Moroccan Tagine Dinner: A Housewarming Party with a Twist

Moroccan Chicken Tagine Dinner & Mint Tea: A housewarming idea with a twist.
Submitted by: The Moroccan Bazaar

You just moved in, unpacked, decorated and now you want to show off your new spot to your friends and bask in compliments and those delightful oohs and aahs. You need a cool housewarming party idea to go with your new space and your new you. How about a Moroccan Chicken Tagine Dinner with all the bells and whistles? Picture it! Mint tea, exotic flavors, wax luminaries, a little belly dancing entertainment, unique, original and chic! Roll up your sleeves and lets do it!!

A little intro to Moroccan Tagines:
Moroccan cuisine is unique, healthy, flavorful and synonym of sophistication. The main attraction of a Moroccan dinner is the Tagine. A Tagine is both the conical shaped clay dish and the entrée itself that usually consists in a chicken, lamb or meat stew with one or more vegetables.

The meal:
Cocktails, Kalamata Olives, cheeses and beef kabobs, as appetizers, are a great way to start your evening, followed by an eggplant salad. Use some warm pita bread for both the salad and the entrée. Now, comes the main attraction, the famous Tagine. Though they are hard to find, Tagines are becoming more popular. Authentic Tagines are only made in Morocco and out of clay and not cast iron which. Cooking in clay enhances the flavor during the cooking process. Make sure the Tagines are lead free and safe for cooking as many out there in the marketplace contain lead and represent a health hazard. For a gathering of more than 4 people use the Tagine to serve and present rather than cooking in it unless you have more than one. Remember to keep the dinner a secret at all times until you unveil the lid table side or as a center piece. If you want to be daring and have a blast make all your guests eat using the pita bread and their fingers (there is Moroccan etiquette for finger eating too…)

A little intro to Moroccan Tagines:
Moroccan cuisine is unique, healthy, flavorful and synonym of sophistication. The main attraction of a Moroccan dinner is the Tagine. A Tagine is both the conical shaped clay dish and the entrée itself that usually consists in a chicken, lamb or meat stew with one or more vegetables.

While they are still raving about the entrée serve them a hot and sweet green tea with mint. You can use typical Moroccan hand decorated tea glasses to serve the hot tea and garnish it with fresh mint leaves and some baklavas.

Entertainment:
While you and your guests are enjoying drinks and smooth Arabian fusion music (Buddha bar style) sneak away and in no time switch the music, dim the light and open the door for a belly dancer to come in and put on a show with audience participation that will make this housewarming party a “More Rock’n” one. A belly dancer can be hired from $75.00 to $125.00 for a 30 min show.

Moroccan tagines can be viewed and purchased at TheMoroccanBazaar
The Moroccan Bazaar is a direct importer of authentic Moroccan home décor.

Moroccan Style: Creating an indoor Oasis with Moroccan Lanterns

Moroccan Style - Tips for Creating an Indoor Oasis
By Reda Yamani - TheMoroccanBazaar.com

With several official languages, Morocco is a crossroad of many cultures and styles.

Often used as a source of inspiration for painters, writers and hippies, Morocco can be seen as a captivating oasis. The Moroccan style is now hot in the US, imposing its magic in the exclusive pueblo designed homes of Santa Fe including California and its introduction into New York.

Here are some basics for creating the Moroccan touch to your home, loft or apartment.

• Look for the vibrant colors red, green and blue found in the sea of the area and also gold, yellow, and silver from the surrounding desert.


• Create a tropical atmosphere by bringing the outside indoors by using exotic plants, terra cotta tiles, and (if approved by your landlord if you are renting) textured walls.


• Moroccan home accents and the world famous Moroccan light fixtures. These can be found in either table or free standing to hanging styles.

Moroccan Lights

Moroccan light fixtures are unique from any other country in the world. Handcrafted in the crowded Medina of Marrakech light fixtures are the pride of the artisans that skillfully carve them while surrounded by snake charmers and the smell of market spices.

Whether your ambition is to create a complete Moroccan style or just have a Moroccan touch, lanterns will ad that unique Moroccan element to your home.

Moroccan lanterns can be viewed and purchased through The Moroccan Bazaar.com in different styles ranging from stained glass to a choice of candles and light bulbs.