Last month, ELC Boston said goodbye to the best Student Services Coordinator that ever existed. Miss Laura Amrein left ELC to pursue a master’s degree from Harvard University on August 17.
Given her love of food and food related things, we decided the only way to have a proper send-off would be to hold her favorite ELC activity: an international potluck lunch.
I have to say, this was probably the most epic potluck we’ve ever had. Our students managed to fill eight tables with delicious, scrumptious, mouth-watering food from every corner of the world. I brought Kentucky deviled eggs – my mother’s recipe – and they were a hit! Students were a little timid to try an egg dish, but once I forced it down their throats (in the spirit of international food experimentation!!) they loved it! I only wish I had made another dozen eggs because they were eaten so quickly!
Students brought big and small dishes from all over. Laura is a big fan of Korean food and our Korean students turned it out in honor of her departure. Kimchi, Korean barbecue, sushi and noodles, and curry rice were just a few of the delicious dishes from the Far East. My favorite part was when our Korean students brought in homemade and store-bought Korean dishes so that we could compare “real” and “fake” Korean food. Please see below for my reaction to “fake” Korean food.
Korean student, Mingyu Jang, lovingly created this meme
Our Saudi students brought us many date-based dishes. Dania, our resident student-chef, brought a delicious date pie that was gooey and succulent. If left to my own devices, I would have eaten the whole thing. During Ramadan, Dania would cook enormous trays of food for her friends that couldn’t cook. She only asked that they reimburse her for the cost of food.
The most diversity in food was seen from our European students. Federico, from Italy, brought us a traditional cold pasta dish. Another Italian student brought us a homemade pizza! French students brought us crepes and Nutella as well as a traditional bread loaf with nuts and a brown sugar topping. Isabel, from Madrid shared traditional Spanish tapas: toasted bread with mashed tomato and olive oil.
Writing this has made me ravenous. Is it too late to amend my September calendar and add another potluck?! Really, I just love to try new or “weird food.” I hope my next potluck will live up to the extensive, heavenly, mouthwatering potluck put together for Laura. Next month, I would love to plan an American themed potluck where ELC’s staff will bring typical American food and students can have a try at cooking some dishes from the USA!
Wish me luck… Now off to find some kimchi…
– Cara, Student Services Coordinator
