There’s good news if you’re reeling from the thought of having to prepare yet another special holiday meal when we’re still digesting Thanksgiving. There are a handful of Island eateries offering mouthwatering delicacies for your table.
The Vineyard Grocer seems to be the only one with a sizable soup-to-nuts menu. There are five combos: baked salmon with asparagus, roasted turkey with grilled veggies, roasted picnic shoulder with crumbs, roasted boneless beef ribs with rustic potatoes, and chicken fricassee. Each dinner comes with Christmas rice, mayonnaise salad, and dessert. There is a mixed berries pie and mixed berries cheesecake. Another is Banoffe, a dessert pie created with bananas, whipped cream, and a thick caramel sauce made from boiled condensed milk or milk jam combined on a buttery biscuit. There is also Pudim, a Brazilian flan made with condensed milk, milk, eggs, and sugar for the syrup, making a caramel frosting. Vineyard Grocer: 294 State Rd, Vineyard Haven, 508-693-2000.
Morning Glory Farm has an abundance of produce for your holiday table, including Morning Glory Farm grown delicious carrots and Yukon and red potatoes. There is butternut, acorn, hubbard, and honeynut squash, to name a few. They have beautiful lettuce, spinach, and arugula. kale, collards, and choi from their harvest. If you want echoes of Thanksgiving, they have frozen turkeys, both breasts and whole. They are raised on the Outpost Farm in Holliston, Massachusetts. Morning Glory Farm: 120 Meshacket Rd, Edgartown, 508-627-9003.
Puppy Cavallo of Soigne is offering charcuterie platters to start with, as well as sweet breads and decorated holiday cookies for delicious endings. Soigne: 190 Upper Main St, Edgartown, 508-627-8489.
Speaking of desserts, several locales have some outstanding mouth-watering selections. Pie Chicks will make sweet potato meringue, apple cranberry, lemon meringue, and mincemeat pies. Owner Chrissy Kinsman assures me that the latter is loaded with nuts and dried fruit. “And a smile comes with every purchase,” she laughs. For good measure, there is pumpkin cheesecake and cookie platters. Pie Chicks: 395 State Rd, Vineyard Haven, 508-693-0228.
Black Dog Cafe is baking special mini eggnog cheesecakes, gingerbread reindeer cookies, super cute Grinch cupcakes, and mini and traditional-size Yule Logs. While waiting for your dessert order, there are plenty of holiday drinks to imbibe: praline, butter pecan, eggnog, white chocolate peppermint, and peppermint mocha candy cane lattes. Black Dog Cafe: 509 State Road, Vineyard Haven, 508-696-8190.
It wouldn’t be the holidays without yet more cookies. Rosewater has put together a scrumptious cookie gift box filled with gingerbread houses representing Edgartown buildings. Rosewater: 20 S Summer St, Edgartown, 508-627-1270, and Little House Café and Bakery has cookies shaped like snowmen, Christmas trees, and gingerbread people. Little House Bakery: 339 State Road, Vineyard Haven, 508-687-9794.
So, be of good cheer. There’s something special for your holiday celebration, no matter your taste buds.
