Delicious Celebration Meals for Any Occasion
For many years, food has been used as a way to signal celebration. From extravagant three-course wedding meals to Eid 2021 family buffets, there is an undeniable link between good food and good times.
Try these Celebration Meals
Depending on the occasion being celebrated, the food varies. For example, it might be suitable to eat a birthday cake at an exam celebration dinner, and a fakeaway meal (no matter how close to the original it might be) isn’t necessarily the best choice for celebrating the birth of a new baby.
Despite this, there are a number of universally liked and accepted foods for any occasion – from the most formal right through to the most relaxed.
We’ve put together four celebration meals, so no matter what you’re celebrating, you’ll be able to find a suitable recipe below.
1. Paella
Spain is known for many things: warm sun, sandy beaches, hospitable locals and, of course, paella. This iconic dish can be traced right back to ancient times, but the dish that we have all come to know and love got its start in the mid-19th century in Valencia, on Spain’s sun-drenched east coast.
It started off as a dish for farmers and laborers who would find scraps of rice and cook it over an open fire. They would add in whatever they could find – from rabbit and duck or snail and beans. Over time, the recipe has adapted and seafood paella is now the most common type.
For those who don’t like seafood, you can serve up a chicken, duck, or another meat substitute. Add beans, herbs, and spices (think garlic and saffron) to taste and you have an undeniably tasty meal that is both balanced and yummy.
What makes paella great for occasions is that it can be cooked in bulk so is perfect for when you have a lot of guests to cater for.
2. Lamb Chops
You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t like lamb chops (unless they’re a vegan, of course). The beauty of lamb chops is that they’re so versatile – they can be dressed up for weddings or dressed down for birthdays, making them extremely versatile.
What’s more, they can be cooked in bulk which is handy for events with a high number of attendees.
Popular dishes include Greek lamb chops seasoned with oregano, lemon, and garlic, tandoori lamb chops served with kombucha salad, lamb chops with borlotti beans, or even polenta crusted chops.
You can pretty much serve lamb chops with whatever you want, making them a fail-safe option for any occasion.
3. Dumplings
The perfect accompaniment for almost any meal is dumplings. They are widely believed to have originated in China as a way to fend off the effects of the cold.
They were originally made using mutton, chilis, and herbs which were wrapped inside the dough and steamed. Doing this bound the ingredients inside the parcel and kept everything warm. It was thought the warm packages warmed the eater and the herbs improved circulation which – it was believed – prevented frostbite.
Thousands of years since their creation, dumplings have been adapted and modernized to suit a wide range of tastes.
They can include anything from seafood like shrimp and crab to chicken and lamb. They can also be made to suit vegetarians, so they’re great for catering to everyone’s tastes.
4. Poached Pear
Occasion meals are about more than just the main. Often, the crème-de-la-crème of a meal is the dessert, so we had to include one on this list. Our dessert of choice is poached pear, and here’s why.
First of all, it’s sweet enough to comfortably fit into the dessert category, but it’s no sicky sweet that those who don’t lie chocolate or rich desserts can’t enjoy it too. Secondly, it’s easy to make which goes a long way to making it occasion-appropriate. Finally, it can be served to suit almost any taste.
Whether you pair it with saffron, a spiced wine, or caramel sauce, you can dress it up or down as much as you like. In terms of presentation, poached pear looks smart and sophisticated, so it can easily match the event at hand – whether it’s a lavish wedding or a small christening ceremony.
Wrap-Up
Will you be trying any of these delicious event foods next time you have a cause to celebrate?
