Food, glorious food...

I love food. I love cooking it, I love buying it, and I LOVE eating it. So finding a caterer should be fun, right? I lay the spreadsheet aside and decided to go with my gut on this one; no pun intended. Armed with a list of recommended caterers from Thistle Hill, the search began.

Here is what I quickly discovered: food is expensive. And especially so when someone else cuts it up and artfully arranges it on festive trays. I understand that quality food requires quality preparation, but how can a selection of fruit and cheese cost $25 per person? Seriously? Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit. But not by much. Chalk it up to the infamous wedding racket.

As ludicrous as it sounds, I've actually toyed with the idea of doing all the food for our wedding myself. My culinary chops have been put to the test on more than one occasion. And they've almost always emerged victorious. How difficult could it be? I've cooked for large groups before.... And then my voice of reason returns; the voice that not so gently reminds me that should I undertake this task I would most certainly experience the agony of defeat. It would be my bridal downfall. So I will follow the example of many sage brides who have gone before me, and outsource to a capable, yet reasonably-priced caterer.

And that's when I met Deb. She offered me leftover Artichoke Florentine dip and raspberry tea, and chatted me up as though we were old friends. I was impressed with her seemingly endless menu, her appreciation of great food, and her willingness to work on a budget. But let's be honest; she had me at Artichoke Florentine. This looks promising...