Christmas Eve Checklist 2025

Happy Christmas Eve!

It’s time for SSJ’S annual Christmas Eve Checklist, preceded by our 2025 Menu for our Annual Feast of the Seven Fishes. Last year’s small-plates edition was such a success that we’ve decided to stick to mostly tapas again for 2025, with many repeats. While this is a rather minimal cooking schedule for the F7F, we’re actually having an F13F, when all is said and done.

FEAST OF THE SEVEN THIRTEEN FISHES 2025

Bea’s Garlic-Marinated Anchovy Stuffed Green Olives
Smoked Salmon with Nigel Slater’s Juniper Butter on Rye Crackers
Caviar on Potato Chips with Green Tahini Crème
Shrimp Cocktail
PEI Oysters on the half-shell with Champagne Mignonette
Black Cod Fillets with Miso Sauce
Squid Ink Pasta with Smoked Mussels, Clams, Artichoke, & Caper Sauce
Tins:
Octopus in Galician Sauce
Smoked Sardines in Olive Oil and Sea Salt
Mussels with Garlic and Chili
Scallops in Galician Sauce

□ Morning walk with Nimue and a Thermos Wassail
□ Source local bakery bread
□ Make, buy, or substitute something in for this year’s Bûche de Noël
□ Bring home a bouquet of flowers for the table
□ Marinate the miso black cod for our Feast of the Seven Fishes
□ Blend the green tahini crème & make juniper butter
□ Make the pasta sauce
□ Power nap
□ Backyard play with Nimue
□ Light lunch
□ Set the table for the evening feast
□ Carols at the piano
□ Eggnog and a Christmas movie
□ Tune in to Jon Solomon’s 25-HOUR LIVE-FROM-HOME HOLIDAY RADIO SHOW. [5:00 pm December 24 TO 6:00 pm December 25 on WPRB 103.3 FM PRINCETON, NJ, USA]
□ Plate the cold and tinned dishes
□ Shuck the oysters
□ Dress up and have an Elemental & Cider
□ Cook the miso black cod
□ Make the pasta and reheat the sauce
□ Put on the Christmas Crowns!!
□ Enjoy the Feast of the Seven Fishes
□ Card or board games at the cleared table
□ Bûche de Noël (or its substitute) and Christmas cookies
□ Howl at the moon with the dog
□ Leave cookies, milk, and carrots for Santa and the team
□ Adult siblings basement screening Star Wars: A New Hope…the legend continues!
□ Late night cocktails and more radio for R&B

ON THIS DAY