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So, we have booked our caterer – everyone says her food is fantastic, and her prices are great. We decided on a buffet set-up, since the event will be pretty laid back. Our caterer is VERY flexible, but maybe too flexible for us to handle. How is this possible, you ask?
Well, when discussing menu options, our guidelines were as follows:
“I can make you anything you want… except fish.” (This I understand, as it is difficult to cook evenly in large quantities when you don’t have a kitchen… yes, our venue lacks a kitchen.)
Apparently, when one has the option to have anything, it is quite overwhelming. We have no idea where to start, really. We’ll that’s a lie – we know there will be chicken, and there will be some type of red meat. But ‘grilled chicken’ doesn’t really sound that appealing – it needs to be jazzed up somehow.
I ‘jazzed up’ some of the sides:
Potatoes = Rosemary infused oven roasted baby potatoes with sea salt.
Salad = Mixed greens with fresh-picked cherry tomatoes and aged Parmesan tossed with a sherry vinaigrette.
I’m stuck on the main dishes.
So hive – help a bee out, pretty, pretty please? What are some of your favorite dishes? What are you serving at your wedding?
Does she have any example menus?
Our caterers have said they can create anything we want (almost), but they have some example menus from previous weddings.
The easiest way to prepare chicken - in bulk - is a slow-cooked stew. I would recommend something like coq au vin
http://www.recipezaar.com/Coq-Au-Vin-by-Julia-Child-98589
or you could go for something with a more norman flair -
http://elise.com/recipes/archives/000296chicken_and_apples_in_honey_mustard_sauce.php (any meat with fruit and mustard sauce is kind of normandie-like)
I’ve been wanting to make this, too -
http://www.jemangelaville.com/2009/03/24/paprika-roast-chicken-with-sweet-onions/
Are there any dishes that are native to your family that you’d like to share with your guests? Likely your cook can recreate it.
The best advice I can give you would be to consider the meal on the whole. If you want to have thai peanut skewers for an appetizer (for example), then stewed chicken with wine will seem funny for dinner. Stick to the same region of the world when preparing your menu, and you can’t go wrong!
I think you should be able to tell your caterer the kind of wedding you are looking for. And he or she should be able to come back with you with some sample menus?
Some items on a menu we looked over included: tenderloin croustade,Thai Chicken, gazpacho tomato cups, chicken satay,Chicken Saltimbocca, chicken piccata, chicken wellington.
Hehe. I gave you a bunch of chicken because you were looking for variations, right!? 
We had a similar situation with our caterer being super flexible. I think it is sometimes easier if they have set options to choose from. For our main entree tasting, we asked to try the following:
crab cakes
beef tenderloin
a chicken option (we asked for an option popular with her clients and we tasted chicken piccata)
salmon (again, we asked for an option popular with clients and tried teriyaki glazed)
We decided to go with a combination plate of crab cake and beef tenderloin.
Good luck!
Oh the choices! As a rule of thumb, figure out a rule of thumb or a theme!!!! We wanted to highlight the local cuisine with a nod to my culture. We also wanted something other than beef and chicken (we don’t eat chicken). So we went for Spring rack of lamb and mountain trout. Perhaps you could go for a game bird like pheasant or squab to keep it interesting?
As for the sides, again local and seasonal. Fiddleheads, chanterelles, etc.
Good luck. It’s a daunting task!
As someone who eats a lot catered meals(200+ a year):
If they are cooking off site and then transporting to the venue. Ask what holds up best in that type of situation. They should be able to answer that honestly.
I am in the same boat. It was one of my tests for my caterer: What of your dishes works best for my situation? They narrowed it down from their extensive menu.
Steaks won’t travel well, they will cook as they sit in the hot plate. So something in a sauce might be better.
I was thinking for myself, I’m doing a buffet.
appetizers, tbd
salad
veggie lasagna
starch tbd
beef in sauce
chicken, tbd, something that won’t dry out but not in sauce since the beef is in sauce. maybe a rollup with spinach and cheese?
good luck!
I definitely would be overwhelmed with all those options. I think perfumes suggestion of picking a theme is a good idea. I always love Italian food!
@Miss Perfume: Miss Perf, we should have a dinner party! fiddleback fern salad and cream of chanterelle soup (lots and lots of chanterelles)… yum!
Maybe you should throw in a veggie-friendly entree–some type of pasta with a creamy sauce? Always delicious!
we went with lemon chicken piccatte, chicken florentine and pasta. we tried the pork and didn’t like it, and didn’t want to swing the extra cost of beef.
That is overwhelming… I agree with Miss Perfume, that you definitely need a theme, that will give you a jumping off point.
Wow! How very open. Could you ask for menus from past weddings she’s done, or is there a favorite dish for your family or you and your fiance? We’ve picked bits and pieces off various menus from things our caterer has done before to put together what we want.
@Miss Rye Bread: Yes! Are you still in South America?
@Miss Perfume: yep - still in south america. One perk to chilean cuisine is that it’s a GREAT motivator to learn how to cook the dishes you miss!
I should add that Moroccan food is scrumptious! Last night we made cinnamon & shallot roasted chicken with quince.
Miss Gloss - if you’re interested in some world-class cuisine, Moroccan food might be a good compromise. It’s like a mix between french, lebanese, and indian, with lots of stewed fruit (think onions cooked with apricots and almonds). It’s not spicy, though, so it’s definitely approachable for first-timers.
The chicken dish that our caterer has proposed is the fancy-sounding “Grilled Breast of Chicken with Peach Shimmer & Mango Vinaigrette.” It includes herbes de provence and carmelized onions. We haven’t done our tasting yet but everything else we’ve tasted from them has been deeee-lish!
I also second what Miss Rye Bread said about ethnic foods … doro wat is a very tasty Ethiopian stewed chicken dish, and there’s the famous Indian favorite, chicken tikka masala.
Wow - I don’t know what I would pick if I could have anything I want. Well, that’s a lie…I’d have Truffle Mac & Cheese, but not sure my guests would appreciate that!
Good luck! I’m a vegetarian, so I’m no help in the meat department!
@Miss Quiche: We need vegetarian options too!!
I’m thinking a mushroom and goat cheese ravioli? Or are mushrooms too borderline love/hate them?
You could try and see if other caterers post their menu. We are having
Slow roasted bison served with lingonberry sauce with mushrooms, carmelized onions & dijon demi glace
Vegetarian option: Polenta Napoleon served with Grilled Vegetables & Portabello Mushrooms on a
Roasted Red Pepper Coulis
Our caterer was super open, so we decided to go with a mediterranean theme.
beef and lemongrass skewers
chicken skewers with tzatski sauce
lemon ginger tofu skewers
parmesean couscous salad
fruit and nut quinoa
fire roasted vegetables
eggplant rolls with chili and mint
yum!
@kenziegirl: that sounds so delicious!
@adrienne: your bison reminded me that we have a buffalo farm nearby - maybe we could use that as something local and unique??
Our favorite app is gouda and pepperoni phyllo pizza pockets..mmmmmm I love gouda!
Salad: Pan Seared Scallops with Roasted Forest Mushrooms served over Mesculun Greens with Sherry Kissed Vinaigrette
MAIN COURSE ( 2 choices)
1) Garlic and rosemary Wet aged prime ribeye with a red wine sauce
OR
2) A pork roulade with sundried cranberries and pears, laced with a port reduction sauce
served with: Derby Sage Cheese Whipped Golden Potatoes
Frazzled Carrots in Ginger Infused Butter
Go with your favorites!!
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Mrs. Gloss, Boston/Maine Age and Occupation: 24, Designer/soon-to-be Architect Fiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Systems Engineer Engagement Date: May 23, 2008 Wedding Date: August 2009 Venue: SS Katahdin/Lakeside Tent About Me: I don't like nickels or the skin that forms on pudding when it's in the fridge for too long. I couldn't live without Pantone markers, fountain soda (3/4 diet, ¼ regular Coke), run-on sentences, or ridiculously oversized sunglasses. I will try to DIY almost anything and am just OCD enough to make most of it work. I am truly excited about having all my family and friends together, becoming Mrs. Gloss, and having amazing photos to prove it!
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