Scenic City Weddings

Bite-Sized Delights

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Next to the ceremony and the dress, food might be the most important aspect of any wedding because it’s one of the few things people remember long after the celebration.

Chef Alexa Lemley of Artisan Foodworks in Columbus, Ind., recommends serving a mix of vegetarian and meat options because “balance is good.” She also advises including a gluten-free option to cover your bases with today’s ever-evolving dietary concerns.

Selecting great hors d’oeuvres means having some variety. “When you look at it, you should know what you’re eating,” says Alison Awerbuch, partner and executive chef at New York catering firm Abigail Kirsch. “It’s not an unidentifiable brown pouch.”

Keeping them small and bite-sized ensures that guests can have a variety of options, but they won’t fill up before the main event.

Some of Lemley’s one-bite favorites include:

• A half-date stuffed with foie gras and truffle mousse, topped with chopped roasted hazelnuts

• French toast brioche tubes topped with candied bacon

• Herbed stuffed tomatoes

• Deviled quail eggs

Some of Awerbuch’s tried and true hors d’oeuvres include:

• A four-cheese mac and cheese cupcake topped with smoked tomato chutney

• Tomato hand pie, an open tart filled with a slow-roasted tomato mixed with shallots, cheese, arugula and balsamic vinegar

• Smoked salmon pancake with edamame


One other surprisingly popular item at Awerbuch’s events is franks in a blanket. “The most sophisticated client in the most sophisticated audience still loves them,” says Awerbuch.

© CTW Features

Tags: menu, appetizers