A “seat at the table with a view of the world” is our favorite motto at Entertaining Company. And, as I have mentioned before, one of the great joys of having a catering business with cultural bent is being paid to continually research unique approaches to super flavorful foods and presentations.

On Sunday night, from my seat at a charming pop up Indonesian/Rijsttafel dinner with the fabulous Andersonville restaurant, Vincent as our host,  I experienced how the Dutch brought back an exotic abundance from their Indonesian colonies and created a banquet style meal called the Rijsttafel or “Rice Table”. Who knew!?

At a classic Rijsttafel, the bounty of 300 regional ethnic groups is mirrored in a dizzying presentation of rice plus up to 40 small tasting portions. From our seats in Chicago we sampled hot, sweet, cool and hot of Kentang Balado (diced potato in spicy chile sauce), Bai Semu (bits of pork in a sweet soy sauce), Rending Daging (pieces of beef in spicy coconut curry) , Atjar Atjar (pickled mixed vegetables) and Gado Gado (salad of cabbage, bean sprouts, cucumbers, green beans and tofu with warm peanut sauce) just to name a few.

an abundance of rice paired with big flavor

Beyond the heaping bowl of rice, a total of 13 small plates of tasty spiced food was laid before us for sharing, oohing and ahing and enjoying.

For my entertaining brethren who are seeking a communal, multi-layered, boldly-spiced, entertaining  experience, the Rijsttafel is my new favorite “perfect solution” and I am absolutely obsessed with the idea of creating one for a client immediately. With the entire event centered around rice, it’s certainly an affordable party to throw…but with all of the spices and unique combinations your event will still be completely transportive…perfect.

For those of you who want to learn more and perhaps recreate this experience for your next adventure in entertaining, I recommend that you visit The Spice House  for exotic ingredients like Black Lampong Peppercorns and Indonesian ground cinnamon “Korintje”.  Online there’s a world of Indonesian condiments to be found — sambals and hot sauces and more — just start searching! And the entire other-worldly experience can be set off with a marvelous farm table rented from Tablescapes,  along with an array small bowls and a pitcher of Dutch beer plus a group of guests ready to EXPERIENCE some bold flavors is all in the mix.

The fifth Passover question in our house could be something like, “Why on this night do we eat like Ashkenazi Jews when on all other nights we eat like Sephardic Jews?  Of course, the answer would be: “On this Passover night we will eat like Sephardi as we prefer to do on other nights even if our family will never speak to us again”.

For those of you who are planning a Passover meal and, perhaps, aren’t Jewish, this is what I am talking about.

You see, it’s all about where we Jews came from  – our family’s direct heritage – that traditionally determines the Passover menu that is prepared for your family and loved ones.   These are the recipes that everyone expects, and are emotionally attached to, as they undoubtedly have been passed down from someone’s Great Aunt…blah blah blah….

It will surprise none of you, dear readers, when I pose the question: must we be such slaves to tradition?

Ashkenazi Jews (I am one), who harken back from Western Europe eat a Polish Russian influenced meal featuring dishes like Chopped Liver, Kugel and Matzoh ball soup.  Sephardic Jews, however,  who trace heritage back to Middle Eastern countries as well as Spain, Portugal and North Africa eat a meal of sensual, aromatic and colorful dishes such as Lamb with Apricots or Chickpea Salad with Olives.

This year, our Seder is going to have a twist. Why should this night be different than other nights?? Multiculti defines our household. We’ll keep the spices, layered flavors of the Sephardi and give up the wheat to proclaim solidarity with all Jews without being a slave to tradition.

Here are 5 ways that I plan to MIX IT UP this Passover.

Eggplant is the most popular vegetable on Sephardic Menus

1. I will make Charosis (via Floyd Cardoz in Gourmet Magazine)

1.5 cup pitted dates
3/4 c walnuts
1 1.5 cinnamon stick ground
2 tsp finely chopped ginger
2 Gala apples chopped
1/3c Ruby Port

2. I will substitute Sephardi salmon for Gefilte Fish

3. I will substitute Sephardi Tagine, vegetarian-style, in honor of
my “no-meat-please-it’s-Good-Friday husband,” for the traditional Ashkenazi Brisket.

4. I will serve Persian Jeweled Rice (rice is allowed by Sephardi standards.  WIN!)

5. Dessert will boast the fragrance of Iberia with an Orange and Almond Dessert that recently caught my eye.

This year I’m feeling unbound and free with my Passover. Now I ask you, dear reader, how are you going to unchain yourself from tradition at this year’s holiday celebration!?  I want to know!

P.S. Tradition or no, I recently found this site from a fellow twitter brethren, and highly recommend a browse…he has inspired me a lot and I am sure that he will, you, too! http://funjoelsisrael.com/

Okay, ladies and gentlemen… It’s time for the BIG reveal! You’ve followed us all week as we’ve plotted and planned, stirred and braised, and here is our final video! In this Chronicle, our Chef Shawn Doolin and Event Planner Kenneth Woodman take the months of hard work and planning and bring it all together into one seamless, amazing “On The Red Carpet” event!

It was a magical evening—experience it for yourself in the video below…