Dining In!
August 9, 2007 (TAGS: Jewish Learning )
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Learn about Jewish communities in exotic locations through food and ambiance. Cook a meal based on the recipes of a specific region and prepare a handout giving interesting details about the community.Heighten the experience with decorations and music. Plan a onetime celebration or make it a regular calender event, this event is suited for either.
The Plan: Decide on a country you want to showcase and do some research. Start putting together a menu as soon as possible. It can be as simple as a special snack that you serve while mingling or as elaborate as a five-course meal. For recipes, look to websites such as www.epicurious.com or http://www.foodtv.com. Another great resource is "The Book of Jewish Food: An Oddyssey from Samarkand to New York" by Claudia Roden which has lots of tasty recipes from all over the Jewish world with informational tidbits scattered inbetween.
Make it Happen: You'll need to take into account how long it will take to prepare the feast you've planned.Try to get as many people as you can involved in the cooking so everyone feels they have been in on the action. Create a committee ahead of time to deal with decorations and other non-food aspects of the evening.
Strategies for Success: Make sure to have at least one food on the menu that is simple (and familiar) enough that everyone will like it, even less adventurous eaters.
Variations: Dining In! can be turned into an innovative way to spice up Shabbat dinner or a unique Passover program showcasing all the different ways Jews celebrate our universal holidays.