HOT WEDDING FOOD TRENDS
Culinary trends take a sophisticated turn at the Great Indian
Wedding with tasting stations, vegan, sushi platters and push pops for dessert
A lavish spread is a thing of the past.
This season, you'll dig into larger dessert stations, sit in for a
family style dining experience, or get your culinary fix from food trucks to
sushi carts and personalised cocktails at weddings. Modern couples and
experimental chefs are coming together to make wedding food fare the most
exciting part of D-Day. Here are a few ideas for your nuptials that'll get
everyone talking about your wedding day.
GET BRUNCHY
Brunch spreads are perfect for morning weddings. Wedding planner
Sonali Thakore says, “Earlier, morning weddings began with breakfast and moved
to lunch. These days, brunches are taking over. They are classier, have far
more options and are economical since you are cutting one meal out.“ From
pancakes to egg stations, truffle burgers to pancakes, omelette stations to croissants,
there's a bevy of options to choose from. And these foods can be enjoyed at any
time of the day.
FAMILY STYLE DINING
Buffet is out. Classy family-style dining is in. Cosy, comfortable
and more intimate, this dining style echoes a more inclusive atmosphere. No
more queues. Your guests have a sit-down comfortable meal.
Says chef Michael Swamy, “Fine dine plating is when a prominent
chef's menu is created and exclusively used for the family dinner at weddings.
Usually caterers want to put all cuisines on the menu and make a mess of
everything. But this season, less is more classy.“
TASTING STATIONS
Tasting stations are perfect for creative couples who want to give
a different food experience to their guests. A popsicle cocktail station
instantly cools you down at a summer wedding. You can have a tandoori tasting
station, cheese on wheels, or a soup shooter station.
THINK FRESH
Farm-to-table is the new slogan. If you haven't gone totally
regional and organic, you haven't got it right. The menus include bajra, ragi
and jowar and makki-ki-roti served with brown rice and rajma. Says chef Michael
Swamy, “You can win the guests' hearts instantly by putting light and `good-for-stomach'
options on the menu, like a green salad or dal-rice. With more people choosing
vegan and gluten-free options, wedding food fares are also becoming
health-conscious affairs. No more popping antacids before attending a wedding.
SHRINK IT DOWN
Miniature is the buzzword. Mini versions of your favourite meals
are making a huge statement. A single meatball topped , r with spaghetti, a
bite-sized pizza or a bite of Amritsari fish, dipped in chutney, are just some
of the one-bite options that guests are being served. Says chef Bharat, “Indian
weddings now have one or two classy dishes being served rather than 10 usual
dishes that people anticipate.“
DIM SUM, SUSHI DELIGHTS
Dim sum allows guests to sample different fillings without filling
up. Carts of dumplings and sushi can be wheeled around from one corner to the
other. Ask your caterer to pair the dim sums with mini sake shots. Food blogger
Nikhil Merchant says, “Gone are the days of flash stir frys and curries. Now,
we have steamed dumplings and molecular gastronomy.
Asian techniques such as steaming and hand-pulled noodles could be
the next big thing,“ he predicts. “And don't be surprised if there is more
smoke created by a nitrogen machine for that frozen ice-cream or cock tail than
the wedding pyre.“
FOOD WITH DRAMA
A little bit of flamboyance has never disappointed anyone. Invite
a dessert chef to whip up flambé to impress everyone. There's also an option to
tell the caterers to create a `tea party' room, where different flavours of tea
(ange pekoe, black tea or green tea) can be served with lemon cakes. Chef
Bharat says, “Coffee and tea spaces are getting priority at weddings. Right
now, we see top coffee chains of the country put up their stalls at big
weddings.“
That apart, you can also see a line-up of top dhabas, say from
from Delhi to Amritsar, created with the same ambience to give an authentic
experience. So, you have dancers, the traditional chulha, charpais etc.
GOING RUSTIC
The food served here is usually family style, depending on the
region the couple be longs to. If the bride and the groom belong to different
regions, the wed ding is the perfect occasion to display their culinary
heritage with aplomb. From homemade jams and honey to trib al food, the humble
regional dishes get a classy make-over and the guests get a lesson in India's
rich history of food.
TL19APR15
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