plan an italian banquet
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It doesn't matter if your family hails from Palermo, Stockholm, or Detroit- an Italian buffet will always please even the pickiest of party guests. According to a 2007 Harris poll, most people in America will choose to dine on Italian fare than any other ethnic cuisine. From the first course to the evening's final cup of coffee, Italian food and drink is as diverse as the people who inhabit this boot shaped country.
Things You'll Need
- Empty Chianti Bottles
- Straw Baskets
- Candles
- Wine
- Pasta
- Seasonal fruits and vegetables
- Cookies or cakes
- Tarantella Dancers
Instructions
Plan your meal accordingly
1
Plan on serving a traditional Italian menu, which will include seven to nine courses and is based around a particular region of the country. These can include the Northern Italian style which includes the use use of sheep milk cheese, or Tuscan cooking and its white beans and unsalted breads.
2
Italian cooking is not only regional, it is also seasonal. Choose to incorporate only the freshest fruits and vegetables into your cuisine. For example, fresh pumpkins and eggplant are plentiful in the fall. You could make pumpkin ravioli or eggplant lasagna.
3
Many traditional Italian meals begin with a bottle of wine. The most well known Italian vintages come from three regions: Piemonte, Veneto, and Toscana. Chianti, for instance,is a popular wine that comes from the Toscana region.
Set the mood
4
Hire a pair of traditional Italian Tarantella dancers. Tarantella is an folk-couples dance that accelerates in speed from 3/8 to 6/8 time. Contact a local dance troupe to play the part.
5
Place an individual candle, preferably red, into each empty chianti bottle.
6
Use the straw baskets as a base for your newly fashioned candle holders. These will be your centerpieces.
Begin the feast.
7
Begin with an apertivo ( appetizer). Popular choices include: a Montgomery, which is a martini, heavy on the gin, Strega, a sweet liquor.
8
A hot or cold antipasto is served next. This can be a salad which contains cold meats, but you can use your own imagination. Once again, use seasonal choices. Another great fall choice is a bit-sized apple and proscuitto sandwich.
9
In Italian cuisine, the first course is usually the pasta course. You can choose whichever pasta is a favorite of yours, or a guest of honor. Choices include ziti, manicotti, or spaghetti.
10
The second, or main, course should be either chicken, veal, or fish. In Northern Italy, veal is a very popular choice. Prepare a veal Sorrentino, a dish that once again, involves the use of seasonal eggplant.
11
Serve one or two desserts. Cheese and fruit for the more health-conscious guests, or cookies and cakes for the kids. You could serve cannoli or tiramisu, which is an ice cream dessert.
Tips &- Warnings
Encourage your guests to dance along with the evening's entertainment.
If the budget permits, hire a traditional Italian band to provide the music.
Tags: traditional Italian, first course, fruits vegetables, italian banquet, plan italianSource: www.ehow.com
