How I holiday: Creating a sense of occasion with Skye McAlpine
Skye McAlpine’s passion for bringing people together is at the heart of everything she does, so it’s no surprise that hosting a holiday party full of festive cocktails, decadent food, and as many loved ones as possible is her specialty. Born in London and raised in Venice, the culinary artist and food author now spends her time living between the two incredible cities for the best of both worlds. For Skye, the cultures and cuisines of Venice and London both hold a special place in her heart and have influenced everything from her cooking style to her hosting ethos.
Inspired by the traditional Italian emphasis on pure enjoyment over formal etiquette, Skye believes in a more relaxed approach to entertaining—gatherings should be friendly, warm celebrations focused on quality time—and quality meals! And yet, she also knows that the bustling energy, city lights, and magical atmosphere of the holiday season in London cannot be discounted—especially when it comes to delightful sweet treats (Ever heard of sugar mice? We hadn’t either.)
As the author of three cookbooks, “A Table in Venice,” “A Table for Friends,” and “A Table Full of Love,” Skye creates recipes influenced by her worldly upbringing, as well as her belief that food tastes best when shared with others. She also regularly contributes a recipe column to The Sunday Times, writes guides for entertaining, and has even created an impressive line of tableware.
Given her culinary expertise and love of seasonal celebrations, we were thrilled that Skye invited us into her London home to share her tips for all things holiday entertaining. Read on for our full conversation with Skye McAlpine where she teaches us that sometimes you have to start a menu from the dessert, the art of setting a table that’s as much a feast for the eyes as it is for the palette, and how you can really never have too many candy canes.
What advice do you have for hosting a holiday party at home?
My best advice for hosting is to keep things as simple as possible. The most important thing is to have a good time (if you have a good time, your guests will too!) and never is this more important than during the holidays! Beyond that, think about ways you can make it feel special, whether that’s decking the house out with holiday decorations, putting together a holiday playlist, or a small but thoughtful gift for each of your guests. Lean into the child-like magic of the holidays and let yourself have a good time!
Describe your ideal holiday party. What’s on the menu?
For me, it’s all about puddings and sweet treats, and I really like to go overboard during the holiday season. So much so that I’ll often plan the menu backward, so start with something like a Christmas cake, panettone mince pies, and perhaps some kind of festive jelly (something like prosecco jelly or Campari and pomegranate jelly) and then work from there.
For the main course, some sort of centerpiece, whether it’s roast turkey or a whole roast pumpkin stuffed with wild rice, cranberries, and pecans. Then to go with it, a nice mix of colorful wintery salads (beetroot salad, for example, and a nice red chicory salad with peppery mustard dressing), perhaps some roast potatoes (I love roast potatoes), and a tray of panettone and chestnut stuffing (my favorite bit!).
I usually skip the starter course, but I’ll put out nibbles for everyone to enjoy with drinks before dinner: salted almonds, juicy olives, and chunks of salty hard cheese with truffle-scented honey for dipping.
What is the décor like?
We always have a big tree, which has a magical way of transforming the house into a winter wonderland. I like to decorate it with a mix of candy canes, vintage glass baubles, and ribbons or paper chains. Then, I mostly like to focus on making the dining table look as magical as possible: lots of candles, bowls of sugared almonds, seasonal fruits piled high on the table, chocolates, more candy canes(!), sugar mice, chocolate gold coins scattered everywhere, and a cracker on each place setting.
Who’s on the guest list?
Friends and family. I think the best holiday parties are the ones where you have a mix of ages and generations. It’s a special time of year and it feels extra special to celebrate with the people in the world that you love most.
What’s on the playlist?
For me, it’s all about traditional Christmas carols and songs. And I do love a bit of Frank Sinatra.
Where do you draw inspiration from when creating new recipes?
I’m always thinking about new recipes and love drawing inspiration from the world around me. Sometimes I’ll be inspired by something delicious I eat on my travels, and then I’ll try to recreate the dish in some way at home. Other times I might draw inspiration from books—cookbooks, of course, but also descriptions of dishes in stories and novels. Sometimes recipes just come about through necessity; I’ll be playing around with what we happen to have in the kitchen, and end up hitting on something unexpected but really great.
What is your favorite recipe from one of your cookbooks to serve during the holidays?
There’s a recipe for a snowy panettone cake in “A Table For Friends” which is my absolute go-to for a celebratory show-stopper! It’s a panettone cake layered with whipped cream and pistachio cream, then covered with soft Italian meringue, which you burnish with a blow torch so it tastes like toasted marshmallow. I can’t tell you how good it is, and it looks spectacular. It’s also surprisingly simple to make: no actual baking, just assembling ingredients.
What is your favorite holiday cocktail recipe?
I love a chestnut martini: chilled vodka and sugar chestnut syrup over ice, served in an elegant coupe. If you wanted to really gild the lily, you could adorn the glass with a marron glacé. Otherwise, I don’t think you can go wrong with a big bowl of creamy egg nog or hot spiced mulled wine at a holiday party. They just feel innately festive.
What would you suggest guests bring to a holiday party?
Edible gifts are always especially welcome at this time of year. I often make Christmas fruitcakes and give them as gifts. It’s something that feels personal and special, but that you know your host is going to enjoy eating (or enjoy serving to their guests). Fruitcake also keeps well, so it won’t go stale in a hurry.
In a similar vein, anything sweet and spoiling is a nice gift, like chocolates, a panettone, or a bottle of Champagne. I always think that a box of nice crackers is quite a fun gift. Ultimately, it’s the thought that counts. Even something small like a bundle of candy canes tied together with a silk or velvet ribbon is a really sweet present.
What holiday gifts would you give out to guests?
Again, I think edible gifts are super, and books! I love giving people books. One year, we hosted a holiday party and I gave everyone a copy of my favorite cookbook at the time, “The Flavour Thesaurus.” Otherwise, something small and personal is nice, like a Christmas ornament (and choose a different one for each guest), or something spoiling, like bath salts or a scented candle to help relax once the festive season is behind us.
How has living in Venice influenced your cooking and entertaining style?
It’s impossible to grow up in Italy and not love food, so I definitely think that living in Venice has had a huge influence on how I do things. I feel that there is a more relaxed approach to entertaining in Italy than we have in Anglo-Saxon culture. Meals are celebratory and convivial, but they’re more about bringing people together and less about etiquette or show. I really enjoy hosting and having friends over, and a lot of that comes from my own childhood.
How has your time spent in London influenced you?
Well, I do love a British Christmas cake and a good brandy butter! That’s one thing! I have so many friends in London, and it’s such a great place to meet people and build new friendships—it’s a very vibrant and energizing city. I also especially love London at Christmastime; the magic of the lights, the decorations, and the over-the-top shop window displays. It’s a fabulous atmosphere.
What other influences have been important to you in your career?
My mother has been a huge influence on me. She always hosts with such elegance. I learned to cook from cookbooks, so names like Nigella Lawson, Skye Gyngell, Martha Stewart, Marcella Hazan, Anna Del Conte, and Nigel Slater have all been a huge and very inspiring influence as well.
Where is your favorite place to spend the holidays?
We always spend Christmas in Venice and I absolutely love it. It’s an especially magical time of year there. You have the city to yourself, and if you’re lucky with the weather, you get these beautiful, clear, crisp days that are especially magical.
What was the best holiday party you’ve hosted or attended?
My godmother always used to host a holiday party every year and she would invite a group of carolers to come and sing for us. We would all gather together to drink Champagne and eat arancini (she’s Italian) with Christmas music in her beautiful house, and I think because she did it every year, it always felt like the start of the holiday season.
What advice do you have for decorating the holiday dinner table?
I’m of the ‘more is more’ school of thought. I can’t help but feel that if ever there’s a time for excess, it’s Christmas: lots of candles, lots of sweets. I use fruits and nuts and other edible things for decoration, but you can of course go with plants and flowers too—like holly and ivy—just train the branches down the middle of the table. Little tumblers filled with mistletoe and lots of greenery also look great on the table. I like to create layers and textures, so small touches like tying your napkins with a silk or velvet bow can make it feel extra special, and then finishing off each place setting with a handwritten menu.
What inspired you to create a line of tableware?
It had long been a dream of mine, and finally, I took the plunge and launched Tavola in the fall of 2021. I love cooking, but what I love above all is to bring people together over a special meal. A big part of that is setting the scene and creating a sense of occasion with the table. Even a takeaway meal can look and feel special when it’s presented on a pretty plate!
What tableware do you like to use specifically for holiday celebrations?
I don’t have “holiday tableware” or pieces that are dedicated exclusively to the holidays. Instead, I prefer to style what I have in a way that feels festive. These green plates from Tavola, for example, aren’t explicitly festive, but because they’re green, they feel Christmas-y when mixed in with touches of gold, silver, and other festive accents. Similarly, I love these handpainted plates. The pops of red and green read as very festive when they’re layered on the table.
Do you have any go-to holiday traditions?
So many! I love baking gingerbread ornaments with my boys to decorate our tree—we do it every year. We make big batches of non-alcoholic eggnog and listen to carols while we bake. I also love making Christmas cakes to give to friends. It’s something that I used to do with my mother as a child and have been doing every year since then. I also love the ritual of waking up on Christmas morning, opening our stockings, and having hot chocolate and panettone for breakfast.
How do you like to decorate your home for the holidays?
For me, it’s all about the tree. I go all out with a big, real tree that smells like the holidays. I love the smell of a real Christmas tree—there’s such magic to it. Then I like to decorate the house with paper chains (I make them with marbled paper and they look really pretty) and lots of poinsettias that feel innately festive. I also hang stockings on the mantlepiece (we put them up long before Christmas Eve) and a big wreath on the front door.
Is there anything you’re looking forward to about this year’s holiday season?
I love Christmas and look forward to it year-round! I love Christmas baking and all the traditional food, so I’m especially looking forward to that. I’m taking our boys to a special festive carol service in London, which we’re really looking forward to. Overall, I’m excited to celebrate with friends and the people I love.
Thanks, Skye! Ready to host your own holiday party like Skye McAlpine? Find your perfect holiday party invitations that you can customize and send with ease. And if you’re looking for holiday party supplies and decorations, we’ve got unforgettable options for those too.
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