MENU TIPS FOR ASIAN WINTER WEDDINGS
Planning a wedding requires a lot of time, skills and excellent vendors. There are so many people that you must meet and discuss your vision for your special day. However, we love one vendor in particular: the caterer. The caterer usually specializes in particular areas and will indeed provide a tasting to finalize your menu. This is the opportunity to pick and choose what delicacy you absolutely love and plan to share with your loved ones. We decided to meet with Mia Ha the owner of Pho 99 a lovely Vietnamese restaurant in the U.S. in Franklin, New Jersey. I had a very nice chat with the lovely Mia Ha to learn about what types of foods are prepared for weddings in their culture and below is a traditional wedding menu:
This is a traditional Vietnamese Winter Wedding Menu:
The APPETIZERS sounds so delicious:
Papaya salad – green papaya, fish sauce, chili, sugar, dried shrimps, garlic & palm sugar
Lotus Salad (Goi Ngo Sen) pictures on the right, – carrots, lotus, port belly, shrimp, peanuts and mint
Pork or Shrimp roll
Asparagus Crab Soup – chunks of crab meat, sautéed garlic and shallots, and spears of in-season asparagus.
The MAIN COURSE sounds divine:
Seafood, angel hair noodles with roasted pig (thit heo), dipped in fish sauce (nuoc mam)
Beef Cube (Bo luc lac)
Steam Fish with ginger and scallions
Fried Rice with sweets carrots, onions, bean sprouts and Chinese seasoning.
DESSERTS: the Vietnamese are not big on desserts
Sweet dumpling (xoi nuoc) sweet rice and green bean
The traditional TEAS served are: Jasmine tea, Oolong and Coke
We absolutely love Japan. And Japanese weddings are a very important part of the Japanese culture. The food is also an important aspect for their weddings, each dish has a special meaning and speaks to the future of the couple and their families. As an example: if clams are served with both shells it symbolizes the couples union. If lobster is served, it’s because red is a lucky color. There are so many wonderful symbols and legends; perhaps you and your fiancé could create your own. Until then, please review this tasteful menu and perhaps you could add one of these delectable dishes to your menu.
A traditional Japanese Winter Wedding Menu:
MAIN DISHES:
Sushi – is made with sea food, fish or rice and vegetables with Japanese vinegar (sushi-no moto)
Red Beans Sticky Rice (Sekihan) pictured on the left, – is served to celebrate a happy occasion
Kelp (Kombu) – broccoli, squashes, fresh ginger, garlic, mushrooms, Kombu and carrots
Japanese sushi cakes – Smoked salmon, sushi rice, eggs, cucumber
Herring Roe (Kazunoko) – a symbol of fertility
Tai (Sea bream) – traditional fish of happiness
DESSERT:
Daifuku – pictured on the right – is a traditional sweet. A small round mochi, sweetened red bean paste is made from Azuki beans. The bride and groom
share their happiness with friends and relatives on this beautiful occasion.
TEA: Sencha Green
WINE: Rice Wine (Sake)
I hope you enjoyed traveling with me to learn about the Asian wedding menus! Until next time!
