Mini American Comfort Foods Transform The Ordinary Wedding Menu Into An Extraordinary Party

When you're dressed in black tie it may seem horrifying to serve hot dogs and French fries, but while their normal size is decidedly inappropriate for such occasions, their miniaturized versions are fabulously stylish and infinitely delicious.

Serving your favorite iconic American foods at your wedding reception is like having the orchestra only play America's Greatest Pop Songs of All Time: everyone recognizes them and is immediately put at ease. And when your wedding guest list ranges from toddlers to grandparents with palettes that run from simpler tastes to gourmet foodie; offering mini comfort foods like mini grilled cheese sandwiches and spaghetti and meatballs makes everyone happy. But let's not forget the power of reinvention and imagination. Fancy favorites like Pheasant Under Glass and Potted Shrimp don't escape the shrinking ray gun!

 

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Comments

[natal plum]

01:46 PM on 12/28/2011

Has there been a more vomitous overused trite cliche to hit the internet than "comfort food"?

[carolinacookie4]

01:36 PM on 12/28/2011

I have but one thing to say on this subject......who gives a flip?

[cantonhoney]

01:05 PM on 12/28/2011

I suspect this type of 'presentation' is less appealing to the male guests.

[IRGrannyGoo]

11:30 AM on 12/28/2011

I think these things (though maybe impractical) are cute! I've catered many weddings (mostly for family membes on a budget). I try to make a pretty presentation, no matter the budget. I've found that people want food that TASTES good, but adding a few extra cute things makes it look like the bride and groom have "gone all out" and I have fun making those little details.

[handyy]

10:26 AM on 12/28/2011

Ridiculous amount of work to make limited, fussy eaters feel like they are having an elegant party. i don't object to fried chicken at a reception. I object to the need to make it small and fancy and pretend it's something other than fried chicken.

[Eenkling]

09:18 AM on 12/28/2011

The best reception was in somebody's backyard. They had a huge pig and beef on a spit and open bar. It felt like a backyard barbeque with family, (even though they weren't my family). I still remember the vibe and it has been about 15 years.

[ThatIsJustGreat]

08:22 AM on 12/28/2011

We had a sit down, family style dinner with turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans and salad. With plenty of seconds. Twenty years later people still talk about that reception in a good way. The real key is to stick with in your budget and go with food you love.

[Michelle Male]

06:54 AM on 12/28/2011

Every single one of those comfort foods appealed to me! I think those are awesome ideas. The caramel apples and cotton candy are so cute! It sure beats going to a wedding and seeing the same ol', same ol' thing time after time. It's different, and that's what I loved about it. Different, yet familiar.

[IRGrannyGoo]

11:26 AM on 12/28/2011

absolutely! They're cute

[giono]

08:34 PM on 12/27/2011

annoyingly cute food....can only mean an annoyingly cute wedding

[larmarch5]

06:58 PM on 12/26/2011

Uff-da, what is with the over-the-top weddings. Are there statistics that show that the more you pay for a wedding the more likely the marriage is to last?

[Eenkling]

09:08 AM on 12/28/2011

Doubtful. Kardashian paid over 7 million for her wedding and it only lastes 72 days.

[GaelMc]

10:27 AM on 12/28/2011

Ask Kim Karsashian.

[nrrork]

05:42 PM on 12/26/2011

Fair enough. In my opinion, the only unforgivable sin the bride and groom (read: bride) can commit when they plan the reception is to have a cash bar.

[JackDeath]

08:15 PM on 12/26/2011

Ooooh! I guess you never been to a vegan wedding where they only served macrobiotic food and plain water to drink. I swear I came out of there picking wheat shaft out of my teeth for weeks.

[Michelle Male]

06:47 AM on 12/28/2011

LOL!

[petpetdonna]

10:06 AM on 12/28/2011

Then you had to go find a place to eat too.

[ThatIsJustGreat]

08:20 AM on 12/28/2011

For what the insurance costs to have an open bar? That helped pay for my honeymoon. If people wanted to get drunk at my wedding, they could do it on their own dime. It was easy after two hours to tell who the real lushes were, too.

[4evryoung]

05:28 PM on 12/26/2011

The small size is definitely not indicative of the price.

[karen lyons kalmenson]

03:32 PM on 12/26/2011

food size commensurate with duration of marriage;-D

[cyoohoos]

09:43 PM on 12/27/2011

One can only hope.

[karen lyons kalmenson]

08:42 AM on 12/28/2011

and then exercise a lot;-D

[Eddie VanderMolen]

03:18 PM on 12/26/2011

Oh mercy! I'm so glad I'm out of catering. I don't miss dealing with brides-to-be one bit or their mothers.

[RButler]

06:35 PM on 12/26/2011

i dated a girl who was a bridal consultant. There had been a breakdown and the bridesmaids dresses hadn't arrived on time and the bride was hysterical. Her father told her, "If you can't handle this, you can't handle marriage". Wonderful advice from a wise dad.

[Michelle Male]

09:28 AM on 12/28/2011

and children, and...lol. That's probably the wisest thing anyone ever said to her to this day! That simple, yet powerful phrase would surely make you stop and think:) Thanks for sharing your story.

[annnoire]

02:57 PM on 12/26/2011

Having had a my hands in events, smaller is better. A classy and "comfort" taste on finger foods works for me.