The Caterist Files ~ My Big Fat Greek Wedding!

The Greek Festa Buffet would be a brilliant finale to the Wedding Day events! It makes a fabulous Rehearsal Dinner, too, if that fits your requirements better! And, this can always be configured into a served meal, if that's what you need! As with any party, we'll start with the Meet & Greet!

Simple decorations for your Meet & Greet Bar,

white full cloth with a mesh or sheer silk overlay with jewely sparklies beneath! I like to use a turquoise mesh; it's so pretty!

Set out your wine glasses over, for an easy wine set-up. Beer for the guys and gals who like it. Maybe a few mixers & sodas.

The same table adornment would go well on your Wedding Cake Table

For your Bar-top Appetizer, I've got a few Dips & Pita ideas. The first is a Greek Eggplant Dip, called Melitzanosalata, pictured in the set below, top, left. this has roasted eggplant, onion, and all of the flavors of the Greek Island! On the picture below, right, we have Greek Fava, which is a split pea dip with amazing flavor! We could think of this as the Greek version of bean dip! The bottom picture is Greek Sundried Tomato Hummus, very tasty! Any of these, served as your bar appetizer, would be accompanied by pita chips, for dipping. A bowl of mixed marinated olives, some mixed nuts, and your bar is ready!!

We can do a couple of passed appetizers during your Meet & Greet Hour, for while guests are getting together, chatting about the rehearsal...the steps, the mis-steps, and tomorrow! Love the excitement!!!

On the left, above, we have Greek Gyro Meatballs. We'll dollop a drop of the Tzatziki Sauce over just before passing. These are one bite size. On the right, we have Spanikopita Tarts...the familiar cheesy, spinach goodness in a bite sized phyllo tart shell.

These would be passed while you and your guests mingle and relax, waiting for everyone to show up...then, we'll go with your dinner plan...

I love a Soup Course for a Wedding Dinner! It's an elegant way to begin a meal for an occasion that will be remembered for years to come! Pictured, above, is the Greek Wedding Soup. It's very similar to the Italian Wedding Soup, in that we have a chicken stock with beef meatballs. They are both delicious! This Greek Wedding Soup features a rich seasoned bone broth with Greek seasoned beef meatballs, spinach and rice with an accent of Parmesan, and a light cream finish. It's glorious!!! This is the Wedding Soup, and it should be rich and full of flavor! This is served with tableside bowls of herbed croutons, for soup floating! If you select the Festa Buffet, this will be a served course, set out at your designated service time, as cue to your guests to be seated for the meal's beginning.

For your Salad Course, we'll enjoy the Greek Chopped Salad. If you opt for the Festa Buffet, it will be in the starting place on the buffet. This salad has chopped romaine, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, black olives and feta cheese. It's served with Greek Vinaigrette on the side.

We'll move on to the Entrée, and here is where the hardest decisions are to be made! Which one to choose!! For a served meal, we can allow you two meat selections, allowing your guests to rsvp with the dish they prefer. On a buffet, we can do up to three meats, both starches and both veggie selections or a two meat, one starch, two veggie selections. We'll start with the meats...

The Greek Lemon Herb Cornish Hens are a fabulous headliner for the Entrée. These are marinated overnight in a wonderful blend of lemons, herbs & spices. Shown here, whole, for plating, they'll be halved. You may opt to order a full hen for each guest, or just the half hen. For most formal dinners, the half hen is sufficient. But, of course, you may have heartier eaters! If placed on the Festa Buffet, they'll be cut into quarters, as you'll be having other meats on the menu, as well as the hen.

This is the Greek Stuffed Airline Chicken Breast. An airline cut breast is a skin on, boneless full breast, about 6 ounces, with the top portion of the wing attached for presentation. It's overnight marinated in Greek flavors.

The filling has spinach and feta with onion and red bell peppers. A Creamy Chicken Gravy will be served on the table. These are fabulous on buffet, as well as served!

To your right is Greek Kleftiko, slow roasted leg of lamb with all the proprietary Greek seasonings and flavors! This is accompanied by Tzatziki Sauce, the signature cooling cucumber sauce that's familiar in many dishes as a garnish. This is a fantastic buffet selection! We'll roast this to a tender, but sliceable point, for presentation. In Greece, this is actually cooked down to a shredded point, rather like pulled pork would look.

Which we can do, if you prefer!

These Greek Pork Ribs are a global-local idea, which means applying global flavors to local favorites...in this case, baby back ribs. They're marinated in flavors of lemon, garlic, onion, oregano and thyme, then cooked on low heat to a fall apart tenderness. I'd recommend these as part of the Festa Buffet, with Tzatziki Sauce on the side.

If you're needing a seafood option for your Greek Festa, this is THE one! Greek Whitefish may use tilapia, swai, cod, or any firm white fish that you like. It's oven baked with a topping of diced fresh tomatoes with onion, garlic, lemon and herbs. I'd recommend this for your served meal, as a meat alternative. To me, I think I'd only use it on the buffet if you have several guests that will be partaking, say during the Lenten season Friday observances. Delicate fish tends to not hold well over a hot chafer.

Greek Moussaka is a very traditional dish! It holds layers of eggplant, layers of beef in a fabulously seasoned tomato sauce with a topping of béchamel sauce with halved grape tomatoes for garnish.

It's the ultimate in Greek comfort food fit for a party!

This would be good either served or buffet.

Souvlaki...Greek Kebabs! Done with beef, shown right,

the meat is well marinated in the lemon herb flavors that Greece is famous for! While this would normally be a grilled dish, we have adapted it for indoor kitchen processing. These are served with tzatziki and pita on the side. Lemon Chicken Souvlaki is below, left;

Greek Lamb Souvlaki, below, right. Fun buffet item!

And, now, for the sides! For your served meal, select one starch side and one veggie side to go with your meat selection.

On the left are Lemon Garlic Roast Potatoes, delicious with oregano. Because they're first par cooked, they end up with a light interior, with a delicious outer crust. On the right is Greek Spinach Rice, cooked in a lemony chicken stock. We add toasted almonds at the end, for added texture and flavor.

Wrapping up the Wedding Meal, we present...

To the left, Greek Green Beans & Tomatoes, and

Below, Mediterranean Roast Vegetables