Salmon or Swordfish

blaricchia

I need help.  My fiance and I are having a station/grazing reception.  We have our prime rib and chicken all set, but not the fish.  Our choices are grilled swordfish with mango salsa or poached/grilled salmon with a Tomato, Asparagus & Buerre Blanc Sauce. 

I'm trying to keep the menu light so everyone gets a taste of everything.  I've been to, too many wedding were you just feel stuffed. 


Help!!  Suggestions.

our wedding is July 2013 at the Fox Hill Inn in Brookfield, CT.
http://www.thefoxhillinn.com/refresh/templates/cuisine.php?id=26

Knottie1450123632

i say salmon

Xstatic3333

Salmon is definitely the lighter choice, and probably the more popular choice.  Both sound great!

Jager1219

I'd go with salmon. I have a friend getting married at the fox hill inn this may. Congrats! I love to hear about ct brides.

melb2013

Swordfish- I find that salmon at weddings is usually dry.  For some reason, I've never had a dry swordfish.

Xanax4breakfast

Swordfish is delicious, although the bycatch (sharks, turtles, etc. that are caught/killed in the process) can be terrible if they're caught using a longline versus more sustainable methods. So to be safe, I'd probably go with farmed salmon.  I agree that it would probabaly be the more popular choice anyway, although it can be dry. 

Both dishes sound amazing at your venue, though! 

jessicabessica

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_salmon-or-swordfish?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:a6ca7feb-dd4e-4947-951d-7ae9197bddd8Post:54da2027-c7f2-4894-8257-7cb4df5a5ea9">Re: Salmon or Swordfish</a>:
[QUOTE]Swordfish is delicious, although the bycatch (sharks, turtles, etc. that are caught/killed in the process) can be terrible if they're caught using a longline versus more sustainable methods. <strong>So to be safe, I'd probably go with farmed salmon.</strong>  I agree that it would probabaly be the more popular choice anyway, although it can be dry.  Both dishes sound amazing at your venue, though! 
Posted by Xanax4breakfast[/QUOTE]

<div>Definitely not necessarily true from an environmental standpoint.  </div><div>
</div><div>OP, I would go with salmon, I think it is more of a crowd-pleaser.  </div>

NYCMercedes

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_salmon-or-swordfish?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:5Discussion:a6ca7feb-dd4e-4947-951d-7ae9197bddd8Post:0f5b5b15-109e-43a6-ad06-7953f9574a6d">Re: Salmon or Swordfish</a>:
[QUOTE]Swordfish- I find that salmon at weddings is usually dry.  For some reason, I've never had a dry swordfish.
Posted by melb2013[/QUOTE]

Agreed.

at_last08

Salmon. I think it is a more popular fish than swordfish.

vanityink

Yeah, I know plenty of people who don't generally like fish, but like Salmon. If you want broad appeal, go with that. Otherwise more "fishy" people will probably go for swordfish and others will stick to chicken/steak

Peledreamsofrain

I would die of happiness to get ahold of swordfish at a wedding, but I also acknowledge that salmon is more of a popular choice as a general rule (and cheaper).

artbyallie

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_salmon-or-swordfish?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:a6ca7feb-dd4e-4947-951d-7ae9197bddd8Post:cecd7f0b-c4c6-4150-99b9-1ae3738e8d83">Re: Salmon or Swordfish</a>:
[QUOTE]Yeah, I know plenty of people who don't generally like fish, but like Salmon. If you want broad appeal, go with that. Otherwise more "fishy" people will probably go for swordfish and others will stick to chicken/steak
Posted by jessicadall[/QUOTE]

<div>See, I like white fish okay and love crab/shrimp/lobster. I can't stand salmon because it's just too strong. I also know quite a few people who like fish and hate salmon. In any case, OP, if you go with salmon, make sure to specify that on the RSVP instead of just saying 'fish.'</div><div>
</div><div>ETA: Unless you're not doing meal choices, which it kind of sounds like you're not on a second read.</div>

alithebride

if you're having a buffet (or grazing?!?! whatever) the fish will sit and sit. imo neither of those fish are appropriate for that kind of table. each are fishy tasting especially if they're held in chafing dishes-ew.
can you have them do a light white fish? cod, flounder? etc.....

swordfish is just as fishy as salmon and it's rarely cooked perfectly.

now I love most fish but i LOVE raw salmon in sushi, i HATE HATE cooked salmon. i also detest swordfish.

and how do they poach/grill it?

melb2013

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_salmon-or-swordfish?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:a6ca7feb-dd4e-4947-951d-7ae9197bddd8Post:30d36bb2-21aa-4c4a-921c-14bd08c1e285">Re: Salmon or Swordfish</a>:
[QUOTE]if you're having a buffet (or grazing?!?! whatever) the fish will sit and sit. imo neither of those fish are appropriate for that kind of table. each are fishy tasting especially if they're held in chafing dishes-ew. can you have them do a light white fish? cod, flounder? etc..... swordfish is just as fishy as salmon and it's rarely cooked perfectly. now I love most fish but i LOVE raw salmon in sushi, i HATE HATE cooked salmon. i also detest swordfish. and how do they poach/grill it?
Posted by alithebride[/QUOTE]<div>
</div><div>We're serving swordfish.  We have a "grilling station" where they will be freshly grilling the swordfish so that it never sits for very long.  Don't know what OPs situation is.</div><div>
</div>

alithebride

I Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_salmon-or-swordfish?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:5Discussion:a6ca7feb-dd4e-4947-951d-7ae9197bddd8Post:0854cf6d-fe28-4c89-9006-70801f20b44c">Re: Salmon or Swordfish</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Salmon or Swordfish : We're serving swordfish.  We have a "grilling station" where they will be freshly grilling the swordfish so that it never sits for very long.  Don't know what OPs situation is.
Posted by melb2013[/QUOTE]

are they grilling it to order? are they swordfish steaks?  if it sits for even a few minutes it goes and keeps cooking to the point of over done-they're tough to cook!! I'm not saying it's impossible but  that's why i suggested a white fish that's more forgving.

alithebride

also what excactly is a 'grazing 'reception?

melb2013

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_salmon-or-swordfish?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:a6ca7feb-dd4e-4947-951d-7ae9197bddd8Post:0013941d-7ce1-425a-99a2-3c47454ff4b9">Re: Salmon or Swordfish</a>:
[QUOTE]I Response to Re: Salmon or Swordfish : are they grilling it to order? are they swordfish steaks?  if it sits for even a few minutes it goes and keeps cooking to the point of over done-they're tough to cook!! I'm not saying it's impossible but  that's why i suggested a white fish that's more forgving.
Posted by alithebride[/QUOTE]

<div>Yes, they are grilled to order.  For our caterer, that's the difference between stations and buffet- the stations are action station.  From what I've heard, grazing stations are action stations.  Could be wrong though.  Also, I cook swordfish a lot and I've never seen it be that temperamental- as long as the fish is very fresh, it can sit for a few minutes without drying out.</div>

Karmasmom

I'd go with salmon - wild if you can get it. I'm not keen on the artificial color in farmed salmon.

Xanax4breakfast

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_salmon-or-swordfish?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:a6ca7feb-dd4e-4947-951d-7ae9197bddd8Post:f48c1915-df2e-40c7-9e3c-1b6640cf68ef">Re: Salmon or Swordfish</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Salmon or Swordfish : Definitely not necessarily true from an environmental standpoint.   OP, I would go with salmon, I think it is more of a crowd-pleaser.  
Posted by jessicabessica[/QUOTE]

<div>Whoopsies - you are absolutely right - my thinking and typing weren't lining up - WILD salmon if you can get it - not farmed. </div>

alithebride

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_salmon-or-swordfish?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:5Discussion:a6ca7feb-dd4e-4947-951d-7ae9197bddd8Post:e7a8e598-cf44-43c0-8cfb-15078299aa68">Re: Salmon or Swordfish</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Salmon or Swordfish : Yes, they are grilled to order.  For our caterer, that's the difference between stations and buffet- the stations are action station.  From what I've heard, grazing stations are action stations.  Could be wrong though.  Also, I cook swordfish a lot and I've never seen it be that temperamental- as long as the fish is very fresh, it can sit for a few minutes without drying out.
Posted by melb2013[/QUOTE]

grilled to order is great then! i cook it a lot too and love it but have been out where it's just been cooked to death LOL.
grazing.... it seems that they're trying to make a new name for the same old thing.  I asked because i'd not heard that term before regarding dinner. so it's a dinner with action stations. ok then call it that :)  all i could think of was that your foood would be out for the entire reception for everyone to graze and eat like 5 hours of passed appeetizers (which would be great).
action stations are manned. it doensn't necessarily mean cooked to order jsut someone there be it slicing meat, serving things etc... often pasta stations are like that but it does not automatically mean that anythign is cooked to order only that there is someone there to put the food on the plate of the guest instead of the guest doing it themselves.

blaricchia

Thanks everyone.  I'm very lucky that my venue is all inclusive.  It doesn't matter if we have swordfish or salmon our price for fish does not change.  I'm more concerned with the drying out of the fish.  As per the chef either the salmon or swordfish works for a grazing menu.  I like the idea of the mango salsa, for the summer on the swordfish.  The sauce on the salmon makes we wonder if it's because it will be dry. 

The portions will be small so that everyone will be able to have chicken, prime rib and pasta as well.  We are doing stations with servers, so no one will be serving themselves. 

 

Salmon is a wedding staple and swordfish just might be a nice change.