Moroccan Dinner Party

Theme parties are always fun, the essence of Moroccan food is a communal style of eating with many dishes shared by the family or guests, this is why hosting a Moroccan party can be specially entertaining.

Setting the scene:

An Important part of Moroccan culture is making guests feel welcome, the party scene should have a relaxed and welcoming feeling

1. Rug @ the world Market ($45.00), or use any old area rug you have around the house.

2. For tablecloth go to you local fabric supplier and buy some bright color fabric ($12.00 x Yard), If you want to save use only one fabric in you table. Buy extra for coordinated napkins.

3. Toss pillows starting @ 14.99. saving tip: gather every pillow from around your hose, line them on both sides of the table and throw a bright color fabric over them.

4. Lighting: set the mood with some Moroccan style lights, Teardrop garden candels ($20.00), Mini Punch Lanterns ( $12.00).

5. Centerpiece: Moroccan dinners are composed of various dishes, so your centerpiece should be simple, that way the table won’t look overcrowded. Moroccan Candle Holders ($25.00), Moroccan candle holder ($19.00)

Dinnerware:

1. Drinking: Moroccan dinner is traditionally serves with tea, Te Glasses (6 for $38.00), Tea Pot ($18.00).

2. Food is served in Tagines (24.00), you can buy one for your main dish, and serve the other dishes in regular serving dishes.

Music:

1. Morocan Spirit ($18.00)

For Fun:

Going all out:

If you’re planning a Moroccan party for a lot of guests, rent or replicate Moroccan tent.

Cocktail:

Charbay Moroccan Cocktail
From About Cocktails

2 oz Charbay Pomegranate Vodka
1/2 oz cardamom-infused simple syrup, recipe follows
1/2 oz lemon juice
1/2 oz pomegranate puree or juice

1. Pour the vodka, cardamom simple syrup, lemon juice and pomegranate puree in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.

Shake well.

2. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Serves 1.

Cardamom Simple Syrup

1 cup water
1/4 cup whole cardamom
2 cups sugar

1. Bring water and cardamom to a boil.
2. Stir in sugar until fully dissolved.
3. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
4. Keep in the refrigerator for 3 days, then remove the cardamom
5. Serve in Moroccan tea glasses or martini glass.

The food:

Rosmary Salty Dog

Ingredients

1 grapefruit wedge and kosher saltone 1-inch piece of rosemary sprig, plus 1 sprig for garnish
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 ounces fresh red grapefruit juice
1 1/2 ounces gin
ice

Method

Moisten the outer rim of a martini glass with the grapefruit wedge and coat lightly with salt. In a cocktail shaker, muddle the 1-inch rosemary sprig with the sugar. Add the grapefruit juice, gin and ice and shake vigorously. Strain into the ma

rtini glass and garnish with the rosemary sprig.

Recipe via: Mattbites

Gin:

Hendrick’s Gin

Vodka Infusion

You will need: flavor infusers (fruit, herbs, spices), a glass container & a good quality vodka.

Flavor: you can infused vodka with just about any fruit, herb or spice so GO WILD! when choosing your flavor infuser keep in mind that Strong flavored fruits, herbs & spices take less time.

Infusion time:

Vanilla beans, lemons, oranges, grapefruit, limes, mint, basil, oregano, dill & thyme = 4 days

Cantaloupes, strawberries, peaches, mango, pitted cherries, raspberries, berries = 1 week

Chili peppers, pineapple, ginger and lemon-grass = 2 weeks

Citrus Infusion

Whole Orange infusion

3 whole sweet oranges, cut into wedges 1/2 lemon
2 whole cloves
1 750ml. Bottle of Vodka
Sugar syrup to taste

Orange peel infusion

Peels from 4 medium size oranges,scraped and cut into chunks
1 750ml. Bottle of Vodka
Sugar syrup to taste

Lemon-Lime infusion

Scraped and sliced peels of 4 lemons and 4 limes
1 750ml. Bottle of Vodka
Sugar syrup to taste

Tangerine infusion

4-5 tangerines cut into wedges4 whole cloves(optional)
1 750ml. Bottle of Vodka
Sugar syrup to taste

Grapefruit infusion

Scraped outer peel of 2 grapefruits cut into pieces
1 750ml. Bottle of Vodka
Sugar syrup to taste

Fruit Infusion

Tart apple infusion
4-average size tart eating apples
2 cloves(optional)
pinch of nutmeg(optional)
1 750ml bottle of Vodka
Sugar syrup to taste

Sweet apple infusion

4 average size Red Delicious apples
2 cloves(optional)
pinch of cinnamon(optional)
1 750ml. Bottle of Vodka
Sugar syrup to taste

Fresh apricot infusion

1 pound fresh apricots
1 750 ml. Bottle of Vodka
Sugar syrup to taste

Dried apricot infusion

1/2 pound dried pitted apricots
1 cup boiled water(soak fruit prior to addition)
5 whole almonds
1 750 ml. Bottle of Vodka
Sugar syrup to taste

Banana infusion

2 medium-size bananas, peeled
2” length of vanilla bean
1 750 ml. Bottle of Vodka Sugar syrup to taste

Berry Infusion

Cranberry infusion

1 pound fresh cranberries
Sliced and scraped peel of 1/4 orange
Sliced and scraped peel of 1/2 lemon
1 750 ml. Bottle of Vodka
Sugar syrup to taste

Raspberry infusion

1 1/2 cups ripe raspberries
Sliced and scraped peel of 1/2 lemon
1750 ml. Bottle of Vodka
Sugar syrup to taste

Blueberry infusion

1 pound fresh blueberries
Sliced and scraped peel of 1/2 lemon
1 750ml. Bottle of Vodka
Sugar syrup to taste

Blackberry infusion

1 pound fresh blackberries
1 750ml. Bottle of Vodka
Sugar syrup to taste

Strawberry infusion

3 cups fresh strawberries cut into thirds
3 tablespoons powder sugar(sprinkle on strawberries let dissolve)
1 750ml. Bottle of Vodka
Sugar syrup to taste

Spice Infusion
Allspice
3/4 teaspoon allspice
1 750ml. Bottle of Vodka
Sugar syrup to taste

Anise seed

2/3 tablespoon anise seed
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
1/2 teaspoon coriander seed
1 750ml. Bottle of Vodka
Sugar syrup to taste

Licorice root

2 1/2 tablespoons chopped licorice root
1 750ml. Bottle of Vodka
Sugar syrup to taste

Star anise

2/3 tablespoon star anise broken and crushed
1 750ml. Bottle of Vodka
Sugar syrup to taste
Place a whole star in Bottle prior to filling for visual effect

Cinnamon coriander

2” cinnamon stick (1 1/2 tablespoons ground)
1 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed
2 cloves
1 750 ml. Bottle of Vodka
Sugar syrup to taste

Beans and Nuts

Coffee

1/2 cup cracked fresh coffee beans(do not grind)
1/2 chopped vanilla bean
1 750ml. Bottle of Vodka
Sugar syrup to taste

Vanilla bean

2 fresh whole vanilla beans about 5” long
1 750ml. Bottle of Vodka
Sugar syrup to taste

Chocolate

2 teaspoons pure chocolate extract used for baking
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 750ml. Bottle of Vodka
Sugar syrup to taste

Almond

3 ounces chopped unsalted almonds
Pinch of cinnamon
1 750ml. Bottle of Vodka
Sugar syrup to taste

Coconut

12 ounces of fresh coconut (white meaty portion)
3 coriander seeds
1’ piece of vanilla bean
1 750ml. Bottle of Vodka

Pepper Vodka

The hottest thing to ever hit a bottle of vodka, this infusion adds a perfect element of spicy boost guaranteed to produce the best damn Bloody Marys.

1 serrano chile, stemmed, seeded, and quartered lengthwise
1 jaiapeño chiie, stemmed, seeded, and quartered lengthwise
1 red habanero chile, stemmed, seeded, and quartered lengthwise
One 750-ml bottle good-quality vodka

Liquid Measurements:

750ml bottle – 25.4 ounces

1 liter bottle – 33.8 ounces

Source

http://www.infused-vodka.com/

Buy infusion jars at www.infused-vodka.com

further reading:

$20.00 @ amazon.com

Happy Infusing !!!!

The River Cottage Meat Book

This is not just any cookbook…… this is the ultimate meat encyclopedia.

If you’re a meat lover you have to get this book. The recipes are to die for plus it gives you all types of tips on how to cook, cure, store and eat meat.

On top of all that the book is nicely written and the images are also extraordinary.

$40.00

Jello shot makeover

Here are some ideas on how to pimp up your shots

Links to some yummy recipes:

Coffee Jello shots (substitute coffee liquor for half of the espresso)

Mojito Jello shots

Margarita anyone?

Margaritaville Frozen Drink Maker

Make some mean margaritas with this cool yet quite expensive ($380.00) frozen drink maker.

Bye Bye FAT

Cool tools that help with healthy eating and shedding pounds!!!

Mystic Maid Grease Blotter absorbs approximately 2 TABLESPOON OF FAT from your meal, great for getting rid of that nasty fat that floats on soups. Simple to use and cheap, well…..cheaper than a trip to the emergency room with clogged arteries.

10 Grease Blotters for $5.00

Save the flavor, lose the fat with the XOX Fat Separator. Will come in handy when making my grandma’s gravy.

This cool product has a non slip handle, is heat resistant and dishwasher safe…what else can we ask for?

$16.95

The king of fat reduction —– George Foreman

His grills reduce your fat intake by 4%, and food still tastes great.

I love his Next Grilleration Removable Plate Grill, you can make anything & everything with this grill: waffles, meat, chicken, even cookies!

$150.00 now on sale at amazon.com for $99.00

Hope these products help you on your path to healthy eating. Let me know if you know of any other products that can be added to the bye bye fat list.