Forties dinner buffet I'm serving food to 11 people in a dinner that is supposed to be set at the house of the Deputy Mayor of Casablanca in 1942. I can't seat that many people at table, so the food will have to be capable of being eaten from laps - I'm thinking of nibbles for a starter, followed by either a fork buffet or fork food such as a boeuf bourguignon. 

How or where can I find out what food would have been served at one of these historical dinners?
The Los Angeles public library has a historical restaurant menu archive online, which will allow you to search restaurant menus for specific years.  It will give you an idea of what fashionable people were eating at that time.  The menu archive is a GREAT way to find ideas for period cuisine.  

EDIT: I have a second historical menu archive for you! Collectiblemeals hosts a collection of menus for famous meals, including many presidential dinners.

Add in some Moroccan fare and a splash of French haute cuisine, and you should be able to build a historical and delicious menu.