Let food be your greeter. Set out a tray with one or two canapés or arrange a simple cheese-and-cracker plate 10 minutes before guests arrive. Pair with your favorite wine or champagne.

Be starch smart. If you’re serving pasta or risotto, pre-cook them in advance. For example, boil spaghetti for about four minutes, drain, drizzle with olive oil, and set aside (it will be al dente). When it’s time to eat, you’ll only need to leave your guests for a few minutes to finish preparing the final dish.

The end should be simple. I leave the exotic desserts for the restaurant. At home, I want a final course that’s easy and fun. I often serve beautiful ice-cream sundaes with toppings of fresh fruit, candied pistachios, and caramel or chocolate sauce. A floating island is also a lovely finale for holiday entertaining.