Having a Summer Wedding? Celebrate Summer"s Bounty With an Al Fresco Meal of Room Temperature Foods
A few years back I was a guest at an outdoor wedding on one of the hottest days of the year, in the midst of a prolonged heat wave.
As I sat under the hot sun and looked at the salmon and chicken steaming away in a row of chafing dishes, on a buffet decorated with lemon leaves drying out in the heat, I couldn't help thinking that this couple would have been much better advised to serve a menu of room temperature food.
I, along with the other guests, could barely wait for an appropriate amount of time out there, before we could get somewhere cooler.
Yes, the weather is heating up, and it's no coincidence that we are also entering prime wedding season.
Taking advantage of the bright, warm light and long days is a natural for a wedding celebration.
If you decide to take your wedding reception outdoors, a menu of room temperature foods is the perfect way to go.
Appetites follow the seasons and on long, sultry days crave the lighter, more vibrant foods that the earth gives us during summer.
And having worked in the catering industry for many years, I can state with certainty that the lively fresh foods that we associate with summer do not fare well sitting and steaming in chafing dishes.
Look to the sunny climates and summer traditions of Southern France and Italy for inspiration.
Sliced filet of beef and grilled fish-like salmon- are both wonderful served at room temperature with a variety of fresh olive oil based sauces and salsas, such as a traditional herb based Salse Verde, Aioli (a hand made Provençal garlic mayonnaise), or one of its variants, Rouille (a roasted pepper Aioli), or Tomato and Kalamata Olive Salsa.
Serve a variety of salads, not just lettuce salads, but grain based salads- like pasta, rice and couscous salads, and legume salads- like a French lentil salad dressed with olive oil, fresh squeezed lemon juice, garlic and herbs.
The classic Provençal summer vegetable dish, ratatouille, is, to my taste, better at room temp than it is served hot.
And nothing speaks quite so wonderfully of summer's lusciousness than a salad of sliced heirloom tomatoes with buffala mozzarella cheese and fresh basil drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
For an extra special treat, serve freshly sliced figs or peaches draped with thin slices of prosciutto.
As a nice embellishment, decorate your buffet with pots of summer herbs and delight in their fragrance, as the afternoon wears on.
An added bonus is, that you will save on your rental bill with no chafing dishes or heating cabinets to rent.
And your guest will won't be dying to get away to cooler spot.
As I sat under the hot sun and looked at the salmon and chicken steaming away in a row of chafing dishes, on a buffet decorated with lemon leaves drying out in the heat, I couldn't help thinking that this couple would have been much better advised to serve a menu of room temperature food.
I, along with the other guests, could barely wait for an appropriate amount of time out there, before we could get somewhere cooler.
Yes, the weather is heating up, and it's no coincidence that we are also entering prime wedding season.
Taking advantage of the bright, warm light and long days is a natural for a wedding celebration.
If you decide to take your wedding reception outdoors, a menu of room temperature foods is the perfect way to go.
Appetites follow the seasons and on long, sultry days crave the lighter, more vibrant foods that the earth gives us during summer.
And having worked in the catering industry for many years, I can state with certainty that the lively fresh foods that we associate with summer do not fare well sitting and steaming in chafing dishes.
Look to the sunny climates and summer traditions of Southern France and Italy for inspiration.
Sliced filet of beef and grilled fish-like salmon- are both wonderful served at room temperature with a variety of fresh olive oil based sauces and salsas, such as a traditional herb based Salse Verde, Aioli (a hand made Provençal garlic mayonnaise), or one of its variants, Rouille (a roasted pepper Aioli), or Tomato and Kalamata Olive Salsa.
Serve a variety of salads, not just lettuce salads, but grain based salads- like pasta, rice and couscous salads, and legume salads- like a French lentil salad dressed with olive oil, fresh squeezed lemon juice, garlic and herbs.
The classic Provençal summer vegetable dish, ratatouille, is, to my taste, better at room temp than it is served hot.
And nothing speaks quite so wonderfully of summer's lusciousness than a salad of sliced heirloom tomatoes with buffala mozzarella cheese and fresh basil drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
For an extra special treat, serve freshly sliced figs or peaches draped with thin slices of prosciutto.
As a nice embellishment, decorate your buffet with pots of summer herbs and delight in their fragrance, as the afternoon wears on.
An added bonus is, that you will save on your rental bill with no chafing dishes or heating cabinets to rent.
And your guest will won't be dying to get away to cooler spot.
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