entertaining

june 2002

Just a week ago, my husband and I gave our daughter in marriage to a wonderful young man at a wedding in New York City so it was fate that I got to share a rehearsal menu with you this month. When our son married some years ago, I met with the chef of the hotel restaurant and gave him recipes I loved. The results were fair as the wedding was across the country and the chef did not have the staff or skills needed to prepare the meal for the number of people who would attend. Our daughter's in-laws selected the oldest restaurant in Brooklyn for the site of their rehearsal meal and allowed the owner to tell them what could be done well for the group. The buffet they chose had something for everyone from pasta to fish to thinly sliced beef along with fresh vegetables. The salad was undressed so that people like me could add just enough. The choices were simple, easy to prepare, but very well done. Dessert was fresh fruit and lovely cookies. Knowing that we were going to have more food than many third world counties consume in a month the next night, this was a most welcome meal. We have taken a clue from this meal and have given you a light dinner that will allow your guests to fit into their very expensive wedding outfits. Armani does not make tuxedos or gowns that stretch two sizes. If you look at the picture at the beginning of this piece you can see some ideas for decorating the tables. Knowing what we spent on flowers for the wedding, cocktail party, and reception dinner, and keeping an eye out for waste, we opted for reusable flowers and to make the dinner a family occasion, we added pictures of the bride and groom with friends and family who attended the rehearsal meal. We added candy for a sweet life and both alcoholic and non-alcoholic wines because we know that some people may not want to begin drinking the night before a seven hour wedding party. To keep costs under control, we decided to have our dinner at a local relative's home, but feel free to ask the chef at a restaurant to make your favorite meal as long as you live close enough to have a tasting in time to change if the meal does not live up to your expectations. Don't forget the reason for the Rehearsal Dinner. This is a time to toast those who have come to be a part of the wedding and those who have come a distance to celebrate your child's joyous day. A brother may wish to make a toast and certainly this is the time for you to talk about the children who will be walking down the aisle. At our daughter's rehearsal dinner the Borough President presented the children with a proclamation about their wedding date. You too can get a local official to do the same if you know someone in government. Lucky for our daughter, her husband's family on both sides did and it was a lovely touch. With all of this having been said, it's time to share our menu. Remember, keep it light and simple. The bride and groom are still worried about the wedding and last minute details as are their parents. It was not until we met with the people at our venue on the day of the wedding that we took a deep breath and realized that the night would go perfectly, and it did. Rehearsal Dinner   Turkey Tonnato Orecchiette Pesto Salad Fresh Tomatoes and Basil Fresh Summer Fruit in Orange Cups with Purchased Cookies (for the recipes, click on the individual recipe above) BSP