A Catered Affair - Wedding in Maine

My work space for the day

There's still a sense of pride that I just haven't gotten over yet and I can't help but wonder if that ever goes away. I hope not because it's something I've never experienced before and to be honest, there's nothing quite like it. This past weekend we had the honor of catering a wedding. Burger Boy had been talking with the Bride and Groom since January and then in April, I jumped in on the planning. We poured over the menu, wanting to make sure everything was as close to perfection as we could get. We compiled list after list, had diagrams of the plating and developed plans B, C and D..ya know, just in case..

Duo of Crostini

This past Friday we packed up the car with coolers full of meat and fresh produce and headed three hours north to Andover, Maine. It was all very Dinner Impossible, arriving somewhere we've never been before to a kitchen we've never cooked in to prepare an intimate wedding dinner for 24. What a rush! We arrived early on the day of the wedding and were fortunate enough to have the kitchen to ourselves so that we could get to work.

Spicy Watermelon Gazpacho

Mixed Greens, Blueberries, Peaches and Nectarines with
Parmesan Cheese and Blueberry Vinaigrette 

The house itself was alive with history, a beautiful countryside home with sloping mountains visible from every window and secret passages rumored to be hiding spots to escape invading Indians in the 1700s. Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres were to be served on a beautifully sunny wraparound porch and the meal was to follow inside a large dining room adjacent to the kitchen. The Bride and Groom wanted us to be creative with the menu and to have fun with it, and that we did. The final menu was as follows:

Hors D' oeuvres

Duo of Crostini

 Duck Confit, Bacon Jam

Lemon Whipped Ricotta, Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Arugula-Mint Pesto

Tuna Ceviche 

with Avocado relish

Goat Cheese Stuffed Strawberries

with Balsamic Reduction

First Course

Farmer's Market Salad

Mixed Greens, Fresh Blueberries, Peaches and Nectarines, Parmesan Cheese and Blueberry Vinaigrette

Spicy Watermelon Gazpacho

with Red Pepper and Cucumber 

Entree

Coffee Rubbed Beef Tenderloin

Ancho Blackberry Sauce

Sweet Corn Risotto

Romano Cheese and Fresh Parsley

Roasted Hericot Verts and Baby Shiitake Mushrooms

The Entree

After 14 hours of work, I couldn't help but beam with pride and a strong sense of accomplishment as the father of the bride told us how much he enjoyed our food and how much he appreciated all of our effort. The Bride and Groom personally came out to thank us for the spread we put out. I was so moved to feel responsible for people's enjoyment. We made people happy through food and I can't think of anything more personally rewarding and satisfying than that.