Merry Christmas!
Dec. 25 — We’re keeping today’s holiday edition of “Side Dish” short and sweet.
As many of us will spend today eating, whether that be with family and friends at home, or out at a restaurant, we’re giving you a glimpse into the past via a handful of vintage Christmas Day menus. These five menus offer a snapshot into the holiday dishes of yesteryear. The menus included below range from an 1887 White House Christmas Day menu and Queen Victoria’s Christmas Day dinner from 1899, to the 1949 Christmas Day dinner menu from The Plaza hotel in New York City and a 1961 Christmas Day menu from Luchow’s in the East Village.
➕ We’re also resharing one of our favorite recipes from 2025: Elektra’s olive oil pancakes with orange labneh.
In case you missed it in your inbox on Tuesday evening, here’s a link to the latest edition of “Family Meal“. In it, Beth shared Rough Draft contributor Candy Hom’s story behind Gula Indonesian Desserts, a new family-owned and operated restaurant on Buford Highway. And Sarra provided you with the recipe for Wylie & Rum’s Jamaican eggnog.
Cheers!
🍸 Beth and 🍰 Sarra
Snapshots: Vintage Christmas Day menus
An 1887 White House Christmas Day menu during the term of President Grover Cleveland, starting with breakfast. (“The White House Cookbook,” first published in 1887)
A copy of the 1899 Christmas Day menu hosted by Queen Victoria. Look at that meat buffet!
The 1912 Christmas Day menu from the Hotel Casey in Scranton, PA. Note the desserts and cheeses on offer that day. (Archives of New York Public Library)
In 1949, a full Christmas Day feast at the famed Plaza hotel in New York City would set you back $5.50 per person. That’s around $75 per person in today’s money. (Culinary Institute of America archives)
Check out the 1961 Christmas Day dinner menu from Luchow’s restaurant at 110 East 14th Street in the East Village, New York City. The German restaurant opened in 1882. It resided next door to the City Theatre, which opened in 1910. The restaurant closed in the mid-1980s. Designed in the Beaux-Arts style, the building was demolished in 1995, following a 1994 fire. (Culinary Institute of America archives)
Ready, Set, AGLOW!
SPONSORED BY FERNBANK MUSEUM
🌟 When the sun sets, the woods come alive at WildWoods: AGLOW.
This after-hours experience combines art, nature and music at Fernbank Museum, featuring scenic trails aglow with light outdoors and nighttime access to museum exhibits inside.
🌙 Select nights through Feb. 28, 2026.
A favorite 2025 recipe:
Elektra’s olive oil pancakes
🥞 Tomorrow on Rough Draft, look for a roundup of the top five recipes readers loved most in 2025. Today, however, we’re resharing one of our favorite recipes from the year – and it’s perfect for a post-holiday breakfast tomorrow, or over the weekend.
Remember the July 30 recipe for Elektra’s olive oil pancakes with orange labneh and peaches caramelized in honey? These light pancakes are paired with labneh, which receives a hint of sweetness from honey and some zing from orange zest. While this recipe uses fresh peaches, Elektra takes a seasonal approach to its pancake toppings, alternating between peaches, apples (pictured), and berries throughout the year.
📋 Ingredients
Pancake batter
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 3 cups half-and-half
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Zest of 2 lemons
Orange labneh
- 2 cups labneh, strained
- Zest of 1 medium orange
- 2 to 4 tbsp honey (adjust to taste)
Peaches (or seasonal fruit of choice) in burnt honey
- 2 cups ripe peaches, thick slices (about 3 to 4 medium peaches)
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- Pinch of kosher salt
🥣 Instructions
- Make the pancake batter: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt until combined.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the half-and-half, eggs, and vanilla extract. While whisking, slowly drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil to emulsify. Add the lemon zest and stir until combined.
- Pour the wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Gently fold the mixture using a spatula or large whisk until just combined. Do not over-mix the batter. Lumps are OK and ensure a light and tender crumb.
- Cook batter immediately, or transfer batter to a clean, airtight container. Refrigerate and use within two days for best results.
- Make the labneh: In a mixing bowl, combine the labneh, orange zest, and honey. Stir until combined. Adjust sweetness depending on the tartness of labneh.
- Make the peaches: In a medium sauce pot, add the honey and bring to a simmer on medium-low heat. Allow it to bubble and cook undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes, or until it darkens slightly in color and takes on a toasty, amber aroma. The honey should be deep and caramelized but not scorched.
- Reduce heat to low. Add the peach slices to the hot honey. Stir gently to coat and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, turning occasionally, until the peaches are softened but still hold shape.
- Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt, and stir to combine. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes and remove from heat.
- Spoon peaches over pancakes, add labneh to the plate, and serve immediately.
🖋️ Today’s Side Dish was edited by Julie E. Bloemeke.
