w hether it’s a cast-iron pot of dark Venezuelan chocolate or a succulent spread of beef bourguignon, a fondue spread at your wedding is sure to melt hungry hearts. Depending on the region, Swiss fondue comes with a variety of finger-licking quirks – Morel mushrooms from Geneva, plum schnapps from Fribourg, and dry cider from the East. Give guests the option of choosing between something super

a garden salad with balsamic vinaigrette is dainty like edible gossamer, but with cucumber soups and stuffed squash blossoms reigning the appetizer menu, those dutiful leaves are looking a little wane. Get your salad to man up with off-collared greens, candied nuts, exotic fruit and savory meats. Add a light drizzling of honey Dijon, or a heavy dollop of creamy chive to your avant-garde medley, an

r ecently, the kiddy confectionary and after school snack worked their way from guilty pleasure to hot menu item. It all began with the cupcake, lost its fad status with the candy bar, and now, homey roots be damned, cookies have gone couture. Fresh ingredients, attention to detail and pure passion justify the humble goody’s lofty suffix. L&V Sweets, ‘the sweet cookie boutique’ from Montreal,

a silvery fork cuts into a gold-gilden crust, showering a fine-bone plate with buttery flakiness and bejeweled twinkling filling. Every mouthful is an Appalachian folk song, every escapist drop, a flock of four and twenty blackbirds. A decadent alternative to cake-ification, pie à la mode conjures up scoops ‘n’ slices of grandmum hugs and aubergine picnics– tastebuds and tummies leave baski

u ndeniably help-yourself hearty and oh-so down-home homey, soup has always sidled up to a slice of humdrum humble pie. Despite can-opened connotations of campfire tin tureens and stick-to-your ribs consistency, today’s consommés are down right campy, popping up at wedding receptions all over and flushing with obscure fusions of fruit, nuts, and spirits. After a ladled-with-luv pastiche of succu