Friday, April 29, 2011

Forget the dress! What about the food?

Like many people out there, I woke up early this morning to watch "The Royal Wedding" (which will most likely be referred to in exasperated whispers and clasped hands from now on. Heretofore written only in quotes. Seriously it's a big deal). Because of the miracle of DVR, I was able to wake up at 6:30 am instead of 4, but I still want my "early morning wake-up street cred".
This being the biggest royal wedding in I-don't-know-30-years(!) they really pulled out all the stops. But for me it wasn't about the dress (it was beautiful!), the celebrity guests (Posh & Becks looked amazing but her "fascinator" had some sort of parasite (wink, wink)) or even the first fairytale kiss (yes, it was très adorable), for me it's all about the food!
Obviously "The Royal Wedding" wasn't going to have a reception following the church like many of us are used to in America so it's been interesting to see what kinds of celebrations will be going on throughout the day (Fun fact: There will be a dance party at the palace tonight and rumor has it, MOH and sister of the new HRH stood up to the Queen herself and had disco balls installed).
One event that sparked my interest is the lunchtime reception held by the Queen. According to the official Royal Wedding website, "The Queen is giving a lunchtime Reception at Buckingham Palace for around 650 guests drawn from the Wedding Service congregation, representing the Couple’s official and private lives."
Considering the 6 hour time difference, this is old news but who cares! It's almost lunch time in New Jersey and I'm hungry!Since this blog was borne out of my love for appetizers, I simply had to share the menu with you all.
Doesn't the phrase "Scottish Langoustines with Lemon Mayonnaise Pressed Confit of Pork Belly with Crayfish and Crackling" give you the warm & fuzzies?
The website is also so kind as to give us a play-by-play of the luncheon as well as assurances that the food is locally sourced (Bravo Royals!)

Guests will be served a selection of canapés, including:
         Cornish Crab Salad on Lemon Blini
         Pressed Duck Terrine with Fruit Chutney
         Roulade of Goats Cheese with Caramelised Walnuts
         Assortment of Palmiers and Cheese Straws
         Scottish Smoked Salmon Rose on Beetroot Blini
         Miniature Watercress and Asparagus Tart
         Poached Asparagus spears with Hollandaise Sauce for Dipping
         Quails Eggs with Celery Salt
          Scottish Langoustines with Lemon Mayonnaise Pressed Confit of Pork Belly with Crayfish and Crackling
         Wild Mushroom and Celeriac Chausson
         Bubble and Squeak with Confit Shoulder of Lamb
         Grain Mustard and honey-glazed Chipolatas
         Smoked Haddock Fishcake with Pea Guacamole
         Miniature Yorkshire Pudding with Roast Fillet of Beef and Horseradish Mousse
          Gateau Opera
         Blood Orange Pate de Fruit
         Raspberry Financier
         Rhubarb Crème Brulee Tartlet
         Passion Fruit Praline
         White Chocolate Ganache Truffle
         Milk Chocolate Praline with Nuts

         Dark Chocolate Ganache Truffle
Guests will be served Pol Roger NV Brut Réserve Champagne with a selection of other soft and alcoholic drinks.
The McVitie's Royal Wedding Cake.
The wedding cake and a chocolate biscuit cake will also be served at the Reception. The wedding cake, designed by Fiona Cairns, is made from 17 individual fruit cakes (12 of which form the base) and has eight tiers. The cake has been decorated with cream and white icing using the Joseph Lambeth technique. There are up to 900 individually iced flowers and leaves of 17 different varieties decorated on the cake. A garland design around the middle of the cake matches the architectural garlands decorated around the top of the Picture Gallery in Buckingham Palace, the room in which the cake will be displayed. The chocolate biscuit cake was created by Mcvitie’s Cake Company using a Royal Family recipe at the special request of Prince William.
The chocolate biscuit cake.
During the course of the Reception, Governors-General and Prime Ministers of Realm Countries will be presented to The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall and the Bridal Couple.  The Reception will include the cutting of the wedding cake and some speeches.
Guests at the reception will be entertained by Claire Jones, the official Harpist to HRH The Prince of Wales.
Notes to Editors
All the ingredients for the canapés have been carefully sourced from Royal Warrant holding companies using UK-based ingredients. These include:
         Gressingham Duck
         English Goats cheese from Paxton and Whitfield
         English Asparagus
         Welsh organic Celery Salt
         Langoustines from the North West Coast of Scotland
         Pork from the Cotswolds
         English Crayfish
         Windsor Estate Lamb
         Smoked Haddock from the East Coast of Scotland
         Beef from the Castle of Mey Selections in the North Highlands of Scotland
         English Rhubarb
Approximately 10,000 canapés have been prepared by a team of 21 chefs, led by Royal Chef Mark Flanagan.
Wow...10,000 canapes....I imagine that's what heaven would look like.
Hope you enjoyed a little Wedding Day whimsy. Look out later for on my post on a fantastic roast cod dish with a warm tomato-olive-caper tapenade. It got two enthusiastic thumbs up from the man!

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