Making it up as I go along!

The wedding I catered on the weekend was very special in so many ways. I have known the groom and his family for over 10 years now and while I only met the bride a few years ago, during the planning of this wedding she has gained a very special place in my heart.

As I do these weddings I love to make up an appetizer or special item that I haven't used for any other event. One time it was wontons filled with cranberry and brie, the previous week it was heart shaped peppermint patties. For this wedding it turned out to be something that the bride doesn't even like, but turned out to be a big hit even with her.

I make spanakopita rolls all the time, but I experimented this time mixing the spinach and feta with cream cheese, sun dried tomatoes and fresh basil and oregano from my herb garden. I rolled it up in phyllo and froze them. For a planning meeting I baked a roll and took some to the bride and her maid of honour only to find that the bride didn't like cooked spinach. I mean I could still use them, but it couldn't be the signature dish. Well, she tried them and ended up taking the rest of the roll with her, raving about them as she went out the door. With 12 rolls which cut into 10 slices each, I had my signature appie.

I was going to make some mini samosas as well but didn't get them done in time. So, I hunted for ideas and saw something where tortellini was cooked, cooled, marinated in lemon and skewered with baby spinach. I had an assistant take the tortellini, marinate it in a balsamic vineagrette, skewer it with basil wrapped tomatoes and stick each into a mini bococcini ball which was cut flat on one side so it would stand up. These I called Caprese salad on a stick. They were a big hit as well and it was a good thing I brought the stuff for this along because we had over 225 people show up for the after ceremony tea!

What I loved about this was that a few friends said (even though they hadn't had either appie before) that they recognized my style in these two dishes and loved what I had done with them.

For me, the piece de resistance was the fruit plate. I use that term very loosely because the whole point of it was that there was no plate. I had my staff cut up all the fruit in slices and chunks, wash the variety of berries and just put them in bowls and on plates. We then put plastic wrap on the table, covered the edges in a large loose circle with leaf lettuce and laid the fruit down with the melon and pineapple slices in rows and the berries and kiwi scattered all over. We then set tongs down for people to grab what they wanted. It actually slowed the line up because people were looking at it and taking pictures (including my hubby which is why I have one!).
This is what I live for. Creating or adapting recipes that bring out my imagination and love for food and people.

I guess that is why I never wanted to work in a restaurant making the same things over and over. I would rather just make it up as I go along.