Students test their taste buds at international food festival
By Becki Harrington-Davis Contributing Writer

PHOTO/BECKI HARRINGTON-DAVIS Kindergartner Elizabeth Kwak wears traditional Filipino clothing as part of the international food festival.

Marlborough - For one night, six classrooms became a worldwide campus for the students and parents of the New Covenant Christian School. Parent volunteers with roots in Nigeria, Brazil, France, Italy, Mexico and Asia brought in samples of their native cuisine April 4, which diners purchased with "passports" bought in $5, $10 or $20 increments to support the school.

"Welcome to Nigeria," said Ester Ette, a mother of twin kindergartners.

Among the foods she prepared were fried plantains and cinnamon-flavored buns, and both she and her children were dressed in colorful Nigerian clothing.

Nearby, in the French room, tables were set up with chocolate mousse and tartine aux feves - a tasty appetizer of toasted baguettes topped with mashed lima beans, lemon and cheeses. Families sat chatting and sampling each dish, and children enjoyed trying new foods they had never tasted before.

"It's like getting dinner over and over again," kindergartner Kimberly Burmiester said.

The popular Italian room included cannolis and sausage calzones, and the Brazilian table off ered a decadent flan. Among the Mexican fare were Spanish rice and quesadillas, and the Asian room had both Filipino and Korean staples, which quickly sold out.

The annual event is a celebration of the cultural diversity at the school, which holds 72 students in grades K-8.

"You get to appreciate where all the families really come from," said Vicki Trapp, a second- and thirdgrade teacher, "and they are excited to share their food and a little bit of their culture ... which they don't get to do all the time."

For some parents, the festival is also a rare opportunity to socialize.

"I'm a single mother," said Sarai Juarez, a volunteer in the Mexican room, "so I work, and I'm home - I really don't do much. So when events like this happen ... I schedule it off, so I can mingle with the other parents here."

According to Judi Pinkerton, the administrative assistant and director of marketing at the school, this fundraiser is one of many popular events. Others have included auctions, variety shows and bike-a-thons, with parents helping out.

"Parents are required to volunteer 20 hours per year," Pinkerton said.

While the cultural and culinary variety was meaningful for all involved, some people prefer to stick to what they know. For kindergartner Essiet Ette, the best food of the night was simple:

"Popcorn," she said.