Working alongside the tremendously talented Melissa Haggerty of Spectacular Spectacular, we took part in a one-of-a-kind wedding at a virgin event space: The Canon Theatre in Toronto. 

While The Canon has seen its fair share of large-scale theatre productions (Phantom of the Opera, anyone?), it had never been host to a wedding.  In truly Spectacular style, Melissa created a magical, breathtakingly beautiful production.  The wedding guests were the audience, the suppliers the crew, and the stars, of course, were the bride and groom. 

The wedding menu incorporated the couple’s favourite foods, which meant plenty of seafood hors d’oeuvres following the ceremony, along with pink champagne in custom-ordered crystal coupe glasses. 

prologue: pink champagne in crystal coupe glasses

After cocktail hour, the curtains parted and revealed crystal chandeliers, an enormous, hand-painted backdrop, and stunning florals (by Lidia of Fiori); audible gasps were heard as each new element was revealed. 

Following some heart-warming speeches, guests were presented with a colourful first course of imported buffalo mozzarella with roasted tomatoes, beets, micro herbs, olive oil juice, and warm olive toast. 

act one

For the main course, guests were offered the choice of roasted provimi veal rack with rosemary cracked pepper crust, or black cod with miso maple glaze.  Keeping the evening theatrical, Couture Cuisine’s team of wait-staff carried plates covered with old-fashioned silver cloche covers and lifted them with a flourish as each table was served.

silver cloche cover each guest's entree selection

The final act was a fully customzed dessert, designed to replicate the wedding’s colour scheme of gold, coral, and seafoam green.  Together with the clients and Melissa, Chef Arpi Magyar created a playful mini “wedding cake” presented on a gold-leaf plate.

mini "wedding cake"

The creative couple, accustomed to celebrating into the wee hours, requested a very unusual late night snack. Instead of ubiquitous mini-burgers and fries, wait-staff circulated platters of miniature breakfast treats such as mini blueberry pancakes with chantilly creme and maple syrup, tiny hash browns and petite “egg mcmuffins” complete with customized wrappers.  Of course, no breakfast would be complete without coffee, and so Couture Cuisine provided an elaborate espresso bar, attended by a professional barista. 

Video clips of the event in progress by the inimitable Cloud Nine Creative can be found here and here, and for a backstage look at the crew creating this incredible day, prepare to be stunned by the jaw-dropping timelapse video.

Special thanks to Storey Wilkins for sharing these beautiful photos with us!

Welcome guests with a rustic cheese plate, breads, and a zippy cocktail such as the Ginger-basil Bash, which combines muddled lemon, ginger, & basil with chilled vodka & ginger beer.

Our ideal 100-mile menu for such an event would begin with a traditional Hungarian soup, prepared over an open fire in a cast-iron pot.  Slowly braised beef from the shank would be prepared with potatoes & root vegetables; serving this rustic soup in a clean-lined white bowl would be a beautiful contrast.  For the entrée, breaded provimi veal from a farm in Cambridge would be served with a local arugula, tomato and onion salad with caramelized sweet potatoes.  A sweet ending to the meal would be a trio of lemon panna cotta, warm chocolate cake, and vanilla crème with freshly picked berries.

antique-style amber tumblers

Set the table with coloured, antique-like glassware; we love these amber tumblers from Anthropologie for water or wine.  With the above menu, we would serve local bottles such as Norman Hardie’s 2007 Pinot Noir and Cave Spring’s Off-Dry Riesling.

A dinner under the stars sounds perfectly romantic … until you trip over a tree stump.  Light the way with these vintage-style string lights from Restoration Hardware…and then enjoy them after the wedding in your own garden.

vintage-style string lights

Early summer evenings can be a bit chilly; keep your guests warm & happy with hand-made quilts.  We love trolling through the listings on Etsy to find bright & playful designs. 

a cozy & comfy quilt

Need more ideas?  Please call us at 416.449.5432 to create your own shabby-chic affair.

We plan to set the table with reusable hemp linens, natural beeswax candles, and spring tulips in curvy recycled glass vases.   As guests arrive, we’ll pour an Ontario sparkling rosé,  and nibble on antipasto presented on a reclaimed wood platter.

to begin…

house-cured duck proscuitto with balsamic reduction, organic fig slices & homemade blini

entrée…

roasted rack of Ontario lamb, mango honey mustard crust; potato pancake, baked organic eggplant, cucumber yogurt salad with artisanal feta

sweet endings…

vanilla-lemon panna cotta, preserved fruit compote

panna cotta, preserved fruit & organic micro herbs

After dinner, we’ll enjoy a glass of Niagara ice wine with an incredible local cheese plate from one of our favourite producers: the LEED-certified Fifth Town Cheese. 

Plan your own green party by emailing us at yummy@couturecuisine.com.

We are particularly excited to take part once again in The Wedding Co’s show at the historic Carlu, January 15^th – 17^th.  (www.theweddingco.com)   Created to showcase the finest wedding suppliers in Toronto, The Wedding Show is a wonderful way to gather ideas & inspiration for your upcoming celebrations.  Our Design Team has imagined a whimsical yet chic theme which is sure to set your heart a-flutter!  Be sure to stop by our display near the elevators to enjoy the beautiful table settings & indulgent treats from Chef Arpi Magyar.

couture cuisine's 2009 Wedding Show display (flowers by Stemz)

Also on our radar: sophisticated colour palettes for winter celebrations, recipes for comforting cocktails, baby shower ideas, and photos of simply spectacular events.  2010 is shaping up to be a fabulous, busy, extraordinary year!  We do hope you will join us for the journey.

Parties come with both thrills and chills at this time of year.  Again, Cachelle stresses preparation.  “Indoor shoes are a must during the winter months,” she advises, encouraging party-goers to comfortably hop from cab to door in season-appropriate boots.  One’s evening shoes may be carried in a pretty silk bag.  This way, you stay comfortable, and the host’s carpets stay slush-free.  Another tip: Cachelle always keeps a bottle of clear nail polish in her coat pocket; a bulky winter coat will hide this little secret, and she is always prepared to stop a pantyhose run in its tracks.

Despite all your preparation, sparkling conversation, and care to be a good guest, spills will still inevitably occur.  As a wedding planner, Cachelle faces all sorts of big-day-disasters like messy spills.  Her rule of thumb is to work quickly, and use cold water.  Vinegar from the host’s pantry is a miracle stain-remover, she reveals.  And it doesn’t hurt if the gentlemen at the party are all carrying clean & pressed handkerchiefs!

conversation-friendly, one-bite canapés by couture cuisine

In sum, Cachelle believes the key to successfully negotiating a cocktail party is a combination of confidence & manners – but mostly the former. If you find yourself awkwardly mishandling a fussy hors d’oeuvre in the middle of a conversation, smile, apologize to your fellow guest and move on.  After all, you’re both in the same situation – dressed up, perhaps teetering on heels, and juggling drinks, food and accessories.  Confidence means you will enjoy the party more, and the party will enriched by you, the poised and cheerful guest.

Cachelle can be reached via her website: www.savoirflare.com or by phone @ 647-342-5065

Couture Cuisine interviewed professional party planner, friend, and 30-Day Bride Cachelle Odette (www.savoirflare.com) to learn more about dos and don’ts when it comes to attending holiday cocktail parties.

party planner, friend, & 30-Day Bride Cachelle Odette

As a party planner and active socialite herself, Cachelle attends many celebrations, each very different from the last.  She says the key to being a graceful guest is confidence, and the best way to be confident is to be prepared.  Find out what sort of atmosphere you’ll be in – is this a casual or formal party, or somewhere in between?  Are dates and children invited?  What is the dress code?  Once you have this information in hand, Cachelle says, you will be confident and therefore at ease – and less likely to nervously slosh a martini onto your new shoes.

When you first arrive at the party, do not head directly for the bar or cheese plate.  Cachelle stresses that cocktail parties are designed to facilitate conversation, and your job as guest is to circulate first, then enjoy a drink or canapé.  When you do find yourself with a refreshment in hand, be sure to hold it with your left, so that the other is free for greeting.  And, Cachelle says, even though you might be tempted by delicious circulated treats, do not eat constantly as this hampers your ability to engage others in conversation.  Wait until your fellow guest is speaking to enjoy an hors d’oeuvre – and be sure to enjoy it in one quick bite if possible, to allow the tête-à-tête to flow smoothly. 

Next week: Cachelle advises on what to do when disaster strikes: handling spills, looking put-together in poor weather, and managing complicated canapés.

In particular, we hoped to discover wines from at home and around the globe and to compliment an array of foods, budgets, and occasions.

A few of our favourite wines were…

Chateau Des Charmes VQA Chardonnay

We think this would be a perfect match with the indulgent creamy mushroom sauce on Chef Magyar’s stuffed roasted chicken with tiny oven roasted potatoes, steamed carrots, and sugar snap peas.

stuffed chicken w/creamy mushroom sauce

Wente Morning Fog Chardonnay

This wine from California would pair beautifully with Chef’s ricotta gnocchi tossed with fresh sage, lemon and butter finished with aged reggiano parmesan.

Arboleda Carmenere 2007

A bold red wine from Chile, this would be a natural fit with pan roasted rack of venison with juniper crust.  Accompanied by sweet potato mousseline, rapini, roasted torpedo shallots, and lardoons in a cracked pepper sauce, this is lovely food & wine combination for the holidays.

D’arenberg D’arry’s Original

This Shiraz-Grenache blend from Australia would be yummy paired with our roasted leg of lamb with creamy scalloped potatoes & oyster mushroom jus.

Good news – each of these lovely bottles is available at the LCBO.  Happy sipping!

…and pouring yourself a stiff drink?

It may no longer be appropriate to enjoy an early morning cocktail in your office, but you can certainly enjoy a variety of delicious Mad Men-style tipples at your next celebration. 

Don Draper and company have re-popularized “brown liquors,”  and our clients are asking for retro-style cocktails made with whiskey to welcome their guests.  While many whiskey-based cocktails are traditionally American designs, our in-house mixologist has suggestions for adding a Canadian spin.

Traditional Manhattan

1 ½ oz bourbon whiskey

¾ oz sweet vermouth

For a Canadian twist, we recommend this variation:

Grand Bank Manhattan

1 ½ oz Newfoundland Screech rum

 ¾ oz sweet vermouth

Stir both ingredients with ice & strain into a martini glass.  Garnish with a cherry or if you prefer, a twist.

manhattan w/a twist

Another classic is the Old Fashioned.  Sweeter than regular whiskey, bourbon is very popular in America, and is typically used in the Old Fashioned.  North of the border, this drink is created with rye (we like Canadian Club – just like Mr. Draper).

Old Fashioned

1 teaspoon sugar

splash of bitters

1 ½ oz whiskey

2 splashes of soda

Mull the bitters, sugar, and soda in a rocks glass with a cherry & twist of orange.  Top the mixture with ice, whiskey, and a little more soda to taste.

Au courant, richly flavoured, and warming to the core, we think any of these cocktails would be a wondeful welcome to guests arriving at a cool-weather event.

As they were served, Chef Magyar personally explained the courses to the guests, who eagerly awaited each new and innovative dish. Complete with sumptuous ingredients and imaginative presentations, the menu was truly a showcase of Chef’s skills, and offered an indulgent evening of culinary adventure for the guests.

The menu was as follows…

egg poached in its shell with Canadian sturgeon caviar & chive foam

first course: egg poached in its shell with caviar

foie gras & fig gelee presented in a white bowl under a Riedel crystal dome filled with applewood smoke

ahi tuna, red wine reduction caramelized chippoline onion & beets

cauliflower with seared scallops, braised beef cheeks

alba truffle

seared breast of squab & leg confit puy lentils,

preserved elderberry compote

intermezzo: poire williams sorbet

lamb chop roasted with rosemary + stew of curried lamb leg

black garlic, heirloom carrots

lamb chop & curried leg stew

munster cheese baked in flaky pastry with toasted cumin seeds

carmelized new apple apple puree chocolate and wine slush with vincotto

millionaire’s shortbread gold bar, covered in 24k gold dust

petit fours, soma chocolates & fruit rinds