Starter ideas for Menu - Wedding Forum

Honey Bunny · #1 (**permalink**) 11-10-2002, 06:15 AM

I have a meeting 2morrow with the chef at our venue. I don't really like the choice of starters they have and would like to discuss some other ideas with him.

I have a few ideas in mind but wondered if anyone could give me a few suggestions on what you think is nice. :confused:

stack · #2 (**permalink**) 11-10-2002, 06:18 AM

fruit but not melon

err

at my bros we had oatcakes and pate

Bianca · #3 (**permalink**) 11-10-2002, 06:39 AM

Well here are a few for you:

Leek and Potato Soup with Garlic Croutons

Farmhouse pate served on a bed of salad leaf with a lemon wedge, cherry tomatoes and French toast

Eggs in Coquette a la Reine

Baked eggs and minced chicken in cream sauce garnished with chopped parsley (hot)

Vine Tomatoes & Mozzarella Salad with a Pesto Vinaigrette

Roasted Red Pepper and Sweet Potato Soup

Table Service Hors D'ouvres consisting of:

Smoked Mackerel Slippers - Flaked Salmon in Lemon Mayonnaise

Cauliflower Florets with Tomatoes in oil - Cucumber with Pimemtos

Fried Halomi Cheese - Vegetarian Filo Pastry Parcels

Avocado Epicure

(Half an avocado filled with walnuts, pears and diced gherkins in a paprika and Mayonnaise Sauce)

Smoked Salmon stuffed with cream cheese, chives and prawns served on baby leaf salad

Red onion tart on a rocket salad served with Crème Fraiche

This is what we get to choose from at our venue

Hope you find something you fancy!

roz · #4 (**permalink**) 11-10-2002, 06:44 AM

It's often nice to have something veggie or fishy for a starter as more people can eat it...

We had something like a seafood terrine...

Honey Bunny · #5 (**permalink**) 11-10-2002, 06:55 AM

wow thanks for all those Bianca, you get a huge choice. I only get to choose from 4 and two of those are fish.

Sorry Roz H2B and I can't do fish

but we were thinking of something along the veggie line.

Maybe soup or I did think about tomato and mozzarella salad as my Dad is Italian and it gives our relatives something they know.

But I am still open to ideas, keep them coming girls.

roz · #6 (**permalink**) 11-10-2002, 07:12 AM

I hope this doesn't offend anyone but, unless it's a really well presented soup, I can't help thinking of it as cheap.
University balls always serve the ubiquitous carrot and coriander soup because they don't care about the food.
One hotel Chris and I went to look at said "and of course there's soup or orange juice to start..." my hall of residence did that and it just has something a little naff about it.

But saying all of that, if it was an interesting soup and well presented then it would probably go down a storm! (spicy parsnip soup sevred with creme friache or sour cream or someething..., it's a winter-ish do isn't it?)

Oh I can be a contrary bird sometimes...

AngelaW · #7 (**permalink**) 11-10-2002, 07:31 AM

Posh soup can be nice - I sometimes do a fresh pea soup with a couple of fairly large smoked ham tortellini sitting in the middle of the soup plate. Always goes down well (I think the relatively familiar flavours help too). A thai broth with little dumplings could also be quite nice.

How about melon with port? But with a twist - the melon is halved, deseeded and then port jelly (made with relatively decent port) is poured in and left to set. It looks fab cut into slices, especially if the sun's out and shines through the jelly! I've only done this once and it was v.easy - shouldn't be a problem for a hotel to do en mass. If done with agar then its suitable for vegetarians.

Filo parcels of brie with a redcurrant sauce is absolutely lush too. It can be dressed up quite nicely with sauce swirled around the plate, the parcels neatly mounded in the middle and a sprig of currants on one side.

Honey Bunny · #8 (**permalink**) 11-10-2002, 07:36 AM

I'm not offended in the slightest Roz and yes it is a wintery do 14 December.

But ooh I like the sound of spicy parsnip and creme freche and soup is quite warming.

It is so difficult to choose for about 100 people isn't it. Lets face it there's gona be someone who doesn't like what we pick. But what the hell as long as we like it

Great ideas so far keep them coming!

Angelmouse · #9 (**permalink**) 11-10-2002, 07:48 AM

Tomato and Mozzarella salad, yum yum yum!!

Can I come???

Fran

Eleanor · #10 (**permalink**) 11-10-2002, 07:50 AM

We had wild and field mushrooms and asparagus in a cream sauce in a puff pastry.
or Prawn salad (with salad leaves) with a citrus vinegrette

Honey Bunny · #11 (**permalink**) 11-10-2002, 07:59 AM

ooh I'm getting hungry now! mmm Brie parcels with redcurrant sounds gorg! Had thought of Melon with Port but my mum doesn't like port, she's such a pain

I'm getting quite a list now, thanks everyone, keep them coming you've given me some nice unusual ideas.

nikki · #12 (**permalink**) 11-10-2002, 02:05 PM

I'm having soup I think - we have set menu choices and the one with the soup starter is the one I like........ I intend to ask for a nice veggie one so I like the sound of the parsnip Roz - but it will depend on what the hotel does!

N xxx

Heather · #13 (**permalink**) 11-10-2002, 04:26 PM

The Brie parcels with redcurrent sound absolutely divine!

One of our starters was breaded mushrooms.....

they were totally gorgeous!

Hmmmmm, all this thought of food is making me hungry and I've not long eaten a gorgeous dinner and a malteaser ice-cream on a stick!

H

vickilewis · #14 (**permalink**) 11-10-2002, 04:38 PM

we've chosen probably the most boring starter ever, but our families are very british and wouldn't appreciate anything foreign or different. we've ordered fresh fruit medley (melon, berries, kiwi and citrusy things) accompanied by a fresh yoghurt sauce. The remainder of the meal is turkey and ham with veggies etc and chocolate fudge cake (yum!), coffee and cheeses and wedding cake.