By Tythe’s Head Chef Wayne Dixon, Bar Manager Connie Wheeler and wine connoisseur Peter Deeley.
In December, everyone seems to crave comfort. It’s a time for food that feels warming and familiar such as roasted roots, spiced fruit, nuts, mulled drinks and slow cooked dishes. The darker evenings and cold weather lead us to hearty and satisfying plates, flavours that feel cosy and bring people together around the table here at Tythe.
December is the most nostalgic month, and food plays a big part in that. We all lean towards flavours that remind us of home or family Christmases with the smells of cinnamon, cloves and something baking in the oven. It is a time when food is about more than taste, it is about atmosphere, comfort and creating a special festive feeling.
But that’s doesn’t mean being predictable and it’s always fun to mix things up a little. Clementine and cardamom work beautifully together and feel festive without being overpowering. Likewise, Jerusalem artichokes, quince and chestnuts are great winter ingredients that add something different. Even a bit of citrus, pomegranate or truffle can bring freshness and depth. You can keep it seasonal, but with a few unexpected touches.
When you’re serving a crowd at this time of year, a key consideration is variety. Guests might be going to several Christmas events, so we try not to repeat the usual turkey and trimmings. Game, beef, lamb or even slow braised dishes work well. We focus on making it feel festive through the presentation and accompaniments such as winter vegetables, spiced sauces and rich, comforting sides rather than serving the same meal they’ll probably have at home on Christmas Day.
Tythe is fortunate to be surrounded by amazing local suppliers and we love to make the most of that, especially in winter. We use Wykeham Park Farm near Banbury for winter veg, Beechwood Farm for free range eggs, Hollands Farm near Oxford for beef, and Blenheim Lamb and Cotswold Chicken are also firm favourites. Using local ingredients makes everything feel a bit more special because guests can get to taste a bit of Oxfordshire on the plate.
It’s a misconception that Christmas food must be heavy and rich. You can keep things festive without going too heavy. Bright sauces, fresh herbs and citrus can lift slow cooked meats, and winter salads with pear, blue cheese and toasted nuts feel just as celebratory. Even desserts can be lighter, such as poached fruits or a simple panna cotta with spiced syrup. It’s about balance rather than cutting back.
OUR ULTIMATE WINTER WEDDING MENU
The Arrival Drink
A Red Berry Bellini
Serve a celebratory prosecco lengthened with a rich red-berry syrup for a deep festive colour, finished with a fresh sprig of rosemary to give a gentle Christmas-pine aroma during canapés.
The Canapes
Try game that’s rarely on the menu at home, elevate favourite ingredients and add some lighter options to keep them wanting more.
• Crispy pheasant croquettes with cranberry and thyme
• Mini Yorkshire puddings filled with slow roasted beef and horseradish cream
• Truffled wild mushroom arancini with aged Parmesan
• Smoked duck breast with clementine and pomegranate glaze
• Cotswold chicken and herb mousse on toasted brioche
• Goats cheese and caramelised walnut tartlets with local honey
The Starter
Use the ruby red colour of beetroot and the unmistakeable scents of truffle and blue cheese to switch on all guests’ senses.
• Roasted Jerusalem artichoke soup with truffle oil
• Beetroot carpaccio with whipped Oxford Blue cheese and candied pecans
Serve with: Go slightly off-piste and choose a wonderful Champagne or if you want to stay more traditional then a really good Chablis.
The Sharing Main Course
Keep it local and keep them connected with dishes that can be passed around and enjoyed together. Let your sides shine too and expect requests for seconds.
• Blenheim lamb shoulder slow cooked with rosemary and garlic
• Roast Cotswold chicken with thyme butter and lemon
• Wild mushroom, spinach and chestnut wellington with a thyme and shallot sauce
• Served with dauphinoise potatoes, glazed carrots, roasted parsnips and redcurrant jus
Serve with: A great Rioja works well with the lamb and with the chicken, try a ballsy rich white from Burgundy, along the lines of Saint Veran or Mersault.
Pudding
Simply spicy and marrying flavours that are a match made in festive heaven.
• Warm clementine pudding with spiced caramel sauce and clotted cream
• Dark chocolate and cherry tart with mulled wine syrup
Serve with: A sweet white from Bordeaux for the clementine pudding, like a Sauternes and a rich red Cabernet Sauvignon for the chocolate tart. People often think a red needs to accompany rich, dark chocolate but a fresh, sweet white wine also works well too.
The Cheese Course
No need to look beyond the county. They may claim to be full, but no one can resist a slither of my three favourite cheeses: Wookey Hole cave aged cheddar, Windrush Valley goat’s cheese and an Oxford Blue, paired with fig chutney and winter fruits.
Serve with: A Sauternes works well, against everyone’s assumption that cheese means red wine. A good Port will pair nicely and if it is a fatty cheese then you’ll need a wine with lots of acidity.
The Wedding Cakes
Why limit yourself to one?
A dessert grazing table or tower of festive treats is a special way to end the main meal. Guests can help themselves to chocolate truffles, spiced shortbread, cranberry and orange macarons, mini mince pies and mulled wine jelly pots. For something a little more dramatic, a croquembouche filled with orange crème pâtissière and drizzled with spiced caramel always makes a showstopping centrepiece.
Cocktail Hour
A Gingerbread Espresso Martini
This is a seasonal twist on the classic. Vodka, coffee liqueur, fresh espresso and gingerbread syrup shaken to a smooth, glossy foam. Garnish with three coffee beans, with a light dusting of chocolate powder and flamed at the moment of service for aroma, warmth and subtle theatre.
Frosted Bramble – Christmas Edition
Gin, crème de mûre and lemon served over crushed ice and mixed with crushed frozen cranberries for some bright red wintry tartness. The rim is lightly sugared to mimic the first frost, and the drink is finished with fresh blackberries dusted in icing sugar to look like they’ve just been picked from a snowy hedgerow.
The Final Feast
This should feel fun and sociable with evening food that guests can enjoy while chatting, dancing and gathering around the barns. Settle their munchies without stopping the party.
• Festive wood fired pizzas with brie, cranberry and pancetta or roast vegetables with a balsamic glaze
• Mini turkey and stuffing sliders with cranberry relish
• Roast potato cones with thyme salt and garlic mayo
• Warm pigs in blankets with honey mustard dip
Serve with: Pete’s favourite… a good Don Papa Rum with milk and honey. Guaranteed to give you sweet dreams!
Written by Jade Beer.
Wishing you a very Happy Christmas from all the Tythe team and our amazing in-house caterers Absolute Taste. 🎄
Photography: Rafe Abrook Photography, Sally Forder, Deb Porter Photography, Laura Mac Photography, MT Studio.
