Cross-Cultural Contest

Co-1st Place Winner

Nelson, Jennifer

Teacher, AP Language & Composition/English

Zionsville Community HS, IN

Title: “Grain Power (The Ultimate Soft Power)”

Rice is enjoyed by so many people across the world. Its versatility allows us to celebrate our own culture and experience another. It's a gateway to a shared identity.

Co-1st Place Winner

Murrenus, Connor

Student

Arrowhead Union High School District, WI

The Perfect Sunday Morning Breakfast

By: Connor Murrenus

I awoke nice and early,

about 7:00 o’clock.

I smelled something,

It smelled like warmth and love.

I slowly get up,

walk upstairs to the kitchen.

My mother is cooking, 

I only ever see her cook when she’s happy.

I sit down graciously at the table,

I can smell my mom’s mood.

My family never makes breakfast, 

this was a really nice change.

The wonderful food was done:

Warm pancakes

Scrambled eggs

Hash Browns 

Sausage Links

Toast

Orange Juice

The food was like joy, like when it's a Friday after school.

The breakfast tasted like love.

I gave my mom a warm hug.

I gradually strolled back down to my abode.

layed down, and

I started to vanish until I was gone.

Co-2nd Place Winner

Weston, Killian

Student

Arrowhead Union High School District, WI

“If a stomach could write!”

By Killian W.

Pasta, Rigatoni

oh me, oh my

Sandwich, Bologna

with Apple Pie!

Burger to share

Fries and a Shake

Cookies with care

Made fresh to bake!

cook Pizza with Cheese

some Root Beer brewed

a mouthful to please

some Mushrooms chewed!

stir cups Brûlée

cut slice of Pastrami

Black Coffee café 

eat Bread-full of Salami!

Co-2nd Place Winner

Stamm, Amy

Teacher, Special Education 9-12th Grade

Hampshire Educational Collaborative (HEC) Academy, MA

Title: From Korea to the U.S. in a Salad

My partner and I made this salad using vegetables from our farm share. The salad tells the story of how Korean and other East Asian cuisines have traveled to the U.S. and influenced our palate. The salad contains several ingredients commonly used in Korea, such as mushrooms, beef, cucumbers, radishes, carrots, and cabbage, along with spices and nuts like basil, mint, cilantro, and cashews, common in Thai and Vietnamese dishes. The dressing was the brainchild of Korean-American chef Unmi Abkin. The recipe can be found in her cookbook Curry & Kimchi and calls for blending up shallots, jalapeño, garlic, lime zest, lime juice, seasoned rice wine vinegar, honey, coriander, salt, and olive oil.

Unmi was born in South Korea, and because her mother left shortly after her birth and her father was an alcoholic, Unmi spent her first years homeless and hungry until she was sent to an orphanage. She was adopted by a Jewish American man and a Mexican woman, after which she moved to the United States and spent summers in Mexico. She studied with chefs in California, Massachusetts, France, and Morocco, and opened a series of restaurants over the years. Drawing on her cross-cultural background,Unmi has created some of the most inspiring flavor combinations you can imagine, and her innovations have made her a James Beard semi-finalist several times. When you taste her food, your tongue travels the globe.

3rd Place Winner

Mathieu, Linin

Student, 2nd Grade

Hynes Charter School Corporation, LA

We have many dishes in my family but gumbo is our favorite. It is so yummy and made with different ingredients and lots of love.