The Christmas Table [Paperback]

Diane Morgan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2008

The Christmas Table serves up comfort and joy with helpful hints and recipes to plan an unforgettable holiday feast. Award-winning author Diane Morgan fills the book with festive recipes and decorating ideas that are sure to become favorites. On Christmas morning, opening presents will be even sweeter with a breakfast of Cinnamon-Scented Bread Custard, and delightful recipes like Juniper Brined Roast Turkey and Whipped Yams topped with a Crunchy Praline Crust will be instant yuletide classics. This comprehensive holiday guide also includes recipes for Christmas cookies, candied nuts, and other giftable goodies. With simple, beautiful crafts and delicious, easy-to-follow recipes, The Christmas Table ensures a very merry Christmas for everyone.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Diane Morgan is the award-winning author of Grill Every Day, Delicious Dips, and The Thanksgiving Table. She celebrates the holidays in Portland, Oregon.

E. J. Armstrong's food photography has appeared in a number of cookbooks. She lives in Seattle.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books; First Edition edition (September 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811860930
• ISBN-13: 978-0811860932
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 0.8 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,001,177 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

DIANE MORGAN is an award-winning cookbook author, freelance food writer, culinary instructor, and restaurant consultant. She is the author of fourteen cookbooks including The Christmas Table, The New Thanksgiving Table, Grill Every Day, Salmon, Pizza, Delicious Dips, The Thanksgiving Table, Midnight Munchies, Cooking For The Week, The Basic Gourmet, The Basic Gourmet Entertains, and Dressed To Grill: Savvy Recipes for Girls who Play with Fire, all from Chronicle Books.

She has been involved in the world of food for more than 25 years. She spent six years in Chicago as a caterer and chef for an executive dining room. Leaving behind Chicago's blustery, frigid winters, Diane moved to the Pacific Northwest, settling in Portland, Oregon. Her focus shifted to teaching cooking classes and pursuing a career in food writing,

Her first cookbook, Entertaining People: Menus from a Pacific Northwest Cooking School won an IACP/Seagrams cookbook award and was followed by Very Entertaining: Menus for Special Occasions.

Diane has been a regular contributor to the Los Angeles Times food section and has written for Bon Appetit, Fine Cooking, Cooking Light, The Oregonian, Northwest Palate, and Edible Portland. She has appeared on the Today Show, ABC World News Now, CBS Early Show, The TV Food Network, Smart Solutions on HGTV, Seasonings on PBS, and Good Day Oregon. In addition, for the past two years, Diane has consulted on the core menu, promotional seasonal menus and recipes for a Northwest chain of family dining restaurants.

Diane's website is: www.dianemorgancooks.com.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars beautiful book for the holidays December 17, 2008

By Domenica Marchetti

Format:Paperback

I have several of Diane Morgan's cookbooks, and I have just added The Christmas Table. The book is visually stunning, with gorgeous colored photographs. Even better, it is filled with wonderful recipes, from traditional favorites like prime rib (done here with a salt and garlic crust) to inventive, contemporary offerings (whole roast salmon with farro-herb stuffing). There's a chapter on holiday brunches and another on Christmas gifts from the kitchen. But the real reason I keep buying Diane Morgan's books is because the recipes work! They are well written and easy to follow, and even the most complicated ones are explained clearly. This is a lovely gift to give for the holidays. My lucky sister will be getting one this year.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars My new Christmas cookbook November 5, 2008

By J G 06

Format:Paperback

The Christmas Table is my new favorite book for holiday entertaining and family dinners. The photography is beautiful and makes any reader want to try so many recipes. My personal favorites are the Whipped Garnet Yams with Pecan Praline Crust (yum!) and Overnight Cinnamon Bread Custard especially for Christmas morning. I recently had a radicchio caesar salad in a restaurant and the recipe in this book is so much better. If you like to cook and want simple, clear recipes with everyday ingredients, you will love this book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars the cristmas table October 23, 2008

By live to cook

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Do not buy this book if you are Sandra Lee aficionado or if you prefer quick and easy recipes that offer convenience, not taste.

I have a number of Diane Morgan's books and I could not wait for Christmas to try new dishes in this book. I love her recipes because they always come out and because following her directions I manage to turn simple ingredients into something wonderful and amazing. For example: roasted carrots and parsnips with fresh dill, p. 102, roast loin of pork stuffed with apricots and dried plums,p. 87. ( Inadvertently I cut the hole for stuffing pork loin with dry fruit a bit too wide, so instead of alternating apricots and plums I used apricot and plum next to each other, followed by plum and apricot and so on, when sliced the pork looked like a work of art, and tasted divine. The only problem- all was gone in one meal, next time I will buy more pork.)

This weekend we are having Short Ribs Bourguignonne. p.98