| Moroccan Party |
From "Ask DIY"
episode ADI-406 |
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Q: I'm having a dinner party and want to try something different, even exotic. Can you help me with ideas? A: (from Jeanne Benedict, Ask DIY Entertaining expert) You could create a fantastic Moroccan feast for your guests. Here are some ideas to get you started: - Create a tent in your dining room. Tie lengths of brightly colored fabric in a topknot to an existing ceiling light fixture (figure A). (Make sure the fixture is sturdy enough to hold it, and don't let the fabric touch the light if it will be turned on. If the light is left off, you can light the room with candles.
- Hang ropes of plastic beads from the center of the chandelier to fill in the gap between the tent and the table.
- To create a low table for your guests, rent one of those long tables with folding legs from the party rental center and prop it securely on milk crates. Cover it with a bright cloth.
- You can get columns (the type that are used as cement forms) at the hardware store and use them to support the "tent" (figure B).
- Decorate candles by shortening corsage pins to about 1/2" with wire cutters and sticking them into the candles. Then drape beads over the pins. Don't make the pins too long, and don't use brass tacks: both will run the risk of breaking the candles.
- You can also sprinkle belly-dancer coins around the candles and on the table for added glitter.
- Wrap a beaded-wire bracelet around a pillar candle (figure C).
- If you have some exotic-looking earrings for pierced ears, simply stick the earring post into the side of a candle and let the earring dangle down the side (figure D).
- Decorate with foil-covered chocolate coins, votive candles and metal lanterns.
- Your dinnerware should be rustic-looking, if possible. The contrast between the earthy plates, sparkling "coins" and beaded napkin rings will add to the Moroccan feel of the table setting (figure E).
- Inexpensive, brightly colored glassware is available at many venues -- check your local chain stores if you don't already own a selection (figure F).
- Your guests will seat themselves around the table on large cushions -- and if you don't have enough, don't hesitate to include a bring-your-own-pillow suggestion in the invitations.
- "Diaper" each pillow -- your own and your guests' -- with two colorful scarves. Fold each scarf into a square that will fit comfortably over a pillow, then knot a pair of scarves at the corners with a pillow sandwiched between (figure G).
- A typical Moroccan feast includes many courses. We served tangine chicken; bastilla (a combination of cinnamon, sugar and chicken in phyllo garnished with dried apricots and prunes; lamb kebabs on couscous; and chopped salad with chickpeas and lentils. If you don't want to tackle making a selection of exotic, unfamiliar delicacies, get a variety of Greek takeout dishes. Remember: The key in this type of party is color! The more colorful the food, the more exotic the party!
More questions for Jeanne... Q: I need some quick and easy appetizer ideas. Got any suggestions? A: I like to serve hors d'oeuvre cups. Just place wonton wrappers or tortillas in mini muffin tins, bake until crisp and golden, and fill with a selection of deli salads. Q: At my parties, people seem to gather in the kitchen even though the food is in the other room. What is the best way to get people to circulate? A: Make sure you have low lighting in the main party area and harsh lighting in the kitchen so it won't be so inviting. Or you can even hang a sign on the kitchen door: If you come in here, be willing to work! Q: Can I get by with using paper plates at a cocktail party for co-workers, or do I need to buy large quantities of dinnerware? A: Don't use paper -- use plastic! Go to a restaurant-supply store and get some of those hard, clear-plastic plates that restaurants use. The great thing about them is that you can even get them in 6" diameters, which is the ideal size for a cocktail party.
RESOURCES :
The Dinner Party Cookbook : Menus, Recipes, and Decorating Ideas for 21 Theme Parties
Model: 067131727X
Author: Karen Brown
1999
Pick a Party: The Big Book of Party Themes and Occasions
Model: 0671521233
Author: Patty Sachs
(September 1997); 204 pages
Party Foods
Planet Earth Foods, Inc
Santa Monica, CA 90403
Phone: 310-458-3096
Any Excuse for a Party!: Hundreds of Fantastic Themes, Invitations. . .
Model: 0787115657
Author: K. Callan
The Art of the Cocktail Party : The Complete Guide to Sophisticated Entertaining
Model: 0452272351
Author: Leslie Brenner
The $50 Dinner Party : 26 Dinner Parties. . .
Model: 0684842289
Author: Sally Sampson
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