Given all the incredible décor packed into the historic mansion that is Madrona Manor in Healdsburg, it wouldn’t be surprising to find 10 Lords a Leaping, plus a Partridge in a Pear Tree tucked in some nook and cranny. As in the actual, living beings.
Competing to create a memorable dinner amid such opulence could be difficult for even the best chef, but then add in this: ’tis the season for the Dickens Dinners, when carolers wander the dining rooms, dressed in period clothing of Olde 19th Century England. The 12th Night Singers pause for private a-cappella serenades of “Jingle Bells” (complete with theatrical cracks for the whips) and breathtaking hymns.
Michelin-star executive chef Jesse Mallgren is up for the challenge, however. On select nights through Christmas Day, he prepares a five-course celebration of new and old holiday traditions, paired with wines.
On opening night this past Sunday, that meant exquisite delicacies like a smoked egg sabayon, served in the shell. Diners dug into the silky custard with their spoons, uncovering a lacy mix of estate grown watercress, potato and prosciutto syrup.
Dungeness crab salad came next, arranged in a loose round decorated with slivered almond and orange segments in a drizzle of Green Goddess dressing. Another course of pumpkin risotto requires a supplement charge for truffles (Alba white $45, black winter $20), but it’s worth it, for the generous shavings atop an earthy al dente stew kissed with Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Depending on which salon-style room you sit in, the décor changes, but there’s no missing the holiday spirit. The grand 1881 Victorian mansion which houses the inn and restaurant is lavishly bedecked inside and out, including 4,000 twinkling lights on a 14-foot tall Christmas tree in the front parlor. Manor owners Bill and Trudi Konrad spend more than a week decorating every inch of space in wreaths, garlands, fresh flowers, toys and ornaments.
Still, when entrees arrive, all eyes are on the plates, whether it’s beef Wellington or salmon confit. The beef is a large filet of tenderloin coated in duxelles then wrapped in puff pastry and baked to a golden brown crust. Chef Mallgren frames it with silky whipped potatoes and broccolini, and it’s finished tableside with a splash of red wine reduction.
The salmon is gently poached above an olive oil bath so it falls apart on the fork into glistening bliss, brightened with hollandaise, beet puree, a tiny touch of horseradish and a knot of fresh spinach.
This supper series sells out quickly, for its magical retreat into classic holiday cheer, honoring when people dressed to the nines in the spirit of the season, caroled with their neighbors and decorated their homes with festive finery.
The Konrads mix and mingle, too, visiting tables to share a bawdy joke (Bill) or deliver a teddy bear gift a la Mrs. Claus (Trudi).
Dessert comes from the Manor’s new pastry chef, Emmanuel Fimbrez, and it reflects this new meets old tradition perfectly. “Apples and Spice” is a portrait on a plate, arranging cubes of compressed green apple around an apple foam mousse, dots of white chocolate cremeux and dehydrated fruit.
Should the meal provide so festive no one wants to leave, that’s an option, as well. Dinner guests enjoy discounts off the regular rates, welcoming them to a cozy overnight in a Victorian room or cottage suite set with a fireplace, antique furniture and a plush, warm bed. To tuck in, there’s a plate of fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies on the nightstand.
Happy holidays to us all.
Details: Dickens Dinners at Madrona Manor, 1001 Westside Road, Healdsburg. The five-course menu ranges from $85 to $125 per person and $41-$48 additional for wine pairings. All dinners seat at 6:30pm with an added matinee on Christmas Day at 1:30 p.m. For reservations, call 707-433-4231 or visit madronamanor.com.