How was the party???

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Make sure its ok to be cooked in your kitchen, plates, etc.

This doesn't matter like it does in kosher cooking.

h
+1

I can't wait to hear about it! I'm excited for you!

I'm coming over. I'll bring flowers.

sounds yum. have fun.

Hi OP again! Dinner is this saturday. Thank you all for your help, I'm so excited and could not have done it without your advice.

Here is the final menu:
For appetizers
smoked white fish platter
Cheese and fruit plate
carmelized dates stuffed with marcona almonds

Dinner
simple spring salad, roasted lemon dressing
Lamb chops, mint chutney
roasted baby spring onions, beets, asparagus, parsnips, carrots and cauliflower (not mixed - just a big roasted vegetable platter)
rice pilaf
water and tea

Dessert
Blood orange granita
Coffee and chocolates

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
There is no such thing as halal cheese, just get any cheese you want.

If you are hosting Saudis, better make rice. For sure, make rice.

Depending on how conservative the family is, be ready to have separate seating areas for men and women. The wife may be uncomfortable mixing with your DH. I do think she would have mentioned it if they enforce segregation at home but just something for the back of your mind.

What is in the raw bar?

Okay rice I can do instead of mash, maybe a pilaf or a risotto, hmm maybe a pea risotto. I think they are very conservative she was very gracious though and didn't want to be trouble. I was thinking of setting up separate areas before and after the meal, just in case, but serving in our dining room. Would the meal need to be separate as well? Should I call and ask or is that too presumptuous? Maybe just be prepared to serve dinner in two areas? I was also going to have our game area set up for all the children (there will be nine total) for before and after dinner.

I hadn't planned the raw bar out yet, likely shrimp, stone crab claws, oysters and accompaniments. Sometimes I also do a grilled lobster appetizer.

I think you will be fine, I doubt they would have accepted if they segregate strictly. I would just be prepared that the wife would want to talk mostly to you and probably won't mix with your DH a whole lot, and do not take it as rudeness, it's just the custom. Tell your DH to not get super chatty with her. Basically leave men to their own company and women to their own. Since there's only two of you, I doubt it will be a huge deal.

OP, you seem to me like a food and cooking person. If there is one valuable thing you will take from this experience, it will be your discovery of halal/Middle Eastern food shops (if you haven't already). I cannot recommend them enough for the food-curious. I suggest you plan a trip to Halalco in Falls Church City. Here is why:

- NEVER again pay white people's rates for spices and flavorings. Ridiculously cheap bags of spices that Safeway will charge you $5.99 for a small pinch.

- clean, fresh meat often done to order (skinned whole chickens, minced chicken and chicken organ meats, home-made spicy beef sausage, frenched lamb shanks)

- tinned leaf tea, actual tea the way it was meant to be drunk, not saw dust in tea bags

- all manner of rice, lentils, beans, nuts, in bulk, CHEAP! Giant green Afghan raisins!

- breads like you don't see in supermarkets, thin long Persian bread studded with sesame and nigella you drape over your arm like a towel, fluffy Afghan sheets of bread, all kinds of pita

- real Bulgarian feta, frozen Indian case, Syrian string cheese

- produce section finds: abundant cilantro and mint, little Thai bomb eggplants, pea-size Persian grapes, sweet lemons (you massage them in your hands, then stick a straw in them and suck away)

- assorted nonsense: dates, ma'amoul cookies (shortbreads filled with dates and nuts), canned eggplant and beans - baba ghanoush, foul, rose water, pomegranate molasses

And in the same shopping plaza, should you care to walk 20 feet to the left upon exiting Halalco, there is a newish Russian food emporium called Troika. Investigate for wonderful homemade dense brown bread, a dozen kinds of marinated herring, more canned sweet pepper and eggplant preparations than you can think of, ready-made frozen crepes with filling and without, ricotta breakfast cakes for frying, more leaf tea! good luck!

Sounds delicious, but will the 9 kids eat that?

Um yeah I'd like to be invited too please.

Anonymous wrote:

Muslima wrote:Hi OP, I think it would be easier for you or your DH to ask them directly if they have any dietary restrictions or if they just eat halal. Some Muslims only eat Halal, and some will eat anything as long as it is not Pork or pork derivatives. If in doubt, you can just go with Seafood, as all seafood is considered halal so Muslims can eat seafood from anywhere. As far as alcohol is concerned, some might be uncomfortable if you have it around but will be polite and not say anything but will probably not want to come back lol, and some might not care at all if you have it around but won't drink it, also some Muslims do drink as well since not all Muslims follow everything, but the majority don't drink. I think the best thing to do would be to ask your guests if they have any restrictions that you need to know before hand and Im sure they'd be glad to let you know and you can then plan accordingly. Have fun hosting

Not true, some Shia Muslims do not eat shellfish and generally observe restrictions similar to Orthodox Jews, i.e. only fish with scales and fins, no mussels, no crab, no scallops, no calamari etc.

Hmm I could do a smoked white fish with accompaniments just in case and one shellfish and I'm going to add a vegetarian dish to the dinner menu, thank you for all your feedback. What about the cavier? Yea or nay?

The meal does not need to be separate. To be careful, just don't seat adult women next to adult men, unless they are related.

Anonymous wrote:
There is no such thing as halal cheese, just get any cheese you want.

If you are hosting Saudis, better make rice. For sure, make rice.

Depending on how conservative the family is, be ready to have separate seating areas for men and women. The wife may be uncomfortable mixing with your DH. I do think she would have mentioned it if they enforce segregation at home but just something for the back of your mind.

What is in the raw bar?

Okay rice I can do instead of mash, maybe a pilaf or a risotto, hmm maybe a pea risotto. I think they are very conservative she was very gracious though and didn't want to be trouble. I was thinking of setting up separate areas before and after the meal, just in case, but serving in our dining room. Would the meal need to be separate as well? Should I call and ask or is that too presumptuous? Maybe just be prepared to serve dinner in two areas? I was also going to have our game area set up for all the children (there will be nine total) for before and after dinner.

I hadn't planned the raw bar out yet, likely shrimp, stone crab claws, oysters and accompaniments. Sometimes I also do a grilled lobster appetizer.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can I come over too? LOL

Menu sounds amazing!

Since we don't know each other can I at least have your Roasted Lemon Dressing recipe?

Of course!
(adapted from this recipe http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/roast-lemon-vinaigrette)

2 lemons (have also used oranges and tangerines)
1 teaspoon oil
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
extra-virgin olive oil to taste around 3-4 tablespoons
salt and pepper to taste (I use sea salt and white pepper)

Heat oven to 400° F. Halve lemons crosswise and remove the seeds. Place the lemons in a glass baking dish and drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil. Roast until tender and slightly golden, 25 to 45 minutes, depending on size; let cool. The instructions say cut side down, I do them cut side up.
Squeeze the juice and pulp into a bowl. Add juice from the pan, honey, dijon, salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil or oil of your choice.

I also like to slice one or two lemons and broil them with a bit of raw sugar and flakey salt (just a bit of each) as garnish. You can also use a torch for this. I also do this with grilled lemons, charring the lemons 3-5 minutes.

I have also added fresh dill, parsley and chives to this individually with success, tarragon not so much. Garlic was a no. It is amazing on shrimp!

There's no "halal" cheese, really. But rennet is animal-based and might be an issue, depending on the cheese.