Vegan Wedding

[Harpua]

I'm having a wedding and my fiance and I want it to be completely vegan. We are not too keen on just making something that usually has meat in it and just substituting with tofu, because then people will notice the missing meat even more.

We want something exciting, perhaps asian food. Our "theme" is I guess more asian than anything else, but it is going to be a non-traditional wedding, perhaps with different cuisines (even mexican/italian). Our hors d' oevres will be vegetable nori rolls and perhaps spring rolls. We are also thinking about Pad Thai.

I guess my question is, first of all:

-Does anyone know of a good catering company in Orange County/Los Angeles that is good at stuff like this

-Caterers: what is your take on ideas like this? Suggestions? Complaints?

-We may want to bring in different foods from different companies. For example, there is a restaurant that makes a really good Pad Thai, and another restaurant that makes really good Nori Rolls.

Also, yes I am aware that some people feel we are "depriving" our guests of meat and cheese, but honestly, this is our day and this is what we want. Meat and cheese is available everywhere, they can get it some other time. Our food will be good and exciting anyway! It is one of the things we are willing to spend a lot of money on. A huge priority.

Thanks.

[panini]

Harp,
Don't know much about LA, but,
Congratulations!!!
Having helped in hundreds of weddings and done thousands of cakes I think it is totally appropriate to serve the foods of your choice, especially if you're paying.
Sounds very exciting! Hope you find all of your venders and it all comes together. I will be thinking Italian and let you know if I come up with ideas.
Pan

[shroomgirl]

We may want to bring in different foods from different companies. For example, there is a restaurant that makes a really good Pad Thai, and another restaurant that makes really good Nori Rolls.


AS a caterer I would not agree to serving several other businesses food. You could hire staffing to oversee it with a coordinator....basically a serving staff but I wouldn't recommend it. I know what I make and how to adjust it.....
Have you made the calls to your local caterers? Orange county seems like it would have caterers willing to work with vegan menus.

Italian, Indian, Asian all would work well......Mideastern pretty much any country in the Mediterranean.

Italian, caponata, flat breads, stuffed pumpkin pasta with a veg stock/viniager sauce, even a pasta bar, huge salads, breads....off the top of my head, give it a day to simmer

Asian.....oh this is so easy since dairy isn't big.....veg nori rolls, veg springrolls, veg kabobs with peanut sauce, I could even see you having different stations with various Asian themes.....Japan, Thai, Vietnamese, Korean.....

[lentil]

I did a vegan entree for a wedding this summer. It was an eggplant torte with a tofu filling in place of the ricotta. It was a hit, but not Asian.


I agree that you should have the wedding you and your fiance want. It's your day. Why would you even consider serving something you were morally opposed to?

Good luck and congratulations!

[Harpua]

wow. Great replies!

Please keep throwing out ideas or suggestions about the food. I like the kabob idea, and I also like the different asian food stations..

[AprilB]

Marinated or not. I particularly love ginger and garlic with sesame oil. You could cube them and use them in particular dishes as well. I use them along with whole button mushrooms in an apple tofu green curry. (Yeah, it's tofu, but it's good)

They do make a wide variety of vegan cheeses, although I've never personally tried any of them so I can't really vouch for what they taste like.

A mega mixed stir fry sounds interesting. I love brown rice from my mom's nutritional influence when I was young. I could see taking a little of everything in the produce section and giving it a good toss in a wok.

When we went vegetarian for a number of years I found if you aren't expecting meat you don't really miss it unless you're reminded by it being manufactured as a 'sausage' or 'steak'. So it's a good thing to take the 'something else' avenue like you mentioned.

I'm wondering about a black bean/soybean foo young type dish. (I dunno...just made it up but it sounds good )

Yes, congratulations. Hope this helps.

April

[Harpua]

Thank you!

Yeah, about the soy cheese, I'd rather leave that plastic tasting stuff out. I'd like to use other things like nut creams. Those are fantastic!

[shroomgirl]

one of my friends is vegetarian and runs an upscale scratch restaurant with alot of Asian themed food....
Tempura tofu on a stick with peanut sauce (big hit, but your caterer's gotta be into frying.....also the site has to be ok with it.)

You could have someone rolling nori rolls and veg handrolls at a station
Have cold sesame noodles with julienned snow peas,shiitakes, carrots, jicama....etc

Vietnamese springrolls fresh and fried (again the fried thing) with the tempura tofu. Green curry in eggplant boats

Puck does his Chinois chicken salad in paper chinese go-containers. It's fun and mobile.

Dumplings and potstickers.....HUGE HIT

Do a few things with hot spiced sauce (make sure they are marked!!!!) someday I'll tell you all about the bowl of habanero slices and the party goers that thought they were sweet.....

One of my farmer buddies has an organic log grown shiitake farm....her shrooms are exceptional. Great sauteed with soy and sesame oil.

Tropical fruit.....fun passion fruit sorbet on cubed pineapple, mango, papaya...whatever is good at the market

Almond Jelly....you could use agar agar.

Vietnamese Coffee jelly.

Coconut whatever.....

[Harpua]

Great ideas!

We just met with my parents and talked things over formally for actually the first time. I think we are leaning towards Mexican now. Everyone likes Mexican, and veggie fajitas are very good and doable. Not to mention all of the wonderful side dishes that come along with it.. We may still have a pad thai or nori rolls for aps.

However, a lot of this stuff sounds good so I'll run it by my mate.

Still deciding..........

[shroomgirl]

There is generally not just one dinner.....there's rehearsal dinner, usually a couple of showers, of course the reception.

You could have a Thai or Asian themed rehearsal dinner.

Again if you are going with a caterer I betcha they would not want someone elses food alongside theirs.......you could call it an insurence requirement but most of us don't want be known for things we didn't make. Again just my two cents and there may be caterers in LA that are open to you having outside food as part of the offerings.

[tigerwoman]

Originally Posted by shroomgirl

There is generally not just one dinner.....there's rehearsal dinner, usually a couple of showers, of course the reception.

You could have a Thai or Asian themed rehearsal dinner.

Again if you are going with a caterer I betcha they would not want someone elses food alongside theirs.......you could call it an insurence requirement but most of us don't want be known for things we didn't make. Again just my two cents and there may be caterers in LA that are open to you having outside food as part of the offerings.

I'd have to agree with shroom

first of all you really want to be a guest - so you need someone else to coordinate everything. A good caterer is more than just the food - it's about food, service, rentals, organizing and worrying and handling the myraid of details that comes up. Brainstorming with you and comingup with menus that work. Just because something tastes good at a restaurant doesn't mean it will work well in a catering situation - or you may need a person with vast experience to pull it off.

How about posting on craigslist asking for a vegan caterer. For sure in the LA area you will find more than one. Also go on localcatering.com and directcatering.com and ask for bids (you should get about 5 bids)

Have in mind a general idea of how many guests, how long the party will be, the format (eg passed hors d'oeuvres and a buffet is one example)

and of course a vague idea of budget. Don't forget that rentals and staffing and taxes and gratuities add up and add vastly to the cost of the just the food. But then agian, its your wedding and you and your family should be enjoying the day and spending time with your guests, not running to pick up orders and platter things and make sure you have serving platters, utensils, tablelclothes, etc. Hope this helps

We do a few good vegan dishes

smoked tofu with edame beans and mustard greens with sesame glaze

morrocan citrus scented carrots with white bean tapenade and fresh spinach in whole wheat tortilla pinwheels

mini vegetable samosas with coconut cilantro chutney

baked acorn squash stuffed with quinoa, wild rice, medley of colored peppers,scallions with balsamic and pomegranite molasses.

marinated portobello (olive oil, garlic, brown sugar, soy sauce and a touch of sesame), roasted and served over wilted spinach


Tuscan White Beans with Rosemary and Roasted Garlic over Brown or Brown Basmati Rice (rice and beans make complete protein)

SMoked Tofu with Edame Beans and Sauteed Baby Bok Choy.

Grilled Vegetable Terrine - harder to do without cheese or eggs but still possible.

Vegetarian Lasagne using soy products to sub for milk and eggs.

Sautee of fresh Spinach, Onions or shallots, hot pepper, raisins and olives - stuffed into a hollowed out tomato or pepper or even squash boat. This is a classic calabrese dish (usually add some cheese too -still good without.


Roasted or grilled eggplant with an onion, mustard glaze, served on a bed of braised spinach with nutmeg and cinnamon

Alternating thin layers of roasted garlic and thyme polenta with grilled eggplant, braised spinach and leeks and chunky tomato/basil coulis( Tofu may be substituted for the polenta)

Barley salad (Barley, scallions, tomato, cucumber, and a mint lime vinaigrette) topped with sesame coated Japanese eggplant, layered with sautéed vegetables, finished with frizzled leeks and a green coconut curry sauce

Marinated (onion, curry, saffron and lemon) and glazed (fennel, paprika, cardamom, coriander, cumin and garlic) grilled tofu

Eggplant napoleon with pumpkin, garlic, onion, turmeric, raisins and chilies

Chilled pea and mint soup garnished with yellow pepper oil or tarragon oil with chervil

Pan seared polenta with roasted garlic, spinach and mushrooms and chunky tomato coulis or marinara sauce

Vegetable pave with lemon and thyme infused vegetable broth

Tofu stir fry with jasmine rice and miso coriander sauce

coconut and cilantro risotto

_Fettuccini Primavera with Silken Tofu Alfredo Sauce

_Vegetable Chili with Smoked Tofu

_Mixed Vegetable Curry with chick peas

_Spicy Stir-Fried, Oriental Vegetables with Rice Vermicelli Noodles

_Orrechiette with Broccoli Rabe, White Beans and Mushrooms

_Vegetable Bourguignon

_Cheese Enchiladas

_"Neat Loaf"

_Black Bean Cakes with Mango Salsa

_Asparagus and Mushroom Stew with Red Pepper

_Vegetarian Lasagna with Tofu Cream Sauce / or red sauce
coconut rice pudding

vegan chocolate brownies

hey we'd come cater your wedding - you need to pay for plane fare, hotel and provide a kitchen space to cook, pay for rentals and staff and food of course. WOuld rent everything else we'd need and bring along some fabu serving platter from our collection. It would be fun. We've catered around the world and many times in Northern California, but never in the LA area. Let me know - I am not kidding.

[Harpua]

Thanks for making our mouths water, but I don't think that fits into our budget.

However, it will be i my dreams tonight.

Thanks for the links! I'll check them out.

[NancyR]

I'm a newbee with the vegan stuff - my son is a vegetarian - do you buy smoked Tofu or smoke it yourself? If so, what is the process?

[tigerwoman]

Originally Posted by NancyR

I'm a newbee with the vegan stuff - my son is a vegetarian - do you buy smoked Tofu or smoke it yourself? If so, what is the process?

we buy it in the asian supermarkets here in NYC. I have used several applications - from smoked tofu cakes (firm tofu cakes) to smoked tofu "noodles" which are basically long thin strips which are quite firm - and look like brown spaghetti. All of them are found inthe refrigerated section where the tofu lives in all of our asian supermarkets. That's part of the beauty of living in a big city - availability of product.

we buy a prepared dish at the asian market takeout counter of smoked tofu, edame beans and mustard greens with a touch of sesame. We're not vegetarians, but enjoy different foods. Have used that combo in salads, dumplings, wontons, etc. The spaghetti like stuff is good to snack on, or again in a cold salad.. The cakes work well were ever you might have used fresh tofu (it's fresh too - like smoked fresh mozzarella vs. fresh mozzarella)

We have actually acquired the taste for tofu over the last few years - basically from experimenting and covering customers requests.

[Cheri]

Green Leaves in Hollywood