When I first started doing weddings when I was 24, I would never eat. I would start my day at 6 am with an XL coffee and a Timmy’s bagel, then run around and work for 18 hours straight and maybe scoff down a few desserts from the Sweet Table.  Those were the good old skinny days….lol.

Then one summer, I realized that I had a lot more stamina and energy if I ate at least one full meal in that 18-hour span. The truth is, some of the best meals I have ever had have been at weddings. I now really consider myself a wedding food specialist. I can pretty much build menus for different couples knowing exactly what will please their crowd’s palates and what will impress them. I know that the Lebanese people don’t care for sushi stations, Jews don’t like anything they don’t recognize, Italians just want to see variety and Indians appreciate lots of veggie options. I know all the ins and outs of kosher, halal, and veganism. I can propose delicious meal replacements for a vegetarian who is gluten-free, doesn’t eat dairy and is allergic to nuts.

The food at a wedding is one of the most important parts and it also can be a great way to showcase the couple’s wedding personality.

I have entrusted the majority of our wedding meal to my favorite restaurant & now caterer TUCK SHOP.  Looking at the size of the place, you would never believe that they could manage to cook for a 300 person wedding. But they are by far one of the best caterers in the city and I am so excited about our menu! Jon, Theo & Amelia make one amazing trio and they are really on top of their game when it comes to catering. Other reasons Jason & I love Tuck Shop – 1) they are in our ‘hood’, 2) they use all local products, 3) Theo the chef used to be friends with my cousin Adriano who passed a few years ago and whoever Adriano loved & trusted, then I do too and 4) we have never had a bad meal there.

I don’t want to give away too much of me & Jason’s wedding menu because I want our guests to be surprised but here are a few ingredients/ items that will be used/prepared by Tuck Shop:

BURRATTA – I fell in love with burratta when my uncle Franco started serving it at his amazing restaurant called “Enoteca Adriano” (named after my cousin) a few years back. I’ve had burrata a zillion times since then but my uncle’s is still the best by far.

LOBSTER – Jason and I recently went to an all-you-can-eat lobster restaurant. He had 9 lobsters. That’s how much he loves it.

SLICED FILET MIGNON – Rather than serving the filet mignon is its habitual chunk and grilling each piece separately, TS is preparing a whole roasted big filet so when sliced you can see the red juicy center.

CHIMICHURRI – But have you tried this heaven-ness at TS????!!!! It’s so good, so fresh, so tasty….I would eat it as a soup or even drink it.

CREAMY POLENTA – Nothing like cheesy-creamy-sultry polenta on a cold night…..Jason & I make it all the time.

STEAMIES – Jason sometimes lies to me and tells me he forgot his lunch at home just so he can go out and eat steamies from La Belle – right by his office.  It makes me mad but it’s our wedding day so what the hell?

GRILLED CHEESE – My one weakness in fast food is grilled cheese.  After those long wedding days where I wouldn’t eat for 18 hours, I would come home at 4 am, make some grilled cheese sandwiches and sit on the floor eating them. (Not sure why I sat on the floor)

FRESHLY BAKED CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES – It is through these delicious little circles of sweetness that I was able to win back Jason’s heart…

In the middle of our 3 year relationship, Jason & I ended up breaking up and separating for a solid 5 months. No talking, no nothing. It was horribly painful for me and the worst 5 months of my life. On October 26^th, our ‘would-have-been 2 year anniversary’, I sent fresh cookies (thank you to Twins Delights – www.twinsdelights.com/) to his office as a reminder of our cookie-making/couch-surfing/movie-watching Sunday nights. And after 5 months of him ignoring my texts messages and calls, he finally called me and we got back together 3 days later. J

FRESH BREAD to accompany our meal – This special treat is being ordered from HOF KELSTEN BAKERY owned by Jeff Finkelstein…..literally the coolest guy making the most amazing bread. I highly recommend the raisin challah.

All to say is that you CAN truly have amazing food at your wedding, you just need to sit with your caterer and develop an interesting menu that highlights your favorite items. And then you better make sure they can execute these things in the space and time frame they are given.

SPECIAL MENTIONS: My other favorite go-to caterers in this city are JAVA U CATERING & BEATRICE (Formerly BICE).

TANIA

 

TUCK SHOP: 4662 Notre-Dame Ouest, Montreal, QC 514.439.7432  www.tuckshop.ca

HOF KELSTEN BAKERY: 4524 Boul St-Laurent, Montreal, QC H2T 1R4 www.hofkelsten.com

JAVA U CATERING: 5765 Paré, Mount-Royal, QC H4P 1S1 514.341.8801
(514) 341-8801 http://www.javaucatering.com/

BEATRICE: Montreal Gourmet 1504, Sherbrooke Street West Montreal, QC H3G 1L3 514. 937.6009 www.montrealgourmet.ca/beatrice.php

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