Your Themed Holiday Party

What better than heading to an exotic place for the holidays .There are  aromas, spice laden and rich, different foods, just waiting to be tried,However you  don't have to go around the world for couscous or gravlax. You can have a themed food holiday party, celebrating a country's cuisine. It could reflect your ethnic heritage or be one you're fascinated by. Just make it fun, tasty and different

Of course one of the most exotic is Moroccan cuisine. It's highly spiced, fragrant and different.Treat your guests to couscous, one of Morocco's most famous dishes. This is a Berber dish of steamed semolina with any kind of meat or veggie stew ladled over it.Try a spicy lamb one , seasoned with cinnamon and cardamom and for seafood lovers  one with cod. Another dish , perfect for a get together is a tangine, This is a slow cooked savory stew which could also be served with couscous. Luckily tangine can be cooked up  in you pressure cooker because it requires four to five hours of slow cooking. Ingredients are a mix of sweet and savory . Dates are cooked with lamb and spices .You can also make a vegan one with tomatoes and carrots or olives and mixed veggies. For more authenticity you can add a heavy sprinkling of almonds on top. Chinese food is another party favorite, however stay away from the ho hum egg rolls and fried rice. Try a Szechuan buffet instead.The dishes are bold and fiery ,thanks to the use of the Szechuan pepper huajiaao.Szechuan hot pot is the perfect party dish. Imagine a big pot of everything from wontons to dumplings to seafood.One of the most delicious is tea smoked duck. This is  delicately spiced duck that can be cooked and even smoked in a home wok. It's served in melt in paper thin slices that melt in your mouth.

England may not be the first place you think of for exotic or even exotic food. Yet their Christmas party foods are fun and tasty.  Remember all those dinners you've seen on Downton Abbey? You can sort of recreate them for your guests. Roast turkey and ham for guests along with setting up a carving table,If this is too much , then  ask your local diner to do all the cooking or roast one meat while a friend or relative can help out by roasting the other. Mini mince pies are always a fun treat as are sausage rolls and Cornish pasties.End the night with a flaming plum pudding, alit with a good dose of brandy. Also give out crackers, those holiday favors that are filled with a paper crown, a prize and a corny joke,Scandanavians know how to throw a tasty holiday get together, Make a plate of kottbullar or the famed Swedish meatballs. These are a yummy mix of veal, pork and beef. Milk soaked bread crumbs are added for body.Gravlax is another treat. This is cured North Atlantic salmon that s brined in sugar , salt and dill.It's served on rye toast rounds  which can be buttered. Have it with the fiery Aquavit for a holiday toast. Finish with the tradition of seven cookies, including a take on the holiday ginger snap , the heart shaped Peperkakor

Travel the world for your holiday party. Enjoy the fiery cuisine of the Szechuan provence or the sultry spices of Morocco.Nibble mince pies from England or gingerbread cookies from Sweden. It's a fun way to celebrate the season with a culinary tour.