A Traditional Holiday

While you may not have an open fire with chestnuts roasting (but props to you if you do), you can still celebrate the holidays with a forkful of nostalgia. Here's a menu that embraces and elevates some of the season's signature dishes.

First course:
Clink spoons against bowls of chestnut soup topped with caraway-laced crème fraîche.

Second course:
Bring on the sweet-and-savory with prosciutto-wrapped pears. A mixture of maple syrup and black peppercorn makes for a superb flavor play.

Main course:
Go big with a crown roast of pork rubbed down with fennel seed, thyme, and garlic salt. With a stuffing that has fresh fennel and dried fruit, second helpings are in order.

Side:
It's safe to say that sides are the best part of any holiday dinner. Smashed garlic potatoes with sea salt and dill easily round off plates of roast pork.

Dessert:
Finish up with a smooth and simple crème brûlée scented with vanilla. Because if your guests don't appreciate burnt sugar, you need to think about who to invite next year.