In early September, Ruth had the opportunity to create a very special catered menu for a highly special occasion: the wedding of our son Ari.
She wanted to create a wedding feast that would reflect the South American heritage of his bride, Ursula. With that type of cuisine in mind, here was the menu she devised:
Baby Lamb Chops with Curry Mojo Glaze
Seviche on Spoon
Tequeños
Chilean Sea Bass with Platano Maduro Frito (Fried Sweet Plantains)
Arepa with Roasted Corn Salsa
Mache and Baby Sprouts and Greens with Brunois of Mango, Papaya, Strawberry and Corn Nuts with Broken Sherry Vinaigrette
Black Bean, Goat Cheese, Roasted Pablano and Jalapeño in Saffron Ravioli with Spicy Tomato and Crème Fraiche Sauce and Annatto Oil Drizzle
Mojito and Pineapple-Basil Sorbet
South African Mini Lobster Tail with Hollandaise Sauce and Tomato-Basil Concasse
Black Truffle Risotto with Herb Paste and Sautéed Shrimp
Cuban Black Beans and Rice for Table
Pan Cubano and Medianoche Breads
Guava Cheesecake
Dulce Con Leche Crêpes with Sautéed Apple
Croque en Bouche
Not all these dishes may be familiar to you, so here’s a glossary:
Seviche — raw fish marinated in lime or lemon juice, often with oil, onions, peppers and seasonings, and served especially as an appetizer
Tequeños — fried breadsticks formed by wrapping dough around queso blanco; a popular appetizer in Venezuela, especially at weddings
Arepa — a bread made of corn, originating in the northern Andes, similar to a tortilla
Mache — a salad green with a mild, lettuce-like flavor
Brunois — a very small dice
Annatto oil — a dark red-orange oil made by infusing an oil with annatto (achiote) seeds, used in South American cooking
Pan Cubano — A Cuban type of bread, with a distinctive taste created by its starter and enriched with lard that creates a smooth texture
Medianoche bread — A sweet, eggy type of bread roll, the type used to make a smaller version of the “Cuban sandwich” known as the “midnight special” (that’s another story)
Croque en bouche — a tower of tiny cream puffs, glued together by a caramel glaze and drizzled with the glaze (ours had a large cake as a base)
Here are some pictures, courtesy of our son Zachary:
One of the nicest things about this wedding was, of course, was that we got to enjoy playing the exalted role of Parents of the Groom. Here we are in a position you don’t often see us: relaxing and enjoying our own food, right along with everyone else.
The ceremony was held in our backyard in Pepper Pike, and the lovely late summer weather helped create a magical setting for the perfect wedding and a lovely and intimate wedding dinner.
If you have an event like a small, intimate wedding coming up in your future — or want to plan something special for the holidays (sorry we can’t provide weather like this for that!) — we invite you to find out what Ruth can do for you. Visit the Ruth Levine Events Web site and call 216.404.0500 or send her an email to set your plans in motion.
