Category: Food

If you’re wondering why we’re including a brief item about recycling it’s because parties and special events often generate recyclable materials and leftover food that the bride and groom don’t want to take home. Nowadays, you and the caterer can feel good by donating the excess, and recycling plastic bottles, glass, metal and paper. An added benefit is that food donations are tax deductible for either you or the caterer. And if you recycle, the cost for extra garbage containers (bins) can be eliminated or reduced.

Can you tell me how many hors d’oeuvres per person is the norm for a cocktail wedding reception? I’m not having dinner, just hors d’oeuvres and cocktails for about four hours. I need to figure out my menu and am at my wits end trying to find the answer!—Lisa D., Eagle Rock
Read our experts’ answer.

I admit it—at heart, I’m an old-fashioned girl. Add to that a hopeless romantic and a bit of an Anglophile, and it’s no wonder that I was a huge fan of the magazine classic, Victoria. Lest you cool chicks think that’s the sort of rag read only by grandmas, take note: Besides a healthy dose of lace and roses, Victoria also profiles chic boutiques, insider travel destinations (it’s never too early to fantasize about your honeymoon!), innovative recipes, and plenty of tips for creative entertaining. And as a bride, you’ll be doing plenty of that, girlfriend!

If I were to make a wish list of 100 decadent indulgences, certainly having my own award-winning French chef would be among them. If you love fine food as much as I do, and wouldn’t think of serving ordinary cuisine at your wedding, then hear this: The Villa Amodei, the newly available country estate in the hills above Camarillo, has hired their own in-house chef to personalize and customize your wedding menu.

Wedding Planning Tip: if you’re still hemming and hawing about where to have your rehearsal dinner , Restaurant Week’s a great way to test drive your faves without breaking the bank!

Thank goodness I discovered Dagoba. Fair Trade, Organic and award-winning, Dagoba’s unique “chocolate alchemy” combines flavors in innovative, tantalizing ways. Dagoba chocolate tastes genuine—that is, biting into a small piece, the first taste is chocolate, rather than sugar. Its authentic musky flavor sings of forests and unspoiled wilderness, invariably lifting my spirits. I’ve come to prefer my chocolate dark & spicy, and Dagoba’s Xocolatl, accented with cocoa nibs and chile peppers, satisfies my cravings. My husband isn’t as adventurous and fancies less intense varietals, such as New Moon, the best of bittersweet.

For wedding favors, I love Vosges’ adorable takeout containers which can include truffles like the Black Pearl (ginger + wasabi + dark chocolate + black sesame seeds). Their two-piece truffle boxes can be customized with your names or message and your choice of ribbon colors. And, you can feel good about Vosges’ green commitment.