In September of 2018 my team and I had the privilege of taking over a totally gorgeous kitchen in the Fair Oaks Ranch area of town to prepare a rehearsal dinner meal. The bride and groom and the groom’s parents, the hosts of the event, chose 4 appetizers to be passed during cocktail hour, chicken with roasted vegetables, feta and pine nuts over orzo as their entree, and a decadent trio of mini desserts. It was the first time I took my daughter, Laura, to an event with me and she quickly learned that it does take some skill to hold a tray full of appetizers in one hand, napkins in the other, and remain steady as guests help themselves to your offerings. Don’t worry, nothing ended up on the floor.
In December I received an email from the same clients asking if I would be available to prepare a formal meal for their daughter’s wedding at their house. The best compliment is being asked to return to cook! The bride and groom, and her parents, the hosts, chose 3 appetizers: crab cakes with remoulade, coconut shrimp with a spicy Thai apricot dipping sauce, and crostini topped with brie, roasted grapes, toasted walnuts and honey. Laura tagged along with me again. I’m not 100% positive if she said yes to my request for help to be a wonderful daughter in my time of need, or if her motivation was to see the clients’ precious Corgis again. Haha.
The bride and groom had a beautiful outdoor ceremony on the patio, followed by passed appetizers outdoors, and then they moved inside for their baby spinach, bacon, hard boiled egg & cherry tomato salad drizzled with warm bacon balsamic vinaigrette. Guests were given the option between two entrees: Beef tenderloin filet topped with creamy garlic shrimp, duchess potatoes and green beans with toasted pine nuts; or mushroom dressing stuffed double bone heritage pork chops with apple jus, tartlets with asparagus-tomato-gruyere filling, and maple-glazed sweet potatoes and apples.
We cut and served their chocolate wedding cake, took care of coffee service, returned the kitchen to its original spit-spot cleanliness, and said our farewells with promises from guests and hosts that they’d be calling us soon.
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Catherine Richey