MENU-Spiration
From Executive Chef Ethan Paige of the Catered Affair
Pasta with caviar , especially with minced chives , beurre blanc and homemade or craft pasta . Consider : Meyer lemon beurre blanc , dill and trout roe with rye pangrattato and bucatini ; squid ink spaghetti , gremolata , sustainable paddlefish roe and lobster butter ; or linguine with gold leaf , white truffle butter , porcini mushrooms , chervil , osetra caviar and flowering chives .
Uni and A5 Wagyu beef — surf and turf reaches new heights ! Think : Steak tataki with uni butter over scratch gaufrettes potato chips with lemon and sea salt or reverse seared sirloin with uni , charred marinated shimeiji mushrooms , salsify purée and ramp-watercress coulis .
Personal touches like hyper-seasonal chef ’ s garden herbs , young vegetables and edible flowers popping up in dishes from hors d ’ oeuvres to desserts . Homegrown purple shiso , red frilly mizuna , all kinds and colors of nasturtium leaves and flowers .... Things you just don ’ t find everywhere or easily .
New takes on comfort food , like what you ’ d see from Chef Sean Brock . Imagine lamb ragu with polenta and shaved manchego with scattered garden herbs . Or , homemade buttermilk jalapeno kettle chip-fried chicken with malted sourdough waffles , rosemarykissed local maple syrup and cultured butter .
Vegetable forward menus where animal products and proteins take a backseat or are inconspicuously absent altogether . Cauliflower ‘ Ribeye ’ with green garlic chimichurri . Whole roasted celery root with preserved lemon tahini sauce , wild mushrooms , sunflower seed dukkah , herbs . Crispy Brussels sprouts with chili crispsorghum molasses drizzle , fried shallots and picked fresh mint ....
Fresh takes on clambakes . I ’ m talking charcoalgrilled clams with crispy kale , confit fried lardons and pepper jam ; lobster tempura with wasabi-togarashi sauce , tobiko and charred habanada chilies ; and chervil beurre monté poached mussels with crispy smashed marble potatoes , trout roe and garlic chips . thecateredaffair . com .
Back to Basics “ I ’ m finding people are really appreciating ‘ classic ’ desserts such as mini whoopie pies ( which is one of my biggest requests ), a good old fashioned chocolate chip cookie , mini cupcakes or standard cupcakes , and , if you ’ re not doing a tiered display cake , a small ‘ ceremonial ’ cake for photo ops .” – Lisa Raffael , Owner of Delicious Desserts , deliciousdesserts . net
Vanguard
“ Trolleys and antique cars have always been the most popular vehicles because of their classic look . However , there has been an increase in the amount of wedding bookings for luxury vans . They seat roughly ten to fourteen people , depending on the make and model . They have forward-facing seats and are tall enough to stand up in , with steps to walk on board . I always tell people that if you are transporting garment bags or lots of items , avoid a limo at all costs — a limo ’ s trunk space is the same as a regular car . If you have a twelve-passenger limo with twelve garment bags , they will never fit in the trunk of a limo . Luxury vans have enough room to hang them in the back and store luggage . For quick rides or for transporting items , this is the most costeffective and smartest way to transport wedding party groups .” – Meagan Peter , Director of Sales and Marketing at Rockstar Limo , rockstarlimo . net
Look Off Season “ January weddings have been on the up-trend in Rhode Island ! Considering off-season dates ( November through April ) is a fantastic way to save money and secure the vendors of your dreams during the beautiful winter season .” – Greg Marcotte of Take it to the Bridge , takeittothebridgeband . com
Timing It Out “ Couples are booking from eight months to two years out — really all over the board . As for the timing , Fridays and Sundays are still popular and cost-efficient .” – Elaine Twombly , Director of Business Development at the Catered Affair , thecateredaffair . com
All Fired Up “ My husband , Brad [ of Brad Smith Photography ], and I are loving the outdoor fire pits ( with s ’ mores !) at weddings ! There ’ s been a significant uptick in fires put on by the venue — this might be in response to COVID and allowing for the option to be outside . Pros : they give space for people to take a break from a loud reception and to cool off when it starts getting sweaty . Cons : The DJ has to compete with fire to keep his dance floor going !” – Sara Smith of Sara Drew Photography , saradrewphoto . com
24 | ENGAGED IN SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND 2022