A Dickensian Christmas Feast for Ebenezer
You may be an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of an underdone potato. There’s more of gravy than of grave about you, whatever you are!
Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol has shaped Christmas as we know it for over 180 years. But amongst ghosts, goodwill and striped nightgowns, food is at the heart of Dickens’ most enduring story. So when Substance Global asked us to create a Dickensian feast for a London walking tour celebrating the launch of Paramount’s Ebenezer, we had to conjure a banquet worthy of the Ghost of Christmas Present himself.
A Christmas Bill of Fare
From hot trays brimming with Christmas favourites to an indulgent pudding table, every course had a touch of Dickens. Gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan guests were catered for throughout, so no one missed out.
Savoury Morsels
- Classic Scotch eggs with mustard mayonnaise.
- Mini turkey, cranberry and stuffing pies.
- Pigs in blankets with maple glaze.
- Smoked salmon blinis with dill crème fraîche.
- Prawn cocktail in vintage crystal goblets.
- Roast winter squash and sage tartlets (vegan).
- Leek tartlets (vegetarian).
- Truffled mushroom arancini.
Meats
Served with rich red wine gravy, bread sauce, cranberry and orange relish, horseradish cream, mustard and pickles.
- Glazed Christmas ham with spiced orange and cloves.
- Roasted goose, carved.
- Game pie.
Tasty Additions
- Goose-fat roast potatoes with rosemary.
- Honey-roasted carrots and parsnips (vegetarian).
- Brussels sprouts with chestnuts (vegetarian).
- Braised red cabbage with apples (vegan).
Puddings
- Giant Victorian jellies: ruby red and spiced clementine.
- Christmas pudding with a white chocolate crown.
- Mini trifle goblets.
- Jam roly-poly slices with vanilla custard.
- Mini mince pies.
- Chocolate and cherry pots.
- A tower of Ferrero Rocher.
- Artisan cheeses with figs, celery, grapes, chutney, rustic breads and biscuits.
Design & Styling
Much like Scrooge himself, we had mere moments to bring the Christmas feast to life. With just six days to plan, create and style a dinner for 60 guests, it was all hands on deck, with Venn Productions bringing the room to life alongside our team.
The key to adding drama (aside from ordering a murder of fake crows)? When it comes to Christmas, more is more. With a bird bigger than Tiny Tim, pies piled high and jellies that dwarfed every other dessert, we created a feast designed to make you feel like a child on Christmas morning. With dozens of candles dotted around the table, the whole spread was almost glowing. It felt like a truly magical Victorian Christmas, while keeping the focus on the delicious food at the centre.
On the Night
And the guests’ reaction was better than we could ever have imagined. At 6.45pm, 60 influencers and content creators arrived, several dressed in full Victorian attire themselves! The room was abuzz with people talking about the food and the film, and everyone was fully immersed in the Dickensian atmosphere. Not to mention the number of empty plates at the end!
As Tiny Tim would say, God bless us, every one!
Planning a Christmas Party? There’s still time to book, Dickensian or modern. We’d love to hear from you.