About the Book

Book Synopsis

A Simple Bites Best Cookbook of the Year

From beloved author Skye McAlpine, an all-things-Christmas cookbook and gifty guide to the perfect holiday, from hosting to roasting-and everything you need to spread cheer with the people you love.

From inimitable author Skye McAlpine, The Christmas Companion is a gorgeous wall-to-wall guide to an unfussy yet elegant Christmas to remember. With recipes both celebratory and deeply comforting that skew Italian, the book includes Christmas canon favorites like Ginger and Apricot Glazed Ham and Panettone Woodland Cake, edible gifts like Marzipan Fruits and Chocolate Salami, and fool-proof menus for every event-from two--person romantic dinners to blowout cocktail parties or Christmas lunch for twenty. But like any holiday devotee, Skye knows the preparation is half the fun. In The Christmas Companion, she also gives her best tips for creating the perfect holiday space: guides to making Candy Cane Heart Ornaments and "playing Santa," how to make your own Christmas crackers, and the most beautiful ways to decorate the Christmas table.

A highly giftable holiday treat, The Christmas Companion is sure to perennially spread Christmas cheer.

Review Quotes

"A richly illustrated guide to the festive season, combining Christmas recipes, table ideas, decorating inspiration and hosting advice, all centered on relaxed elegance and creating memorable traditions for gatherings that stretch from Advent through New Year." --Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Skye McAlpine's gold-leaf Christmas brownies are the most glamorous baked good of the season . . . Showstopping." --CBC Life

"This beautiful book is a new forever Christmas favourite, right up there with Jamie and Nigella." --Simple Bites

"This beautifully crafted guide offers unfussy yet elegant recipes, Italian-inspired holiday dishes, edible gifts, and foolproof menus for gatherings of any size. A stunning seasonal book for anyone who loves cooking, hosting, or savoring the magic of Christmas!" --StyleBlueprint

"In The Christmas Companion, McAlpine serves up dozens of delicious recipes like Sticky Marzipan Breakfast Buns, The Best Roasted Potatoes, Holiday Mood Eggnog and more-plus, easy menu ideas, tablescape tips and chic craft how-tos. Whether it's a gift to a loved one or yourself, this book delivers a beautiful, helpful holiday hand." --Woman's World

"Skye McAlpine presents everything from recipes to table design to edible gifts on pages that will make your giftee's mouth water. It includes meal plans for groups large and small, a thoughtful section on planning for varied dietary needs, and gift-wrapping advice . . . The ideas inside this book shine as brightly as the star on top of a Christmas tree." --Dallas Morning News

"[A] lovely book of ideas for elegant but unfussy occasions ... lessons for cultivating warmth and good cheer in these pages - and it's gorgeous." --Zoomer Magazine

"'Cozy, relaxed, perfect and memorable in its utterly human imperfection' is how this popular British-born, Italian-raised author thinks the holidays should be. Her latest book is chock-full of recipes and game plans for making every get-together from Thanksgiving through New Year's Day more joyful. Skye McAlpine offers elegant yet low-stress recipes . . . and other fun ways to make merry with little cost or effort." --The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"McAlpine captures the enchantment of the holiday . . . The Christmas Companion is filled with ideas, inspiration and support to create homemade holidays - without a sense of obligation . . . McAlpine [seeks] ways to make the crafts and recipes as approachable as possible, and include[s] dishes that [can] be made in advance." --National Post

"[A] collection of foolproof, elegant recipes [that] calls to mind Nigella Lawson at her best." --Vogue, on A Table for Friends

"It's a winner-a book I'll turn to again and again . . . this kind of food brings you together." --Delicious Magazine, on A Table for Friends

"[A] rewarding exploration of love and the meals that sustain it . . . Love means never having to say you're hungry in this soul--nourishing collection."" --Publishers Weekly, on A Table Full of Love

"Every page of A Table Full of Love is an inspiration and an invitation, a reminder that food communicates feelings, sometimes better than words ever can." --Shelf Awareness, on A Table Full of Love

About the Author

Skye McAlpine is a cookery writer who believes that food tastes best when shared with others. She is the author of three other books, A Table in Venice, A Table for Friends and A Table Full of Love, writes a monthly column for the Sunday Times and has contributed to publications from around the world, including vogue.com, Vanity Fair, Corriere della Sera and Conde Naste Traveller. In 2021 she launched her own created range of homeware, Skye McAlpine TAVOLA. Skye divides her time between London and Venice with her husband, Anthony, and her two sons, Aeneas and Achille.

@skyemcalpine