Classic Christmas Recipes from Bon Appetit Editors
Rich, creamy lobster stew. Fruit-laced Old Fashioneds. A spectacular prime rib. These are just some of the absolutely-positively-have-to-be-on-the-table family recipes that we've been waiting 12 months to savor.
2/5Scott DeSimon's Lobster Stew
"Simpler and richer than a chowder, lobster stew celebrates Maine's state 'bug' when it's freezing outside and summer clambakes are a long way off. The cold winters come in handy for prep, too: The dish is even better if it sits awhile on a chilly back porch." —Scott DeSimon, special projects editor
3/5Grandma Flaxel's Crispy Fried Oysters
"I eat a lot of oysters, but my grandma's recipe, which we make every Christmas, is still my favorite. I credit that to the way the oysters are breaded in crushed saltines, then chilled before being fried. It gives them a clean taste, and they fry up super dry and crisp." —Alex Grossman, creative director
4/5Bill Heck's Old Fashioned
"It's not Christmas until my dad makes Old Fashioneds. He pulls out the red-and-green Spode lowballs and dashes sugar cubes with Angostura bitters. In his recipe, every glass gets two lumps, plus a maraschino cherry, grenadine, and slices of orange, lemon, and lime. Then come bourbon and a splash each of ginger ale and club soda--ten ingredients that make the perfect drink." —Mary-Frances Heck, test kitchen director
Christina Holmes5/5Dan Roman's Buttery Roasted Chestnuts in Foil
"My dad was born in New Jersey but moved to California when he was nine. When I was little, he decided to bring roasted chestnuts, his favorite thing about East Coast winters, to his West Coast brood. Gas-flame fire and 75-degree weather be damned, as long as he had roasted chestnuts, it felt just like home." —Alison Roman, assistant food editor
