This upcoming holiday season, the menu at 1906 shines with culinary gems that echo the beauty of A Longwood Christmas. As our Gardens transform into a glittering wonderland, our culinary team invites you to experience dishes that are simple, elegant, and inspired by the garden itself. Among the season’s most inspiring dishes is our Garden Risotto, an evolving feature that showcases seasonal flavors and ingredients sourced from Longwood’s Ornamental Kitchen Garden, just steps away from our kitchen. It’s also a wonderful selection for you to craft at home during this holiday season, and we’re delighted to share this gem of a recipe (and its story!) with you.
The Wellington returns to 1906’s holiday menu with an elevated and celebratory form. This season’s interpretation features a rich umami flavor, perfect duxelles, and a beautifully refined lattice to make this classic more exquisite than ever. Photo by Evan Sung.
“At 1906, our guiding principle is always simple, elegant, and floral,” shares Executive Chef George Murkowicz. “We cook thoughtfully, we present elegantly, and we bring floral notes into every dish through sauces, brines, or the vegetables themselves.” Guided by this philosophy, our menu celebrates the artistry of the garden and the bounty of the season, offering a dining experience as inspired as the Gardens themselves … and our Garden Risotto is a shining example.
Behind every plate at 1906 is the hardworking culinary team that operates in harmony to craft dishes that balance precision, creativity, and care. Photo by Adelyn Duchala.
“It’s the kind of dish that evolves with the garden,” says Murkowicz. “We build it around what’s available and beautiful at that moment—each seasonal version slightly different, each one shining in its own way. Altogether, the dish tells the story of the garden at that time.”
Executive Chef George Murkowicz brings the beauty and the flavors of the Idea Garden to every dish. This holiday season, our chefs celebrated the harvest by preserving peak season flavors and turning them into pickles, powders, and vinegars. Photo by Adelyn Duchala.
Our current Garden Risotto features a range of flavors from late-season brassicas to honeypatch squash. A hint of Meyer lemon adds brightness, while marigold powder lends subtle floral sparkle. You can most certainly wow your holiday guests with this treasure of a dish.
Our seasonal Garden Risotto, ready to be enjoyed. Photo by Adelyn Duchala.
We’re looking to wow you, too. Throughout A Longwood Christmas, we welcome you to enjoy our three- or four-course prix fixe holiday season menu. The menu is designed to be celebration of holiday flavors that feels intentional and balanced, with every combination flowing beautifully to the next. “We’ve rethought the way the entire menu moves,” says Murkowicz. “No matter what guests choose, the experience feels cohesive, like a story with a beginning, middle, and end.”
The season’s incredible selections include such beginnings as Prime Beef Carpaccio with burrata, egg yolk, and black lime to Short Rib Cannelloni with blue crab, shallot jam, and sauce bordelaise. Mains include the showstopping Mushroom Wellington of cremini and taleggio duxelles, porcini, and petite greens, to the Venison Loin with sunflower seed risotto, roasted sweet potato, pearl onions, and sauce periguex. Dazzling supplements and extra touches include the return of our lavish Chilled Seafood Tower and Caviar Service. Every dish is like a gem cut to perfection.
A true centerpiece of celebration, the Seafood Tower is a showstopping presentation of oceanic indulgence meant to be shared. The impressive selection includes caviar, lobster, king crab, oyster, mussels, prawns, and accoutrements. Photo by Evan Sung.
That narrative extends to dessert, where the pastry team has turned sweetness into pure gold. Jewel-toned treats like the Emerald Garden mint cheesecake or the Coconut Pearl with gingerbread, cranberry, and pineapple-lime sorbet offer a playful finale.
1906’s signature dessert, the Caramelia delights with its layers of chocolate mousse, espresso caramel, and cocoa soil. Photo by Evan Sung.
Complementing your meal is an award-winning wine list, honored with Wine Spectator’s 2025 Best of Award of Excellence, as well as house-crafted cocktails and garden-inspired tonics.
We can’t wait to welcome you to 1906 this season, where every visit is a celebration. To give you—and your loved ones—an at-home taste of our holiday treasures this season, please enjoy our Garden Risotto recipe.
Radiant with color and flavor, our Garden Risotto shines as one of the treasures of this season’s menu. It transforms honeypatch squash, heirloom carrots, marigolds, and meyer lemons into a warm and comforting dish. Here, Director of Culinary Chef Will Brown crafts our Garden Risotto. Photo by Adelyn Duchala.
Garden Risotto Recipe
Yield: 4 servings
Vegetable Stock:
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
- 3 stalks celery, peeled and chopped
- 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 bunch thyme
- 2 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
- 4 quarts cold water
Combine onions, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, peppercorns, and cold water in a heavy bottom stock pot. Bring to a boil and lower to a slow simmer. Let simmer for about 2 hours. Strain stock, pushing the liquid out of the vegetables while straining.
Butternut Squash Puree:
- 2 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and medium diced
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups vegetable stock
Large-dice butternut squash and combine in a heavy bottom stock pot with butter and vegetable stock. Simmer until the squash is completely tender and puree in a blender until smooth. Reserve.
Purple Carrot Puree:
- 4 cups purple carrot, peeled and diced
- 1 cup purple sweet potato, peeled and diced
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 cups water
Combine carrot, sweet potato, butter, and water in a heavy bottomed pot, and simmer until carrots and sweet potato are completely tender. There should be almost no liquid remaining once cooked. Puree in a blender until smooth. Reserve.
Meyer Lemon Creme Fraiche:
- 1 cup creme fraiche
- 2 Meyer lemons, zested and juiced
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
Combine creme fraiche, lemon zest, half the juice, and grated parmesan in a bowl. Whisk to combine. Reserve.
Risotto:
- 2 cups arborio rice
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and minced
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups white wine
- 2 quarts vegetable stock, held hot
- 1/2 cup Meyer lemon creme fraiche
- 1/2 cup purple carrot puree
- 1/2 cup butternut squash puree
In a large, wide sauce pot, sweat onions and canola oil on low heat until onions are translucent. Add the arborio rice and lightly toast in the oil until just fragrant (about 5 minutes). Add the white wine, and reduce until all the wine has cooked out. In 2-cup increments, add the hot stock and stir continuously, waiting for all the stock to reduce before adding more. Continue adding stock until the rice is just tender but still has that “al dente” bite. Once the rice is cooked, add creme fraiche, and season with salt and pepper.
Finally, separate the risotto evenly into 3 separate pots. In one pot, add purple carrot puree, and in another add the butternut puree.
To plate, spoon a little bit of the butternut, carrot, and vegetable risottos into a mosaic type pattern. Finish with a light dusting of fresh parmesan cheese, some seasonal flowers from the garden, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. If you prefer, add a light sprinkle of dehydrated vegetable powders. We make ours using vegetable peels and leaves preserved from previous seasons.
We love that the different flavors of risottos can (and should!) change throughout the year, as so does our garden! Enjoy!
Editor’s note:
Download a print-ready PDF of the recipe here.
We invite you to indulge in festive expressions of flavor at 1906. Advance reservations are strongly recommended. Looking for even more? Enhance your A Longwood Christmas experience with A Taste of Christmas in the Fountain Room—an open-seating dining experience that lets you come and go at your leisure, nestled in the heart of our Gardens.
