A Few Places to Enjoy a Christmas Dinner in the Sierra Foothills, California

Perhaps you're spending the entire holiday weekend in the mountains over Christmas and you're looking for a unique place for your annual gathering. Or, maybe you plan to enjoy just a short drive into the mountains for the day. Either way, here are a few places you might consider for a Christmas meal on either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

Bass Lake, in the foothills above Fresno, is one of my favorite places and Ducey's Lodge would be a great place for a holiday meal. Be sure to ask for a table with a lake view-it's a beautiful scene all year round and with a little snow it would be spectacular. (Bass Lake is usually below the snowline but with a bit of luck you might just enjoy a white Christmas.) This year Ducey's on the Lake will offer a special Christmas Day Buffet from 2pm to 6pm featuring entrees such as Trout Amandine, Carved Turkey and Ham, Vegetarian Lasagna and Roast Leg of Lamb with all your favorite side dishes. There will also be salads, peel-and-eat shrimp, and cheese platters to start off your meal. To finish it off, they have a large selection of desserts including a Yule Log and some decadent chocolate treats. Reservations are required - call 800-350-7463. There are hotel rooms at The Pine Resort and they also rent their nearby chalets. For larger groups, they rent out private cabins which are five to fifteen minutes from the resort. (Visit basslake.com for details.)

The next suggestion is almost an hour from Fresno, but it's a lovely drive up to Oakhurst via Hwy. 41, north. (It's about fifteen minutes below Bass Lake.) This very special place is, of course, the famed Erna's Elderberry House. They will feature Christmas carolers on Christmas Eve with one seating only at six pm with a special menu. On Christmas Day, chefs Karsten Hart and James Overbaugh will serve a Roasted Goose Dinner from 2 pm to 6 pm. It's $95.00 per person on both days. Please call (559) 683-6800 for reservations and visit elderberryhouse.com for more details.