Eating, Eating, and More Eating: International Food Fair

Another quick post in record time!

This past weekend, Sunday in particular, was a blast. Saturday was spent working, both at my job and with schoolwork, but I did end up watching The Castle, which my Aussie friends hail as the greatest Australian comedy of all-time. It’s definitely Aussie humor (very dry), which I love, and I loved the movie. Although I didn’t find it as hilarious as my friends do, I still found it highly amusing and all-around a very good movie.

But Sunday was the highlight of my weekend, and maybe even my entire Aussie dorm experience thus far. It was the annual and highly popular Campus East International Food Fair, which was basically a mini Taste of Chicago (for my friends back home), but with food from all over the world.

The great thing about Campus East (my residential dorm) is that although there are a high number of Aussies (about 60%), there is a strong international presence. The International Food Fair took place at noon, and the dorm encouraged students to make food from their own countries to showcase at the fair. There always is a lot of excitement surrounding the Fair, as students are really keen on making their own native food for other students to try. The volunteers spent all of Saturday busy at work in the dorm kitchen, and the dorm covered all the expenses for ingredients. On Sunday, each country set up a stand filled with food along the parking lot. I didn’t count how many countries were represented, but the entire parking lot was full.

And it was absolutely incredible. It was some of the best food I’ve ever had, and I don’t think I’ve ever been so full. Some of these students should be professional chefs! And the best part of it all was being able to try all sorts of different foods, and I didn’t try a single item of food that I didn’t like.

I tried to make it to as many stands as I could, especially because it was my friends who had cooked the food, but there was so much good food and too little stomach to go around. It was a mistake starting with the German stand, where my friend Jan had helped make all sorts of delicious, hearty foods mostly comprised of bread, eggs, and ham. It also had these incredible baked desserts (I believe they were called Bellina? I’ll have to ask Jan again). I ate those till nauseum.

My favorite was probably from the Maldives stand. I will self-consciously admit that I had never heard of the Maldives Islands before (have you?), but now I definitely do. It’s a small island nation near Sri Lanka, and the stand had incredibly tasting Sweet Coconut Rice with Spicy Tuna Curry. UNBELIEVABLE. Can’t even describe how good it was.

The best dessert, and arguably the hit of the entire Fair, was Switzerland’s chocolate desserts, which my good friend Benjamin was so proud of. He spent the entire time taking pictures of the long lines at the Swiss stand. But it was absolutely well-deserved, and the Swiss definitely lived up to their reputation as being the Kings of Chocolate. I am definitely going to Switzerland one day because of the chocolate.

Honorable mentions to India’s Butter Chicken, my good friend John’s Canadian dessert cake (he gave me the recipe, I’ll have to try it when I get home), and the Swedish meatballs. Just writing this post is making me uncomfortably hungry. Who needs to travel the world when you get to have the entire world’s cuisine in one meal? Unforgettable.

I wish I knew how to cook, because I definitely would have made some awesome Korean food. I was very disappointed to see that Korea was not represented at the Fair. Also, the American stand had Nachos. Really?

It was a beautiful day on Sunday, and after the feasting that took place, there was a talent show on this sort of patio by the parking lot. With the great weather and everyone being outside, it was a great atmosphere, and some sweet musical acts definitely was the perfect finish to the great event. One of my favorite memories I’ll take with me – John and Ant singing “Tick-Tock.”

And the excitement continues! Tomorrow is my last day of work, and then Janet and Kelli come to visit in two days! And then it’s off on our excursions!

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