Olympics Party Food

The Olympics are a great excuse to gather your friends together and host a party. Whether it is an Olympics themed party for a birthday or an Olympics viewing party, you will need to create a fabulous Olympics party menu. Olympics party food can be as simple as a variety of international dishes that highlight the different countries participating in the games, or could include specific Olympics party recipes. Below are some sample recipes for the Olympics and tips on how to add an Olympics-themed twist to your traditional party food.

Appetizers: Take advantage of the small size of appetizers to make a wide variety of finger foods that represent different countries around the world.  Simply scale down a common main course dish and make it a bite-sized Olympics appetizer. (For example, a small portion of homemade fried rice served in mini Chinese food containers to represent China.) Another idea is to focus on the Greek origin of the games and make a variety of Greek appetizers. Try this Olive Tapenade recipe for a quick and easy Greek appetizer:

Greek Olive Tapenade Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of pitted black (Kalamata) or green olives
• 3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 teaspoons of Balsamic vinegar or very good wine vinegar
• 1-2 cloves of garlic, grated

Combine ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend for a few seconds or until desired consistency is achieved. Serve with toasted bread or pita chips.

Main Course: Try out a few dishes that are staples in the host country of the games. If you aren’t confident in cooking these new dishes, order take-out from a local restaurant that specializes in food from that country. Decorate the serving table with flags from the host country and label each dish with its name and an explanation if it isn’t familiar to your guests.

Dessert: Because desserts are somewhat universal across countries, it is difficult to carry the international theme through the deserts. However, this is a great opportunity to decorate with the Olympic colors and rings. For an Olympics dessert idea, bake some homemade Olympics cupcakes and decorate the tops with designs inspired by the host country or your favorite Olympic event. You can also try this recipe to make an Olympic-themed treat:

Olympic Donut Rings Recipe

Ingredients:

• 5 (or 10,15, etc.) store bought (or homemade if you prefer) glazed donuts
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• Food coloring in Red, Green, Yellow, Blue, and Black

Mix the milk and vanilla and heat gently in a saucepan. Then slowly sift in the confectioners’ sugar and mix until smooth. Separate into five smaller bowls and add a different food coloring (enough for desired color) to each bowl and mix. Pour each over a different donut and let dry. For serving, arrange them like the Olympic rings.

Drinks: For your adult guests, extend the Olympic theme to your drinks. Find a cocktail recipe that represents the host country of the games, or make drinks to go with a gold, silver, and bronze theme. Here is a recipe for a Gold Olympic cocktail:

Gold Medal Olympic Cocktail Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. Goldschläger
• ½ oz. Grand Marnier
• 1 ½ oz. Ginger Ale

Pour Goldschläger and Grand Marnier in a glass. In a martini shaker, shake Ginger Ale with ice and pour into glass. Mix gently and serve.

The Olympic games only come around once every four years, so take advantage and get your friends together. With these Olympics recipes and party ideas your event is sure to be gold medal worthy!