About this Event
Back by popular demand after six sold-out seatings last year, Wedgewood’s New Year’s Butter Dinner returns for three evenings, Tuesday, December 29 through Thursday, December 31, with an entirely new menu celebrating butter in its most expressive forms: whipped and cultured, deeply browned, delicately infused, folded into pastry, and transformed into rich, silky sauces.
This year's four-course dinner, preceded by a special amuse-bouche, explores winter flavors through unexpected combinations and thoughtful technique. A French onion soup-inspired gougère gives way to a golden saffron and roasted carrot custard, delicate ribbons of mafaldine with house-made pear, Taleggio, and brown butter sausage, and a choice of duck or halibut with distinctive butter-forward preparations. The evening concludes with a nostalgic brown butter apple cake, made unmistakably Wedgewood with aged cheddar, salted butter caramel, and crème fraîche ice cream.
The progression moves from savory and aromatic to bright and delicate, then deeper, richer, and more indulgent as the evening unfolds. Optional wine pairings follow the same arc, with selections chosen to complement the complexity, texture, and versatility of butter across each course.
This is our way of marking the end of one year and the beginning of the next — not with spectacle, but with intention, generosity, a little culinary curiosity, and very good butter.
On Tuesday, December 29, we will offer one seating at 7pm. A four-course wine pairing is available as an add-on for $85 per person. An à la carte wine and beverage menu will also be available, including celebratory and menu-forward selections.
MENU
AMUSE
French Onion Soup Gougère
Bordier Roscoff Onion Butter • Caramelized Onion Confit • Comté Cream • Crispy Shallot
A warm, golden Gruyère gougère filled with slow-caramelized onion confit and airy whipped Comté cream, brushed with melted Bordier Roscoff Onion Butter and finished with a delicate crispy shallot. (Vegetarian; contains dairy, wheat, and egg.)
FIRST COURSE
Roasted Carrot & Saffron Custard
Orange-Cardamom Butter • Preserved Lemon • Toasted Pistachio
A silky, savory custard of slow-roasted winter carrots infused with fragrant saffron. Finished with aromatic orange-brown butter, bright preserved lemon, and toasted pistachios for a delicate crunch. (Vegetarian and gluten-free; nut-free without pistachios)
SECOND COURSE
Mafaldine with House-Made Pear, Taleggio & Brown Butter Sausage
Fresh Sage • Cultured Butter Emulsion • Cracked Black Pepper
Ruffled ribbons of mafaldine tossed with house-made pork sausage incorporating roasted pear, creamy Taleggio, fresh sage, and deeply nutty brown butter. Finished in a silky cultured butter emulsion with cracked black pepper. (Vegetarian adaptation available without sausage; gluten-free pasta available upon advance request.)
THIRD COURSE
Seared Duck Breast or Roasted Halibut
Charred Baby Bok Choy • Ginger–Lemon Cultured Butter
Your choice of tender, seared duck breast with crisp golden skin, served with a glossy sour cherry and five-spice butter jus made from reduced duck stock, red wine, and cultured butter; or delicately roasted halibut with a Champagne–preserved lemon beurre blanc. Both are accompanied by charred baby bok choy glazed with cultured butter. (Both entrée options are naturally gluten-free; vegetarian alternative available upon advance request.)
FOURTH COURSE
Brown Butter Apple Upside-Down Cake
Prairie Breeze Cheddar Crumble • Apple Cider–Salted Butter Caramel • Crème Fraîche Ice Cream
A warm brown butter cake layered with caramelized winter apples, topped with a buttery, savory-sweet crumble of aged Prairie Breeze cheddar. Finished with apple cider–salted butter caramel and a scoop of tangy crème fraîche ice cream. (Gluten-free dessert adaptation available upon advance request.)
An optional four-course wine pairing is available ($85 per person) as an add-on or can be purchased day of. Each pairing is selected to complement the progression of the menu — beginning with bright, celebratory wines and moving through aromatic, savory, and richly textured selections, with a final pairing that celebrates the warmth and sweetness of the season.
DIETARY ACCOMMODATIONS
We are happy to accommodate many dietary preferences and restrictions with advance notice, including vegetarian, gluten-free, and select nut-free preparations. Please indicate any allergies or dietary restrictions when purchasing tickets so our kitchen can review them before your dinner.
Due to our small kitchen and shared preparation equipment, we cannot guarantee an allergen-free environment. Some restrictions may require a substitute preparation rather than simply removing an ingredient.
Event venue & nearby stays
Wedgewood Cheese Bar, 100B Brewer Lane, Carrboro, United States
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