Reveillon During the mid-1800s, New Orleans’ Creole families celebrated the “Reveillon” (French for “awakening”) twice during the holidays. The first Reveillon came after Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, when families returned from St. Louis Cathedral to break a daylong fast with an elaborate meal. The meal consisted of egg dishes, sweetbreads, and Creole specialties, such as daube glacé. It often ended with a cake filled with a fruit confection, dripping with wine or rum, and topped with whipped cream. New Year’s Eve brought another Reveillon, usually shared among several families. This more festive meal featured eggnog, fancy pastries, meringues, sugar sculptures, and crystallized fruits. By late afternoon, families would return home to a light supper followed by a night of singing and dancing – with wine and whiskey for the gentlemen, and cordials and liqueurs for the ladies. Today’s Reveillon is celebrated nightly during the Christmas season in restaurants throughout the city. Menus combine ageless Creole cuisine with more contemporary New Orleans dishes, but the spirit of the past remains. In fact, some of our Reveillon restaurants—Commander’s Palace, Galatoire’s and Tujague’s—are more than 100 years old! Revel in nostalgia and join us for the Reveillon— the authentic taste of Christmas New Orleans Style!
38