Dinner Party Themes: Ideas For The Perfect Japanese Dinner Party

SETTING THE STAGE

Prepare the area where the food will be served by draping a low table such as a coffee table in a black cloth.Use placemats in a bright red color and top those with plates of black or white. You will want each guest to have a small bowl for mixing the wasabi and soy sauce for their sushi rolls. Place large cushions around the floor for guests to seat themselves on. Buy inexpensive red fabric and wrap the cushions in the fabric then secure the fabric with gold cording much as you would tie up a gift. Using the same fabric cut eight by eight-inch squares to make napkins, wrap the chopsticks in the napkins, and tie with more gold cord. Hang Japanese lanterns from the ceiling to complete the look.

Play Japanese music in the backroom and you have created the perfect atmosphere for your evening.

THE FOOD

Japanese cuisine has become very popular and most grocery store will carry the items you will need for our simple yet impressive menu. Best of all the food can be prepared ahead so you will be able to enjoy your guests.

MENU

Green Tea

Sake or Plum Wine

Miso Soup

Topped with Green Onions

Cucumber and Daikon Salad with Ginger Dressing

Hand Rolled Sushi

For Dessert

Fresh Pineapple

GROCERY LIST

Green Tea

Sake or Plum Wine

Wasabi

Soy Sauce

Pickled Ginger

Miso Soup

Green Onions

Salad Mix

Daikon Radish

Cucumber

Carrots

Tomato

Asparagus

Bell Peppers

Snowpeas

Japanese Eggplant

Ginger Dressing

Avocado

Nori Seaweed Squares

Sushi-Grade Tuna, White Tuna, Shrimp, Scallops, Salmon, Snapper,

Sushi Rice

Fresh Pineapple

PREPARATION

Chopseveral green onions and put aside for a topping on soup

Lightly boil the shrimp, scallops and asparagusand chill

Cube the eggplant and lightly grill in some olive oil until it is tender

Cut the other fish, avocado and tomato into small cubes

Shred some daikon radish, cucumber and carrots using a grater to produce long very thin strips

Make individual salads by splitting the salad mix into small bowls and

top with some of the shredded cucumber, carrot, radish and several chunks of tomato.

Julienne the snow peas, cucumber, carrots, bell pepper, and green onions

Using a tray for presentation arrange the fish, vegetables, and a mound of sushi rice (rice should be cold).Cut each sheet of nori into 4 squares and also place on tray.

Cut the pineapple in half and leaving the outside intact, score large squares into its meat. Use aspoon to remove the chunks, keep the shells.

When your guests arrive make the tea and place it in the center of the table along with the sake or wine so they may choose their beverage.Heat the soup and top it with the green onions. Clear the soup bowls and serve the salad with the ginger dressing. Clear away the salad plates.Place your beautiful tray of fresh fish, veggies and rice in the center of the table so your guests can hand roll their own sushi by taking a seaweed square (nori) filling it with the fish and veggies of their choice and dipping it in the soy sauce and wasabi.Finish the meal by presenting the pineapple chunks in a hollowed out pineapple half; to really wow your guests pour a little rum or other liquor over the pineapple and set it ablaze as you bring it to the table.

Enjoy!