WEDDING TASTINGS
All of the books that brides read advise them to have multiple catering tastings which has to be the best part of the planning process (according to all the grooms I’ve asked anyway). So when Katie from The Burlap Elephant called with a bride considering our services and Kala from MOD events called to set up a tasting for her client on the same day, Salthouse obliged. We set up back to back tastings at 549 East Bay Street and Chef went to work. We collaborate on the menu selections appropriate for the tasting and so it begins.
The first client was a true foodie on our first conversation with bride and mother, we knew that this menu would be different and that was exciting! The Mother has Russian roots and is well traveled, as was the bride to be. They told me their favorite foods were classic dishes such as coq au vin, and loved both duck and lamb. How, they asked, could we make these selections appropriate for a wedding reception? We set about designing a menu that balanced their love of fine food with items that would be approachable to all of their guests. For the tasting, we started with the passed hors d’oeuvres. First, a shot of butternut squash soup with a ginger crema. Beautiful in color presentation and delicious too! They also tried a caprese skewer with balsamic jelly and a spicy tuna wonton with edamame puree. All were well received so narrowing down the choices would be tough! I always recommend that we choose the main menu first, then back up to the hors d’oeuvre so there’s no duplication. The reception would offer guests a variety of stations to enjoy multiple ‘mini meals’. The first would be a seared lamb chop over sweet potato farro with a beurre rouge and mint gremolata. Yum! The next was a small bowl of roasted root vegetables topped with a rich coq au vin (no bones). Guests wouldn’t leave this party hungry that’s for sure! The last small plate to taste was a crab cake served with a carrot and currant salad. The Mother of the Bride or MOB as we affectionately call them hugged and kissed me! She was so happy to see that we could translate their favorite foods into dishes that would work for their reception. The first tasting was done and a huge success!
The second tasting that day was for a lovely local couple that both work for Boeing. They were planning a traditional wedding and reception at the Old Exchange Building and wanted to offer a dinner buffet that would reflect the best of our local, Lowcountry cuisine. They tried a variety of passed hors d’oeuvres to narrow down their selections which can be tough when they love everything they taste! Samples included a braised beef short rib over cheddar grit cake, a crab cake lolly pop, deconstructed bruschetta, coconut fried shrimp with mango puree and a. The best part of the tasting for me are the oooohs and aahhs that I hear when they try each dish. I love surprising people with the fact that catered food can be amazing! Our chef makes sure it tastes like it would if you ordered it at a restaurant and folks always notice the difference in quality.
The dinner buffet tasting items featured a BBQ pork loin with grilled corn relish, shrimp & grits and fried green tomatoes. It wasn’t hard to decide which items they wanted they loved them all! The menu was set in stone and planning could commence for the other details. The end result was an amazing day full of great memories (and delicious food)!