Thérèse Boer’s Christmas Tip

She works through Christmas ‘just like any other day’, but Thérèse Boer does have a few great tips for your Christmas dinner.

What always goes down well at Christmas dinner?

“Brie de Meaux marinated with truffle. What goes well with it in terms of drinks? A beautiful manzanilla sherry or white Burgundy.”

What should you pay attention to when putting together your Christmas menu?

“Balance! Not too much, not too complicated, and make sure the dishes are well seasoned. Don’t make it too difficult for yourself; you also want to be able to enjoy your guests.”

And when choosing the wine?

“Try to build it up in terms of flavour, from fresh fruit, to fuller, creamy white, and then to beautifully spicy red. Take your list of dishes to a good wine shop and ask for advice. A good wine shop in Zwolle (and throughout the rest of the Netherlands, ed.) is Henri Bloem. And above all, don’t overcomplicate things: wine should simply be delicious.”

Where do you do your Christmas shopping?

“We simply work at De Librije over Christmas, but professionally, we like to do our Christmas shopping at Hanos. By the way, the staff prepares a five-course lunch on Boxing Day, and the kids join in for a cosy meal.”

What is your ultimate Christmas tip?

“Make it cosy and be kind to one another. Enjoy the food with good wines. Don’t overdo it. And make wonderful plans for the new year.”