Let Them Eat Something Other Than Cake
August 11th, 2008 @ 12:48 pm by Mrs. Pinot Noir
The dessert Mr. and I enjoyed at Auberge du Soleil in 2007
Our reception location, Auberge du Soleil, offers two choices when it comes to the dessert course.
1. Serve a plated dessert from the Auberge du Soleil menu, included in the per person menu price.
2. Serve your wedding cake as the dessert course. The Chef will plate the wedding cake with Crème Anglaise, Coulis and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. The price is included in the menu price in lieu of a plated dessert.
Mr. PN and I have eaten dessert at Auberge du Soleil on several occasions and we quickly agreed that we would pass on the traditional wedding cake and serve the Auberge dessert.
This was great because we can serve a unique and unexpected dessert to our guests and it saves us money because we won’t be purchasing an expensive wedding cake in addition to paying for the course at Auberge.
The fall menu includes such delicious options as Butterscotch Parfait, Pumpkin Pudding, Candied Pecans, Chantilly Cream and Fromage Blanc Cheesecake, Anise Biscotti Crumbs, Spiced Poached Pear.
A few other Auberge desserts include (images from 1001 Dinners 1001 Nights):
Brown sugar roasted black Arkansas apples, cream cheese, red flame raisins, caraway ice cream
Warm vanilla scented chiboust, Mandarin oranges, traditional shortbread
Petit Fours (Truffles, Biscotti and Assorted Cookies)
Will your guests eat something other than wedding cake?
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15 Responses to “Let Them Eat Something Other Than Cake”
Yes! Our wonderful caterer will be making mini version of my and Mr. MagPie’s favorite desserts — tiramisu and bread pudding, respectively — and these will be passed after we cut a (small) cake (which will be cut into smaller-than-usual cubes and passed as well). We’re going to “dessert meets cocktail hour.” 
We’re serving croquembouche, the traditional french wedding cake, in addition to our dessert bar. I think wedding cakes are a little tired, to be honest. Alternate desserts are much more fun! Plus, all those desserts look gorgeous and must taste amazing.
The desserts look so delicious!
I love our dueling blog titles today
Your desserts sound yummy, and if I wasn’t obsessed with red velvet cake would totally have foregone cake entirely.
I wanted to ditch the cake, but I can’t afford the dessert at my hotel, and I am ONLY allowed to bring in cake for dessert. I love the options you have to choose from! Do you only get to choose one?
Looks delicious. I might even give up the main course for that. Lol!!
Mmmm, looks so yummy!! We have to have wedding cake because it’s part of our venue’s wedding package. But my cousin is getting married at Auberge in Oct. (just like u!). I wonder if they are opting for the desserts…I hope so!
we’re only having a cake for cutting as well (and leftovers for the next day). dessert will be a sundae bar with all the fixings, including brownies and cookies, and maybe some mini cupcakes.
Does this mean you won’t be having a ‘cutting the cake’ or you’ll just have a small cake for those purposes?
We get desert included with our meal, so we’re going to serve the cake a couple of hours later when the evening guests arrived and the day guests could do with a snack to keep them going.
Wow! These make my mouth water. How will you choose?
@Miss Avocado: Only one - I have no idea how we will choose!
@Guilty Secret: We will be doing a small, 6″ cake for the “cutting the cake” tradition
@Jo: I have no idea!
[...] though Mr. PN and I are bypassing the traditional wedding cake, we didn’t want to miss out on the cake cutting tradition. While we were in Napa this past spring [...]
[...] of Desserts (remember our decision to forgo wedding cake?) An Auberge du Soleil tradition, the Chef will prepare a selection of three [...]
Mrs. Pinot Noir, New York/Napa Valley
Age and Occupation: 24, Health Educator
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 31, Market Researcher
Engagement Date: November 10, 2007
Wedding Date: October, 2008
Blogging Since: June 25, 2008
Venue: Auberge du Soleil
About Me: I am a Minnesota raised, NYC transplant planning a destination wedding in Napa. I'm balancing my love for the environment and my hubby-to-be's love for tradition to create our "green wedding in disguise." Our wedding will include local food and wine, antique touches and lots of love and laughter. When wedding planning isn't taking up my free time (and money) I love to read, cook, workout, watch baseball and travel! Follow along in my adventure as I attempt to plan an eco-friendly and socially responsible wedding (with eco-oblivious Mr. Pinot Noir).
wow that all looks SO yummy. I definitely second your choice to forego the wedding cake. We’re having a small cake, (basically only for the first cut), and then we’re having a dessert bar with various petit cakes, fruit, cookies and little creme brulees. Ok that just made me hungry.