Two weeks ago, we were invited to my husband's high-school friend wedding.
As a "typical Istanbul" wedding, it was held in a beautiful mansion-type on the Asian side overlooking the Bosphorus. The view was absolutely amazing!
The guests matched somehow the upscale setting and table decoration. After the civil wedding part, we were invited to our tables, "sumptuously" decorated for the occasion. Oh and please please please, excuse the bad quality of the pictures as it was obviously night-time and I took the pictures with my Iphone.
The funny thing was that the guests at our table were surprised by me taking pictures of the food :) So I explained..." well I write a food blog....oh and I am a foreigner..." (the second part of my sentence was more satisfactory it seemed).
The four-course menu included a nice variety of dishes and flavors, although it seemed quite "standard" as a wedding menu (so to speak):
Saray Lezzetleri Tabağı: üçgen peynir, çerkez tavuğu, somon, enginar dolması, fava, domates patlıcan salatasi
(Palace-style plate: triangle of Turkish white-cheese, Circassian walnut-chicken spread, artichoke dolma, broad-bean purée, tomato-aubergine salad)
***
Ispanakli, tulum peynirli ve cevizli vol au vant, domates sos eşliğinde
(Spinach, Tulum-cheese and walnut vol-au-vent with tomato sauce (typo error in "vol au vant")
***
Kuzu Tandır, iç pilav, ve beğendi ile
(Lamb Roast with Pilav and aubergine purée)
***
Hurmalı Incir Tatlısı
(Date and Fig Dessert)
Unfortunately, I only thought about taking pictures after the second course. The first course, the "Palace-Style Plate" was a nice assortment of mezze in small portions. All were quite tasty except for the tomato-aubergine salad which had a strange smoky flavor that I didnt' quite like.
Unfortunately, I only thought about taking pictures after the second course. The first course, the "Palace-Style Plate" was a nice assortment of mezze in small portions. All were quite tasty except for the tomato-aubergine salad which had a strange smoky flavor that I didnt' quite like.
The second course, was the spinach vol-au-vent, (wikipedia entry vol-au-vent, which explains the name reference to the crispiness and lightness of this puff pastry, that can be "blown by the wind", nice no?).
I liked the Tulum cheese-spinach-walnut stuffing but the dish needed more of the tomato sauce, as overall this entry was a bit dry.
The third-course and main dish, was the traditional Kuzu Tandir (TR) - Lamb Roast (EN) - Gigot d'Agneau (FR) - خروف محمر (AR).
A typical wedding meal in both Turkish and Arab cultures. The meat was tender to perfection, although slightly fatty but it is lamb so......
The accompaniment was a perfect Pilav rice with black-currant and roasted pine nuts. In addition, one of my favorite Turkish recipe Patlıcan Beğendi. This latter consists of roasted eggplant, that are skinned, seeded off and pureed. Then a béchamel sauce is prepared with flour and butter, and mixed to the aubergine purée.
Finally, the last course was surprisingly delicious, as as I told my husband "this is MY type of dessert". A perfectly sweetened and smooth mix of dried figs and dates, topped with vanilla ice cream, and an almond-flavored cream.
As for the pictures, as we say in French "je me suis bien amusée", I had indeed quite of lot of fun taking different pictures as the spot lights were changing colors....Disco!
An enjoyable evening indeed, with nice food and drinks, good music and dance.
Wishing E & D all the happiness!
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