This may seem silly to even ask, as there are so many options and everyone will make their own decision in the end, but how does one ever narrow down menu selections? Let me explain.
My fiance is Dominican and the vast majority of his family and friends are either that, or Haitian, or some sort of West Indian and live in NYC. My family that I grew up with is from South Carolina and very southern, and most of the men (and even some women) in my family hunt wild game. My mother is of French and Moroccan descent, and although I did not grow up with her family I share her enthusiasm for both French and middle eastern cuisine. Many of my close friends are Mexican, and over the years my cooking has been heavily influenced by latin foods. Last but not least I work for a Syrian man who owns several middle eastern restaurants and who, along with his wife and close friends, have essentially become my second family. All of these cultures have nurtured me, mind body and soul and their food brings back wonderful memories.
My thoughts are to make a mixed meal where my family is able to taste traditional food from my fiance's side and vice versa. I am planning to serve this family style and am trying to think of a way that I could accomplish this without everyone just serving themselves the food that they are used to. What I am sure about is that I want to have some decent vegetarian options (I love mushrooms), avoiding pork or too many starches. I also have decided to serve hot tea at the end as we do for traditional middle eastern meals.
My younger sister is a chef in the city where I am planning my fall wedding and recently began working for a reputable catering company. She also has connections with vendors and the art school in the same city and needless to say will be able to work magic for my minimal budget. My brothers could hunt wild game for me and all that I would have to pay is the fee to have it processed, if that. My boss would also be willing to contribute food if I gave him half a chance. I am very lucky in that I am not limited by budget or know-how and now I am excited to come up with a menu that will be exciting and memorable to our guests.
What I need now is an idea how to narrow it down! Any foodies out there who would like to contribute some creative ideas would be greatly appreciated.