Flavors of Fall and Winter

Happy fall, y'all! We may have mentioned a time or two that we cherish this time of the year! The saturated colors, the wonderful scents and the luscious, rich flavors of the amazing assortment of fall and winter foods! By the way, if you didn't notice the slight change in weather today, winter is right around the corner!

 

Bringing in the flavors of fall and winter is a great way to incorporate a seasonal theme into your wedding. Plus, with the chillier weather, your guests will appreciate warm, filling food. Here are some suggestions that are sure to satisfy your guests.

 

Hors d’oeuvres

Small bites are still big! Warm your guests’ hearts and bellies with shooters of thick, creamy soups such as butternut squash or potato leek.

Or incorporate the fabulous flavor of everyone’s favorite round orange squash in a pumpkin goat cheese tartlet or pumpkin mousse in puff pastry. Or what about sweet potato rounds replacing the expect crostini topped with herbs, cheese and olives?

Is your mouth watering yet?!

 Salads and sides
Salads are wonderful first courses year-round, but in the fall and winter, they are even better served with a warm vinaigrette!

And you might want to consider comfort food for your sides such as whipped sweet potatoes or roasted root vegetables.

Fennel is a slightly sweet seasonal flavor that partners wonderfully with all manner of foods, from fruits and root vegetables to garnish and being cooked into a demi-glace to go over meat. Scrumptious!

Desserts
Apples, pears and citrus are at their peak right now and are incredibly delicious! Incorporate these seasonal fruits into pies, tarts and cakes to take advantage of their luscious flavors.

If you’re an adventurous bride, be bold with your wedding and groom’s cakes flavors. Think gingerbread, carrot or spice cake; a vanilla or chocolate cake with peppermint buttercream; or red velvet.

 

While red velvet is ubiquitous in the south year-round, it feels especially seasonal around the holidays.

Cocktails
Lest you think we’ve forgotten, seasonal flavors make for fun and creative cocktails! You might want to check out our post on seasonal cocktails last fall, but we’ll give you a bit of inspiration here as well.

Anything cranberry would be a delightfully tart and tasty beverage. Warm drinks such as hot toddies or any spiked versions of coffee, cider and hot chocolate would thrill your guests as they head into your cocktail hour from the cold outside – guaranteed to warm them from their toes up!

Work with your caterer to find ways to include the season's best in your wedding reception menu. More and more caterers are planning their offerings around local and seasonal foods (thank goodness!), so this should be a fun and easy way to give your big day a little holiday flair.


image credits: Epicurious, Just a Taste, Martha Stewart, NY Times,  Pinterest,  One Stylish Bride, Sil Azevedo, Sweet Little Peanut