‘Tis the season of holiday cheer!
From cooking classes to a festive cocktail bar to a family-friendly Santa brunch, here are five festive food-related things to do this holiday season.
Nutcracker, from the ballet to sweet locally made treats
The quintessential holiday family tradition Ballet Memphis’ Nutcracker at the Orpheum Theatre is back this season with magical and even sweeter details. New costumes and sets take a confectionary dreamland to new heights with special partnerships with bakeries and candy makers in Memphis.
Dinstuhl’s (five locations; dinstuhls.com) has introduced a Nutcracker-branded chocolate bar, some of which contain a “golden ticket” for two seats to the show. Available at all five stores, Dinstuhl’s is donating 25% of its in-store Nutcracker chocolate bar sales to Ballet Memphis.
17 Berkshire (2094 Trimble Place; 17berkshire.com) will be featuring Nutcracker menu specials with Ballet Memphis at both its neighboring Overton Square bakery and new pop-up in the Shops of Saddle Creek (2055 West St., Suite 12, Germantown). From Nov. 30-Dec. 2, customers can enjoy the Pink Peppermint Hot Chocolate (complete with house-made pink marshmallows) and Sugar Plum Fairy Cupcake.
Make your Christmas majestic at The Majestic Grille
The Majestic Grille (145 S. Main St.; themajesticgrille.com) is over-the-top, elegantly decorated for Christmas again this year. Your favorite classic Christmas movies will be playing on the restaurant’s big screen as you dine under the twinkling lights of majestic wreaths, trees and garlands. Brunches feature Christmas cartoons to keep the young ones, and those young at heart, entertained.
The Majestic Grille is also hosting three different holiday events that need to be on your schedule.
Clark’s Annual Christmas Party is back on Dec. 12. “It’s the one day a year where we celebrate all things Griswold,” said Deni Reilly, The Majestic Grille co-owner. The ticketed event includes a three-course meal, a showing of the movie “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” and costume and tacky sweater contests.
Brunch with Santa is set for Dec. 16, with seatings at 9:30 a.m., 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and noon. This is not your typical buffet and wait in line for Santa event. It’s more like a Disney breakfast — with mimosas, Bloody Marys and espresso martinis for moms and dads. It’s a seated brunch with a special kids’ menu that includes hot chocolate, cookies and a special treat from Santa and the Grinch.
“A Camerata Christmas” will be held Dec. 4 and 13. Enjoy holiday favorites sung from the restaurant’s mezzanine by Memphis Camerata during your meal.
Gingerbread displays and holiday cheer at The Peabody hotel
The elves in The Peabody hotel’s pastry department are serious about their annual holiday gingerbread display.
Each year, The Peabody pastry kitchen turns into Santa’s workshop. The staff are busy for months leading up to the holidays — designing, ordering supplies and baking up a storm. The amount of ingredients used is staggering. This year, almost 200 pounds of powdered sugar, 100 pounds of flour, 2 gallons of molasses, 3 gallons of egg whites and 20 pounds of candy were used to create the annual holiday masterpiece.
This year’s theme is Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. The 17-foot by 7-foot display is located by the valet parking entrance. The display is free to view and up from Nov. 24 until Christmas Day.
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The Grand Lobby is beautifully decorated for the season so plan to sit and enjoy a seasonal drink (cocktails for the adults or hot chocolate for the kids) in this historic hotel after viewing the Gingerbread display.
Insider Tip: We recommend timing your visit to be there for the daily Duck March at 11 a.m. or 5 p.m.
Holiday Wonderland Cocktail Bar at The Liquor Store
It’s about to get a lot more festive on Broad Avenue.
The Liquor Store restaurant (2655 Broad Ave.; theliquorstorediner.com) has once again partnered with New York-based Christmas pop-up bar Miracle to host “Miracle at The Liquor Store” for the holiday season. It will be the fourth time for the holiday pop-up.
From Nov. 24 to Jan. 1, The Liquor Store (Broad Avenue location only) will be transformed into a holiday wonderland.
Miracle is a global pop-up concept that started in New York in 2014; it partners with bars and restaurants around the world to offer masterfully crafted Christmas cocktails in cheery holiday-themed settings.
Some of the seasonally inspired cocktails include Elfing Around (cognac, mulled wine reduction, champagne, lemon, aromatic bitters and absinthe), and Christmas Cricket (tequila, vanilla liqueur, minty amaro, coco pandan, cream and mole bitters), all served in kitschy glassware.
Over-the-top, nostalgic holiday decorations have been designed by Memphis artist Lindsay Julien of She. Builds. Things.
Take a cooking class at Muddy’s Bake Shop and make your own festive treats
Take a holiday cooking class at Muddy’s Bake Shop (2497 Broad Ave.; muddysbakeshop.com).
You will get hands-on instruction and learn how to make Muddy’s Bake Shop’s secret recipes from start to finish, as well as techniques and tips you can use in your own kitchen. Plus, you get to take home loads of goodies you made yourself.
There are a variety of holiday-themed treats you can learn to make at classes during December.
From cookies to cupcakes to cake decorating, there are options for every type of baker.
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On Dec. 1, there is a class to learn how to make Muddy’s Gingerbread Molasses Cookies. You have two opportunities — Dec. 2 and 9 — where you can learn how to make the Santa Baby chocolate cupcakes with peppermint buttercream. On Dec. 2 there is also a holiday wreath cake decorating class. There are all-day holiday cookie workshops on Dec. 9 and 16.
Jennifer Chandler is the Food & Dining reporter at The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at jennifer.chandler@commercialappeal.com and you can follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @cookwjennifer.
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