Entertaining this holiday season? Local Richmond business owner Sarah Nicholas knows a thing or two. After seven years in the FBI, Nicholas made a life-changing decision to move to New York City and attend culinary school. Fast forward a few years, and she’s now the proud owner of Ladles and Linens Kitchen Shoppe in Carytown.
After a few years of scaled-down holiday celebrations, Nicholas is seeing an uptick in what she terms “nostalgic cooking.” People are dusting off the treasured family recipes passed down from their grandmothers and making them their own.
Other trends she’s seeing this holiday season? Butter boards, a trend made popular on Tiktok that is exactly what it sounds like, a charcuterie-style board filled with butter for dipping that can be dressed up or down, as well as an increase in the popularity of mocktails.
As for 2023, Sarah thinks we just might see another nostalgic comeback by way of a fondue resurgence!
Check out Sarah’s tips below for elevating your holiday entertaining:
- Keep it simple with foods that take a few steps or even a few ingredients. Big flavors, big impact! Think simple crostini piled with bold cheeses and drizzles of honey!
- Have a fun music playlist!
- Embrace the bar cart and let folks mix their own drinks! Use fun mixers, sodas, and tonic. Always have liquor staples. Add flair with cocktail napkins. It takes some pressure off you and promotes fun conversations!
