The Food Timeline--Historic American Christmas dinner menus (2024)

[1975]
"Christmas Dinner: Shrimp co*cktail, (Chilled Traminer, Riesling, or Rhine wine), Roast Goose with Sage and Onion Dressing, BraisedChestnuts, Giblet Gravy, Spicy Applesauce, Green Beans in Mustard Sauce, Molded Cranberry-Pecan Salad, Plum Pudding with Brandyor Rum Sauce, Milk, Coffee, Tea."
---The Doubleday Cookbook: Complete Contemporary Cooking, Jean Anderson & Elaine Hanna [Doubleday:Garden City NY] 1975 (p. 74)

[1976]
"Christmas Dinner: Oysters Rockefeller, Roast Domestic Goose, Baked Potatoes, Butter, Broccoli Casserole, Classic WaldorfSalad, Tutti-frutti Tortoni, Coffee, Tea."
---Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook [Meredith Corporation:Des Moines IA] 1976 (p. 383)

[1980]
"Put on a Festive Buffet: Lime Daquiri Sipper, Beer-Cheese Pinecones, Turkey Pate, Salmon-Stuffed Pasta Shells, Appeteaser Pie, Punched-Pie Hot Cider. (p. 88-89)
"Adaptable Christmas Dinner: Wild-Rice-Stuffed, Turkey with White Wine Gravy, Planked Sweet Potatoes, Vegertable Vinaigrette, Eggnog Flan Salad, Parmesan Pastry Twists, Neapolitan Mousse Pies,. White or Rose Wine." (p. 92)
---Better Homes and Gardens, December 1980
[NOTE: Several microwave ovens are advertised in this issue: Magic Chef, General Electric, & Sharp.]

[1981]
"Christmas a la Carte: Velvety Pumpkin Bisque, Sour Creamed Cabbage Dip, Chuilled Lemony Mushrooms, Pate in Aspic, Crab Strudel, Tomato Boats, Salmon-Sole Mousse, Avocado and Shrimp in Butter Sauce, Pork Loin Chops with Prune Stuffing, Tenderlin en Croute, Chrsitmas Goose with Glazed Oranges, Chicen Legs with Rice-Sausage Stuffing, Seafood Newburg, Roast Pork with Parsley Crumb Crust, Holiday Rock Cornish Hens, Beef and Youster Pie, Beef Bourguignon with Chestnuts, Breast of Duckling with Green Peppercorns, Country Pot Roast with Winter Vegetables, Sauteed Red Cabbage, Party Potato Casserole, Jasmine Rice, Roasted Potato fans, Broccoli Puffs, Gingery Apple Rings...Crunchy Onion Twists, Cranberry-Almond Muffins, Cheese-Filled Crepes with Chocolate Sauce, Chrsitmas Wreath Cheesecake, raspberry-Strawberry Cream Cake, Holiday Pear-Peach Pie, Mixed-Nut Fruitcake...Wspresso Nut Mousse...Espresso Eggnog." (p. 149-187)
---Good Housekeeping December 1981

[1982]
"Mexican Holiday Dinner: Tortilla Soup, Turkey Mole, Christmas Salad with Lime Dressing, Sherry Rice Pudding Souffles." (p. 32)
"Christmas Eve Supper: Alsatian Charcuterie Plate, salmon trout with red wine sauce over parsley noodles, Kirsch Ice Cream, hazelnut cookies." (p. 52)
"Christmas Breakfast: Creamy White Cheese Tart, Bischofswein, a refreshing orange-and-brandy-based beverage, wine-galzed Alsatian Smoked Bacon, onion-caraway confit, and almond-studded Kugelhopf accompanied by Prune Butter Quetsch." (p. 55)
"Festive Desserts: Maple Muffins with Maple Butter Glaze, Cranberry Bread Pudding, Steamed Persimmon Pudding with Lemon Hard Sauce, delicate Orange Marmalade Souffle with a special Grand Marnier Sauce." (p. 89)
---Bon Appetit, December 1982
[NOTE: Advertisments for SIMAC Gelato and Pastamatic machines, Corning Microwave Cookware, Toshiba Microwave Oven with "enough leg room for an 18 lb. turkey."]

[1983]
"Bavarian Christmas: Goose Liver Canapes with Lingonberries, Beef Bouillon with Custard Hearts, Roast Goose with Apple and Prune Stuffing, Orange-Flavored Briased Red Cabbage, Glazed Chestnuts and Brussels Sprouts, Caraway Potato Dumplings, Almond Mocha Bavarian Cream, Rum-Flavored Chocolate Sauce." (p. 118)
"Christmas Breakfasts: (1) Maple Pecan Wreath, Soft-Boiled Eggs, Mulled Apple Cider, Cocoa. (2) Winter Fruit Compote, Sausage and Cheese Strata, Toasted Rye Bread, Cafe au Lait." (p. 56)
---Gourmet, December 1983
[NOTES: (1) James Beard's "Holiday Stuffings" article features Couscous stuffing, Red Pepper Puree, Tarragon Crumb Stuffings, Basic Bread Stuffing, Corn Bread Stuffing with Sausage and Christine Cotsibos' Greek Stuffing (Rice, Beef, and Raisin Stuffing with Chestnuts)." (p. 50, 73-74).(2) Evan Jones celebrates "A Minnesota Yuletide" featuring Snowden Pudding (p. 190). (3) Cuisinart Food Processor full color ad spreads 6 pages & includes 3 cook books using the product.)

[1984]
"Cook Up A Gift Idea: Honeycomb Pecans, Dill and Chive Vinegar, Onion Twist Loaves, Herbed Cheese Round, Gingerbread Men, Tropical Muffins, Cran-Apple Relish, Harvest Popcorn, Paradise Pear Jam. (p. 172-175)
"Recipes with Centuries of Tradition: Wassail, Hot Spiced Apple Cider, Latkes, Miniature Gingerbread Men, Mrs. Willoughby's Rose-Geranium Pound Cake, Benne Seed Cookies." (p. 176-178)
"Beverages for the Season: Hot Cranberry Punch, Syllabub." (p. 179)
---Southern Living, December 1984

[1985]
"A quiet Christmas dinner for 8: Baked Scallops in herb butter, Roast duck with prune stuffing, Red cabbage with chestnuts, Champagne sherbet."
---"Christmas Dinner is the perfect excuse to indulge in the finest ingedients," Anne Willan, Chicago Tribune, December 15, 1985 (p. F3)

[1986]
"Holiday Buffet from the Frugal Gourmet (Jeff Smith): Appetizers: Crudites with Spriited Caviar Dip, West Coast Seafood Salad, Baked Garlic, Spinach-Cheese Rolls, Salmon Mousse. Main dishes: ORzo (rice-shaped pasta), Lamb with Fennel Sausage and Eggplant, Cannelloni with Tomato Sauce, Holiday Hazelnut Salad. Desserts: Lucscious four-layer torte with tangy cranberry and orange filling, plus whipped cream, Cheesecake topped with strawberries and kiwifruit." (p. 116-117)
"Great Cookies:Sesame Cookies, Holland Cookies, Nicholas Malgieri's Chocolatines, White Christmas Cookies, Molasses Sugar Cookies, Almond and Hazelnut Chocolate Crescents, Melting Moments, Grandma Drops, All-Purpose Gingerbread, Thousand-Dollar Tea Cookies, Grands Fours de Noel, Refrigerator Christmas Wreaths, Pecan Diamonds, Anise Drops, Magdelenas Castellamas French Gingersnaps, Les Biarritz." (p. 124-136)---Ladies' Home Journal, December 1986

[1987]
"Christmas Buffet: Braised Stuffed Flank Steak, Cold Gingered Loin of Pork, Mulled Cranberries in Red Wine, Broiled and Wilted Spinach Slaw with Goat Cheese, Cajun Carrot and Turnip Escabeche, Tomato Broccoli, Scalloed Potatoes with Red and Freen Peppers, Nutty Chocolate Strudel, Tangerine Mousse." (p. 81)
"Share a Fireside Dinner (Christmas Eve): Rosy Punch, Savory Stuffed Mushrooms, Hot Cheddar Puffs, Caviar Dip with Crudites, Shrimp in Cilantro Sauce, Tricolor Pizza, Macadamia-Pear Tart." (p. 83)
"When Friends Drop In: Peppery Cheese Twists, Pesto Bread, Smoked Turkey Medley, Tangy Cheese Ball, Picadillo Bread, Zippy Tuna Dip, Two-Tone Caviar Mousse." (p. 84)
---Family Circle, December 14, 1987
[NOTE: Holiday gift ideas from West Bend promote high performance food processor, electric wok, Oven Up toaster-oven-broiler, electric food chopper, electric skillet, Stir Crazy corn popper and automatic slow cooker (unpaged advertisem*nt inserted between pages 40 & 41.)]

[1988]
"Big Sky [Montana] Brunch for 16: Hot Ranch Egg Salad, Pan-Browned Venison Sausages, Orange-Honey Butter, Assorted Breads: Brown BRead, Muffins, Sesame Sticks, Nut Bread, Sourdough Niscuits, Sunshine Punch, Cowboy Coffee." (p. 78)
"La Jolla Holiday Barbecue Buffet: Oysters with Tomatillo Salsa, Tortilla Chips, Jicama Sticks, Grilled Turkey Drumsticks, Breast, and Banana Sqash with Cranberry Salsa, Skewered Sasuage, Onions, and Potatoes with Msutard Cream, Mixed Skewered Vegetables, Christmas Cookies, Tangerines, Mulled Cider, Sparking Water." (p. 80)
---Sunset (Mountain edition), December 1988

[1989]
"Cuisine Courante: A Southern Tree-Trimming Party: Lobster, Oyster, and Sausage Gumbo, Rice with Red Beans and Peas, Fried Cornmeal-Coated Okra, Southern Coffee parfaits, Praline Butter Cookies." (p. 132)
"Gourmet's Menus, Christmas Dinner: Warm Shrimp and Scallop Salad with Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette, Roast Goose with Sausage, Fennel, and Currant Stuffing and Wild Mushroom Port Gravy, Sauteed Potatoes and Celery Root, Brussels Sprouts and Carrots with Shallot Butter, Black Forest Cake, Eggnog Ice Cream." (p. 160)
---Gourmet, December 1989
[NOTE: Issue includes advertisiments for Black & Decker: Spacemaker Toast-R-Oven & Can Opener, Super Chopper, Handy Shortcut Micro-Processor, Handy Pop'n Serve Corn Popper, HandyBlender II, Cup-at-a-Time Drip Coffeemaker, HandyMixer Cordless Beater & Cool-Touch Wide-Slot Toaster. (p. 149-156)]

[1990]
"Enjoy a night-before feast: Cornish Hens with Savory Stuffing, Sweet Red Pepper Puree in Pepper Boats, Sweet and White Potato Puree, Broccoli with Walnut Butter, Vegetable Consomme, Paris Brest with sun-caramel halo."(p. 113)
"Make heavenly delights: A[pricot Diamonds, Swedish Ginger Cutouts, Linzer Jewels, Orange Star Stack-Ups." (p. 114)
---Family Circle, December 18, 1990
[NOTE: Advertisem*nts for Microwave Pressure Cooker, Burton Stove-Top Grill, Corning Visions Cookware, Mirro AirBake Insulate Bakeware.]

[1991]
"For Americans wondering how to send goodies to US servicemembers, there are some very important 'don'ts' says Susan Templin, manager of the United States Department of Agriculture's Meat and Poultyr Hotline. Don't send anything made with pork products or alcohol because of Saudi government restrictions. Don't send anything perishable. Packagestake 14 to 20 days to get to Saudi Arabia...Consider items that can withstand the delay, high temperatures, and rough handling...Ms. Templin suggests store-bought cookies; cakes and breads that comein tins or cans; jarred or canned nuts, pretzels, popcorn; beef jerky; dried fruit; hard candy; presweetened drink mixes (sugar-sweetened fare better than artificially sweetened mixes)...Homemade goods should be addressed to a specific servicemenber or unit. Nestle Foods Corporation is one company offereing 'desert-safe' recipes...Hershey Foods Corporation has come out with the coveted 'Desert Bar.' It was developed in response to the Army's request for a heat-resistant chocolate bar made withreal milk chocolate. Some 144,000 bars were shipped to Saudi Arabia. The 'Desert Bar' replaces the old 'Tropical Chocolate' bar...It has been tested at 120 degrees F. for 14weeks. As far as morale enhancers go, perhaps nothing can top the troops' Christmas dinner: real turkey, gravy, shrimp, cranberry sauce, cornbread, instant potatoes, nuts,sweet potatoes, fruit cake. Total cost: $3.1 million."
---"Food: Melts in Your Mouth...not in the sand," Kirsten A. Conover, Christian Science Monitor, January 3, 1991 (p. 14)

[1992]
"Holiday Brunch: Cran-Berry co*cktail, Eggnog French Toast, Bazked Ham Slices, Fresh Strawberries, Coffee." (p. 238)
---Good Housekeeping, December 1992

[1993]
"Holiday Cookies: Spice cookies, strawberry tart cookies, snowflake cookies, mocha pecan balls, chocolate-dipped hazelnut shortbread wedges, coconut bars, walnut cups, Spritz Christmas wreath cookies, fruit cookies." (p. 130)
"Casual Christmastime Dinner: Prosciutto-Wrapped Breadsticks with Fig, Cucumber Tapenade Canapes, Baked Polenta with sh*ttake Gagout, Arugula Radichio and Endive Salad, Cranberry Sweril ice-Cream cake." (p. 151)
"Christmas Dinner: Oxtail Bouillon with Parmesan Puffs, Oxtail Pate, Roasted Rack of Venison and Shallots with Dried-Cranberry Gravy, Brown-and-Wild-Rice Pilaf with Porcini and Parsley, Puree of Three Root Vegetablesj, Mixed Greens, With Hibet Vinaigrette and Gorgonzola, Chocolate Linzertorte." (p. 172)
---Gourmet, December 1993)
[NOTE: Advertisem*nts for Calphon cookware, Healthy Choice Fat Free Cheeses, 2nd Avenue Deli by Mail, Micro-beer of the Month Club.]

[1994]
"A Joyful Feast: Garlic-studded roast pork loin with fragrant sprigs of fresh rosemary, Filet of beef with cheesy potatoes and baby carrots, Thyme-scented chicken roaster with ripe figs, Festive red-and-green Christmas Salad." (p. 108-109)
---Family Circle, December 20, 1994

[1995]
"Come for Christmas: Mushroom-Bacon Bundles, Chinese Firecrackers, Spinach California Rolls, Smoked Turkey and Lettuce Packets, Zesty Beef Wrap-Ups, Herb Popovers, Christmas Goose, Stuffed Potatoes with Buttermilk and Bacon, Roasted Beet and Orange Salad, Parsnip Puree, Wild Rice Orzo and Mushrooms, Standing Rib Roast with Onion Gravy, Creamed Roasted Baby Onions with Peas, Brussels Sprouts with Msutard Seeds, Carrot Puree, Turnip Puree with Fried Onions, Roast Fresh Ham, Chritmas Ice Ceran Bombe, Holly Wreth Cake, Linzer Cookies." (p.107-112)
"Holiday Poke Cake." (p, 155, Jell-O & Cool Whip advertisem*nt.)
---Woman's Day, December 19, 1995

[1996]
"Christmas Dinner: Dilled Shrimp with Cucumber Ribbons, Spinach-Mushroom Stuffed Tenterloin, Oven-roasted Parsnips & Carrots, Wild Rice Pilaf with Dried Cranberries, Winter Salad with Ripe Pears & Toasted Pecans, Brandied Buche de Noele with Meringue Mushrooms, Double-Berry Linzer Tart." (p. 181-182)
---Good Housekeeping, December 1996

[1997]
"New Mexico Christmas, Open House Buffet: Sesame-Nut Crunch, Salsas Dips and Tortilla Chips, Christmas Posole, Black Bean Soup with Hot-Sauce Bar, Hickory-smoked Turkey, Apricot Cherry and Green Chili Chutney, Assorted Mustards and Mayonnaise, Sandwich Breads and Rolls, Tiny Chili and Corn Muffins, Steamed Tamales, Extra-Spicy Gingersnaps, Bizcochitos, House-Gift Desserts, Self-Serve Beverage Bar, Chimayo Punch, Mexican Hot Chocolate." (p. 81)
"Native American Christams Feast: Potawatomi Popcorn, Chenin Blanc, Field Greens with Sage-Pinon Vinaigrette, Crusted Tenderloin with Chipotle Onions, Oven-roasted Roots, Quinoa wasn Wild Rice Stuffed Squash, Mushroom and Sunchoke Saute, Cabernet Sauvignon, Simply A'Maize'ing Corn Ice Cream, Chocolate Sorbet, Raspberry Sauce, Sparking Wine." (p. 88)
---Sunset (Mountain Edition), December 1997

[1998]
"A Taste of Chrismas Past: Crab Cakes and Baby Greens with Lemon Vinaigrette, Champagne, Crown Roast of Pork with Apple and Pork Stuffing and Cider Gravy, Butternut Squash and Rutabaga Puree, Sweet-and-Sour Red Cabbage, hard Cider or Pinot Noir, Chocolate-Orange Buche de Noel." (p. 118)
"Salmon and Spinach Terrine with Cucumber-Dill Sauce, Champagne, Roast Turkey with Bourbon Gravy, Corn Bread Succotash Stuffing, Maple-Glazed yams with Pecan Topping, Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Cranberry-Kumquat Chutney, Zinfandel, Syrah or Chardonnay, Warm Pear Shortcakes with Brandied Cream." (p. 120)
"Season's Best Cookies: Christmas Tree Shortbread, Spiced Snowflakes, Coconut-Macadamia Crescents, Fudgy Hazelnut Brownies with Marbled Chocolate Glaze." (p. 133)
"Christmas Breakfast: Double-Salmon and Sweet Potato Hash with Poached Eggs, Cranberry-Studded Creme Fraiche Scones, Ginger Butter, Apple-Fig Crisp." (p. 139)
---Bon Appetit, December 1998
[NOTE: Advertisem*nts for Analon Professional Cookware, Wearever Air baking pans, Cuisinart non-stick cookware, Panasonic National (steamer & rice cooker), Salton 1,2,3 'Spresso (esresso machine).]

[1999]
"Dessert of the Month: Fig Holiday Roll." (p. 79)
"Twelve Days of Christmas: Buttered Carrots, Roast Poussin with Prunes and Thyme, Caramelized Onion Tartlets, Pate Brisee, Rice Pilaf with Herbes de Provence, Toasted Almonds and Driec Pears, Seven Swans A-Swimming, Cooked Custard Eggnog, Spicy Pecans, Ramos Gin Fizz, Gingerbread Cupcakes with Butter or Chocolate Glaze, Meringue Buttercream, Oatmeal Cookies." (p. 272-282)
.---Martha Stewart Living, December 1999-January 2000
[NOTE: Advertisiments for Cooking.com (cookware, recipes, advice), Marthastewart.com, AskJeeves.com, FoodTV.com]

History of selected Christmas foods.