Is it insane to cater your own wedding? I think that probably depends on why you're doing it and how much you intend to do. I decided very early on that I wanted to do a lot of it myself, but not to keep costs down or be in control. I wanted to because I love to bake.
During normal, non-wedding years, I start baking about November 1st and keep going until my freezer is full, usually mid-December. At that point I have a Holiday party and make additional foods like lasagna, cider, breads, and fruit and veggie trays. I also pack up a lot of the goodies and take them to work, to neighbors, and to family members.
This year, I decided to bake for the wedding. I started in just before Halloween, and
was still baking the night before the wedding. It's not really insane if you start early,
like to do it, have some fun recipes, and adequate freezer space. The other invaluable item one should have is a fiance who is willing to vacuum the floor and do the dishes several times a day! I couldn't have done it without him.
I decided fairly early on that I wanted a caterer present to take the food to the church, set it up, keep it full, and take it back apart at the end of the evening. We called up a caterer my father and I have used for business, and they were absolutely fantabulous in every single way. I couldn't say enough about them if I tried. (It's Baroness Catering in Portland, OR, but I believe they are out of business now.)
I originally thought about keeping to a medieval menu, but realized that...
My friends expect me to bake certain things, and if I don't, I might get hurt.
Many modern palates wouldn't find medieval food appealing.
Medieval recipes require odd ingredients and measures in many cases.
I therefore opted to have a few "medieval-esque" recipes, and some that were thoroughly modern, and just not worry about it. I also had the caterer bring the punch, fruits and vegetables, meats and cheeses, and breads. They brought the linens as well, though I brought the silverware and plates. They were so completely worth whatever we paid them!
So what did Todd, Camille and I make? Not nearly as much stuff as I'd have liked. It's the hobbit side of me again. The recipes for many of them can be found in my online cookbook, but if you want one that isn't, drop me a line and I'll shoot it to you.
Liste of Victuals and Sweetes
- Cheese straws - Long sticks or oval flat biscuits, not sweet
- Smoked Salmon - Todd did these fresh the day of the wedding.
- Buttermints - Camille made these. We made them for her wedding too!
- Lemon Cream Cheese Candy - Camille made and molded these.
- Cinnamon Glazed Almonds - In burgundy and lavender tulle bags
- Candied Almonds - In silver and green tulle bags
- Caramels - Wrapped in waxed paper
- Baklava - Diamond-shaped pastry filled with walnuts and honey, could be medieval!
- Mincemeat Pies - Small, round, fruit-filled pies. I used a filling with no meat, and except for it being canned, this could be authentic.
- Fudge - Plain fudge, made with marshmallow crème.
- Florentine Cookies - Round lacy oat cookies with cinnamon or chocolate filling
- Jam Filled Jewels - Heart shaped sugared cookies filled with homemade blackberry jam. Hey, they looked authentic!
- Pumpkin Filled Jewels - Round sugared cookies filled with homemade pumpkin butter
- Magic Cookie Bars - Coconut topped squares. White, milk, and semi-sweet chocolate inside.
- Russian Teacakes - Round cookies dusted with powdered sugar.
- Macaroons - Round coconut cookies
- Plain Spritz Cookies - Pinwheel cookies topped with sugar
- Frosted Molasses Cookies - Dark cookies with thin white frosting
- Pumpkin Spritz Cookies - Pumpkin/bat shaped small unfrosted cookies
- Chocolate Spritz Cookies - Small chocolate flower-shaped cookies
- Chocolate Topped Spritz Cookies - Spritz cookies with a chocolate chip on top
- Ginger Cookies - Round, dark cookies
- Chocolate Drops - Chocolate “kiss” drops which should have been minted. Oops.
- Shrewsbury Cakes - Flat white cookies. Flavored with nutmeg and rosewater. By far my favorite new recipe, and authentic to the late 1500's.
- Shortbread - Beige, flat, pricked with a fork. Authentic.
- Zucchini Roses - Rose-shaped cakes with home-grown zucchini.
- Pumpkin Roses - Rose-shaped cakes made with home-grown pumpkins.
- Apple Pecan Bread - Bread studded with bits of home-grown apples.
- Lemon Rum Roses - Lightly glazed rose-shaped cakes.
- Coconut Tassies - Chocolate crusted tartlets with coconut filling.
- Pecan Tassies - Pecan-topped tartlets.
- Apple Tassies - Apple-pie filled tartlets.
- Jam Tassies - Blackberry jam filled tartlets.
Bless the caterers for bringing take-home boxes and making care packages of sweets and fruits for everyone to take! I think most people walked out with one. Or two. Or six...
