Your Hampshire and Dorset Wedding - Page number 92 - September/October 2021 (Issue 88)

FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD We’re getting married in the autumn and would love to offer guests a delicious seasonal menu. What would you recommend? Matt says: Autumn is a great time of year for food with lots of possibilities for some fabulous flavour combinations. Locally caught mackerel is available early in the season before they head out to warmer waters for the winter. I like to cure and oak-smoke the fillets and simply serve them with a celeriac and fresh apple remoulade sauce, apple gel and dill. One of my favourite dishes for this time of year is locally reared, roasted Hampshire pork fillet with an apple cider jus, topped with a crackling crumb and served with apple and sage compote, sautéed New Forest wild mushrooms and savoy cabbage and olive oil mash. Another great combination is sea bass, crab and fennel. This dish is a taste sensation featuring pan-fried, line-caught Lymington sea bass with a Dorset crab and chervil mayonnaise, roasted fennel, orange and a crab and white-wine sauce. Dessert wise, I love the classic pairing of chocolate and orange – think dark chocolate delice with chocolate soil, chocolate tuille, fresh orange, orange jelly and vanilla cream. The freshness of the orange cuts through the richness of the chocolate beautifully! Matt Doe | Owner | www.so41catering.co.uk MUM’S THE WORD What looks are on trend for the mother-of-the-bride this season? Debbie says: For autumn the palette is changing to more neutral colours. This is a very safe choice as it will go with everything and never seems to offend. These shades always look sophisticated and exude understated elegance and the one option that is never out of favour for mums is the ever-popular navy and ivory. This also works with practically every colour of the rainbow and remember; a darker colour will give you a slimmer silhouette. Don’t forget the hat either, as this will elevate your chosen outfit to another level, and if the designer makes a specific hat to go with it, you can’t go wrong. Debbie Hill | Owner | www.charismaoffawley.co.uk SWEET DREAMS How can we make sure our wedding cake looks and tastes great and complements our autumn theme too? Suzanne says: With weddings getting back to normal, big cakes are returning! Naked and semi-naked creations are a popular option and can be tailored to reflect the time of year using different types of seasonal fruits and flowers. Ivy or fern decorations and earthy colours like orange, brown and yellow add an extra autumnal feel. Cakes made to look like log slices are another favourite, decorated with autumnal leaves, fir and pine cones, forest animal designs or flowers. Couples often like to have their initials or names added to look like a carving on a tree trunk, which adds a lovely personal touch. As for the taste, classic vanilla is always a winner, along with lemon or salted caramel. Fruit cakes with a twist, including papaya, mango or pineapple pieces is another way to add flavour and pops of autumnal colours to surprise your guests when the cake is cut. Suzanne Glew | Cakemaker | www.ditsyscakes.uk 92