The Luxist Awards' Guide to Holiday Entertaining: Best of 2009

In 2009, the Luxist Awards has featured several articles in the Cadillac-ipedia that have offered tips ranging from how to serve, pair, store and enjoy a variety of festive dishes and libations, from truffles and foie gras to cheese, sustaiable caviar and of course, Champagne.

Here a few of our favorite tips with links to all of the relevant articles, to help you plan your holiday festivities.

Serving cheese
Remove from refrigerator one hour before serving to guests. Cheese is best consumed at room temperature. Don't slice the cheese until after it reaches room temperature.

Serving fondue
Fondue can be served as an appetizer, dessert, or even a full three-course meal. Traditionally, fondues are created with melted cheese, which is usually a blend of two different varieties of cheese. The fondue is often served with bread, vegetables and fruit. If served as a main course, broth or seasoned cooking oil is heated in the fondue pot, while chicken, beef, seafood and vegetables can be cooked at the table. A variety of dipping sauces can provide more flavor. Fondues consisting of molten chocolate is a delicious dessert, with bananas, strawberries and marshmallows great options for dipping.

Serving foie gras
Foie gras, which is the French word for "fat liver" is a delicacy in French cuisine. Its flavor is described as rich, buttery and delicate. It is served as a mousse, parfait or pâté.

Caviar options beyond Beluga
The finest caviar often comes from the sturgeon, a fish that has become endangered in many areas, including the Caspian Sean. There are a variety of other options available to avoid further depleting the ocean's resources. One Readers' Choice nominee, Tsar Nicoulai Caviar, raises its fish sustainably in Northern California. It's online operation offers caviar, roe, smoked delicacies and an array of caviar accessories.

Serving Champagne
The pouring temperature of Champagne will vary depending on the kind you will be serving. Young non-vintage champagne, with no year on the label, should be poured around 8 degrees Celsius (46 degrees Fahrenheit). Mature wines, on the other hand, such as vintage Champagne, should be poured between 12 to 14 degrees Celsius (54 to 57 degrees Fahrenheit). Champagne goes well with pasta salads, sea food, oysters, shrimps, light fishes and antipasti. It also goes well with a cheese course as well as with many desserts.