Maryam Montague's Tips for Moroccan-Style Entertaining

"Because of Morocco's fabulous weather, entertaining outdoors is possible year-round, so do as the Moroccans do and use indoor furniture and carpets outside!

When it comes to glass and dishware, Moroccans always skip the plastic and melamine and use 'the good stuff,' even outside. You might want to select stemless champagne and wine glasses, though?just think of it as pre-emptive damage control that adheres to a certain level of elegance.

Morocco is a rose-exporting country, so roses bloom everywhere! Rather than create large centerpieces, I like to place individual rose bouquets at each place setting. I popped them into Moroccan tea glasses and encouraged guests to take them home as party favors.

Presentation is key in the Moroccan food tradition. Moroccan chefs are known for hand-placing every single vegetable onto a dish to ensure that the food looks beautiful. Take a few extra minutes to arrange the courses so that they all look too pretty to eat!

Moroccan meals always involve serving several small courses; bring them out one by one so that guests can slowly savor their meals."