subject: Are You In The Middle Of Holiday Party Planning? Try These Tasty Regional Specialties [print this page] Are You In The Middle Of Holiday Party Planning? Try These Tasty Regional Specialties
Give your holiday party planning an inspiring new theme -- and taste. For a special and fresh Christmas menu, combine foods from the four corners of America and follow this meal with festive Christmas entertainment.
How intriguing would it be to offer your dinner guests traditional Christmas recipes from across America? America has traditionally been called a melting pot, but it's really a "stew" of ethnic and regional tastes. Each region and ethnicity has retained its uniqueness and resides side by side in this great country -- just like carrots and potatoes in your favorite stew.
Celebrate the rich culinary heritage of our ancestors and the new and unique tastes of our newest citizens together this Christmas! Here are some suggestions to consider:
Robust and Flavor-filled Entrees
You can just about guess from where these varieties of "meats" originate: Ancho honey ham, Dijon garlic salmon, orange-chili turkey, roasted prime rib of beef, deep-fried Cajun turkey, maple roasted turkey and gravy, chestnut stuffed roast goose, and orange duck. Choose two or three of these to liven up the diversity and taste of your holiday party planning.
Zesty and Fresh Salads
Choose from New England favorites like endive, walnut, and strawberry salad with walnut oil vinaigrette, fresh baby greens and dried cranberries with a creamy cranberry dressing of mayonnaise, fresh cranberries, and orange juice whirled together in a blender. Apple, walnut, and celery combined in a classic Waldorf salad is always a hit. For something that's easy to prepare in advance try a lemon gelatin with marinated California artichoke hearts, hearts of palm, avocado, banana, and sliced, stuffed green olives. Serve with an Italian dressing flavored mayonnaise on the side.
Savory Vegetables
On the vegetable menu are butternut squash casserole, candied yams, roasted Brussels sprouts tossed with a little walnut oil and chopped toasted walnuts. Collard greens with a hint of garlic, broccoli souffl, and stuffed cabbage rolls all find their roots in our ethnic heritage from Europe and Africa.
For a starch based dish, try eggplant and mushrooms with Minnesota wild rice, classic escalloped Yukon Gold potatoes, southern fresh creamed corn or cheese garlic grits, and Pacific Northwest oyster bread dressing. Noodles Romanoff and Polish perogis are great ideas from our eastern European immigrants.
Sweet Endings
For dessert choose a selection from Nicaraguan tres leche (3-milk) cake, Northwestern Washington apple cake, New England pear and blueberry crisp, Danish Kringle, southern pies - sweet potato, chess, pecan, and molasses are all favorites. And our English Colonial favorite plum pudding with hard sauce is a Christmas tradition.
I happened to come across this site and will pass it on to you, hoping your holiday party planning will be inspired to add some new directions and tastes to your holiday table. http://allrecipes.com//HowTo/christmas-across-america/Detail.aspx
Whatever you choose to assemble from this selection of edibles, your menu will have your guests begging you for recipes until you reveal your source of inspiration.
To round out your holiday party planning arrange for some fun and entertainment. Consider these ideas. Some engage your guests and others let them relax and enjoy the talents of others.
Invite carolers from the local church, high school, or community choir to perform.
A local Dickens Society or community playhouse may be prepared to perform a scene from A Christmas Carol.
Plug in a DVD and watch a classic Christmas movie with coffee, spiced tea and dessert. Two of my favorites are "A Christmas Story" and "It's A Wonderful Life."
Plan games that have a Christmas theme My most memorable Christmas, my favorite Christmas gift, Christmas trivia, or Christmas charades.
A themed gift exchange kitchen utensils, cigars, favorite recipes, snack foods, chocolate bars, tools, gadgets, books, used CDs or DVDs
A classic white elephant gift exchange. Require that the giver explain where the item came from and why they don't want it anymore. Have a large trash can nearby for permanent disposal of items!
Holiday stories and traditions from each guest's background whether Christmas or not.
Your holiday party planning will be a success and your guests will leave full of good food and good Christmas cheer if you follow even a few of the suggestions here.
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