A 'Burgh Inspired Wedding Reception in the Mountain State

On what turned out to be a gorgeous May Friday evening, my high school sweetheart (delayed) and I exchanged our wedding vows in front of a very small gathering of friends and family at the Shaw House in Fairmont, WV.  Our wedding was vintage inspired, and very elegantly simple.  I will be sharing more photos on this blog post than I normally do, but hey it is not everyday that a gal gets married, right? ;)  The ceremony was sweet and right to the point (just like me most of the time).  But let's be real.  Most of us really love attending a wedding for the reception grub and usually the free drinks, right?  Hehehehe...
The husband and I knew that we wanted to keep the reception menu uncomplicated, delicious, and most of all 'Burgh LOCAL.
So, let's get to it.

From top left, clockwise:

• Our reception spread was provided by the caterer and chef at Shaw House.  This two-person culinary team did most of their shopping for the menu in the Strip District.  Our menu included a lovely Nicoise salad, a beautifully poached salmon, a tender rosemary herbed beef tenderloin, an amazing spinach artichoke dip, and a fresh and gorgeous fruit platter.
• Our reception spread also offered hunks of self-serve (aka, have as big of a piece as you would like) fresh cheeses for our guests- a nice sharp white cheddar, a more mild Porterhouse cheese, and a sweet Stilton with apricots. 
• The cakes... Yes, the cakes.  We did not go the traditional tiered cake route here.  We delighted our guests with six different cakes all courtesy of the lovely bakery at Delallo Italian Marketplace in Jeannette.  I am pretty sure that most of the guests came back for a second or third slice.  I mean, you can't just try one...  ;)
• When I started to think of the wedding favors I wanted to send my guests home with, I knew that personalized M&M's or those Jordan almonds were not going to cut it for me.  We offered each of our lovely guests Peanut Butter and/or Dark Chocolate marshmallows (seen in the little silver boxes) from the Pittsburgh Marshmallow Factory.  We also created our own take on the candy bar, but used popcorn from the Pittsburgh Popcorn Company instead.  After tasting every flavor popcorn the Company had to offer that week, we settled on one savory and one sweet- Sour Cream & Onion and Baklava. 

Okay, now to share just a few more pics.  Who doesn't like pics from weddings?  ;)

My lovely sister (maid of honor) is featured in the photos on the left and right.  And yes, in the pic to the right she is proudly displaying her Yuengling bottled beer. ;)

*All photos were taken by the extremely talented photographer and my longtime friend, Mr. William Brian Bee.

A Suburghian Locavore's Paradise in the Big 'Burgh- The Pittsburgh Public Market

2100 Smallman Street at 17th, Pittsburgh



This past Saturday I had the wonderful pleasure of attending the Pittsburgh Public Market for the first time.  As a Columbus transplant, I immediately felt that a missing puzzle piece had just been snapped into place for me. (You see, we have a very similiar kind of indoor market place in the Buckeye city.  And I had been missing it very much. ;) )  Local bakeries, candy makers, farmstands, food vendors, and what is that??  A local brewery selling growlers in the corner of the market?  Yep.  This is definitely the place for me- a foodie, a locavore, and a lover of craft beer. I could spend hours in here sampling the goods, talking to the farmers, inquiring about how something is baked or made.  So, what goodies ended up in my shopping tote Saturday?

Let's get to it...

From top left, clockwise:

• These cookies live up to their name, To Die For.  We were immediately drawn to this plate of cookies (and I think you can see why!) despite all the other delicious baked goodness that Espresso Specialty Foods was offering.

• Homemade marshmallows from The Pittsburgh Marshmallow Factory.  We are especially partial to the peanut butter.  But we also took home the dark chocolate and bananas foster.  (Did I mention that we are going to give away these delicious marshmallows as wedding favors at our reception next month?)

• Gala apples from Morning Dew Orchards.  We were offered an apple to sample before we decided to make a purchase.  (A whole apple, not just a slice.)  The sweet, fresh crunchiness sold us. :)

• A growler of the East End Brewing Company's Session Amber Ale.  The East End Brewing Company's taps in the market are a new (and a most appreciated!) addition.

What you need to know before you go:

• The above listed are not the only local goodies that ended up in my shopping tote.  A jar of Blueberry Butter from the Berry Patch and a couple of yogurt dipped doggie bones (for which our papillon was very grateful!) from Four Paws Bakery also found their way in there... :)



• The market is only open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays so plan your weekend accordingly.
• Bring change, for most of the parking near the market is metered (except for Sundays!).
• Don't forget to bring your own reusable shopping tote (or maybe 2, or 3...).  If you forget your's, they have lovely Pittsburgh Public Market totes that you can buy upstairs for $5.

For hours, directions, and a list of merchants by day, visit below:

http://pittsburghpublicmarket.org/