When looking back at holidays past, these three renowned Leelanau County chefs (plus one cheesemaker) say that at those gatherings, instead of being the one in the kitchen, they’ve enjoyed traditional holiday specialties — be they simple or sophisticated — prepared by their parents, aunts, uncles or grandmas. Here are those fond memories…and the recipes. 

MARTHA’S MOM’S NUT TARTLETS
From Martha Ryan, chef/owner at Martha’s Leelanau Table in Suttons Bay
“In my family I had four siblings — there were five kids — and we always had a nice Christmas. We would go to midnight mass, and it was always fun get up and get dressed to go to late church.

We are English and Irish, and most typically had roast beef for Christmas dinner. But what my mom would always make are these little nut tartlets. I am looking at the recipe now, which is in my sister’s handwriting, and says From the Kitchen of Mom. These are not exotic ingredients, but they are quick and festive, and a different sort of Christmas cookie — like a little pecan pie. I think I’ll make some today, actually.”

UNCLE GREG’S EGG BAKE
From Adam McMarlin, chef/owner of Wren in Suttons Bay
“The one thing that always appears on the table on Christmas morning is this dish from my wife’s uncle Greg. I had never heard of ‘egg bake’ before I moved here, so when my wife said we were going to her parents for that, I didn’t really know what to expect. In the end, I made sure we left with the recipe. (I’m a big fan of casseroles in general.) Uncle Greg is jovially enthusiastic about food, so he and I have gotten on really well ever since I first met my wife’s family. He’s always really interested in what we’re doing at the restaurant, and he makes the best pickles I’ve ever had!”

HERB ROASTED PRIME RIB
From Chef Guillaume Hazaël-Massieux, chef/owner of Restaurant La Bécasse in Burdickville
“I grew up in Guadeloupe, and my parents really enjoyed good food. At the holidays, being French, we would always have champagne, which pairs well with almost everything. Christmas Eve dinner started with appetizers like oysters on the half shell, smoked or cured salmon with crème fraîche and blinis, and a foie gras terrine. The main course was traditionally a standing prime rib roast accompanied by al dente green beans in garlic and butter, and always served with a gratin Dauphinois (which is now also on our restaurant menu). The next course was a green salad and a cheese assortment, and dessert was the classic French yule log. We ate the leftovers on Christmas Day! I have continued those holiday traditions with my family here in the USA.”

TRADITIONAL RACLETTE
From Anne Hoyt, co-owner and cheesemaker at Leelanau Cheese in Suttons Bay
“In France the holidays are all about the food, gourmet items you only eat once a year. Growing up in a blue collar family, special food was very special! My father always had oysters on Christmas eve, and the kids would eat brioche with hot chocolate (yes, for dinner). My dad always cooked Christmas dinner — he only cooked once a year —and he always came up with something unique for us…the first time I had an avocado was on Christmas, I was 10 years old. With my husband, we will have raclette on Christmas eve, and a Buche de Noel for desert. Keep it simple: a raclette dinner is about the cheese. Cornichons and a dry white wine — local dry Riesling, Pinot Gris or sparkling — are a must as it helps digest the melted cheese. Bon appetit.”

Ingredients
Raclette cheese, ½ pound per person, melted on a specialty raclette grill (find one locally at The Cheese Lady in Traverse City — she has grills sized for couples or a family; or inquire at Leelanau Cheese on their special days open next week, see below)
Cooked new potatoes
Cornichons
Cherry tomatoes
Salami or ham
Canadian bacon grilled on the raclette grill

Enjoy melted raclette with various accoutrements.

Find the full recipes for MARTHA’S MOM’S NUT TARTLETS, UNCLE GREG’S EGG BAKE, and HERB ROASTED PRIME RIB by clicking here. While you’ll be on your own preparing these chefs’ family recipes at home, you can have some of them cook for you when you order takeout from their restaurants:  

Martha’s Leelanau Table
Offering a curbside pickup and delivery menu every evening, 7 days a week (closed on Christmas Day), 5-9pm. Follow Martha’s Leelanau Table on Facebook and Instagram for nightly specials and Christmas dinner specials, including a fondue kit. Martha's team does delivery too: $5 delivery charge within 5 miles and a $10 delivery charge from 5-10 miles. (231) 271-2344, marthasleelanautable.com 

La Bécasse
Open Wednesday through Saturday for take-away pickup from 4–7 pm (last order must be placed by 6pm). Regular menu (where you’ll find that famous gratin Dauphinois), take-and-bake menu, and happy hour to go. (231) 334-3944, restaurantlabecasse.com

Wren
Wren is not currently doing take-away, but rather using the opportunity of this slower time of year to make improvements to the restaurant to enhance the dining experience for future guests. Watch Wren’s website and Facebook page for possible changes and updates ahead. (231) 271-1175, wrensuttonsbay.com

Leelanau Cheese
Leelanau Cheese celebrates 25 years in business in Leelanau County this year, making award-winning varieties of Swiss raclette cheese and French-style fromage blanc. Anne Hoyt, co-owner and cheesemaker along with her husband John Hoyt, had not planned to be open for the holiday season in 2020, however Anne tells the Leelanau Ticker that “because of high demand, we will open the shop for pick up at the door, on December 18, 19, and 20 — and maybe the 21st — with a limited inventory of raclette (no fromage blanc). (231) 271-2600, leelanaucheese.com

This story, by regular Northern Express contributor Janice Binkert, is excerpted from this week’s issue, with additional reporting from Leelanau Ticker’s Emily Tyra, who offers up her Grandma’s Sugar Plum Bread recipe here. “My grandma joined her cousins at their holiday table on a farm outside Northport. She called this recipe the less posh-sounding “Prune Bread,” and it’s a true old-fashioned treat,” Tyra says.

Pictured: Martha Ryan at Martha’s Leelanau Table, by Lisa Baird/Memories Captured by Lisa Baird