Monthly Archives: March 2010

Independent Film Festival

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This weekend I attended the Washington DC Independent Film Festival.  The 10-day festival celebrates independent films from around the world with various categories, including features, themed, animation, documentary and short.

In particular, I saw a themed session titled “Asian Pearls,” which included six short films that told stories around Japanese, Korean and Cambodian characters:

These films all range in topic and provide different aspects of a society’s culture; some are even subtitled. For example, Ajumma! Are You Krazy??? (comedy) tells the story of three “cougar” (middle-aged and single) Korean women who were obsessed with meeting their favorite 20 something actor filming in Hawaii. On the other hand, A Drop in the Bucket (documentary) features Cambodian villages that lack access to clean and safe drinking water. The film shows how donated water wells to these villages prevent illnesses and encourage sustainability.

The other films were quite interesting and unique. After the session, a few directors were on hand for a question and answer period. One director, of non-Asian decent, said that his Asian studies in college influenced his decision to make a film on a Korean American character.

I have never been to an independent film festival, which gave me access to films I may never have seen. Also, the cost to attend this one session was only $10, a real bargain!

Fusion Cuisine

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Yesterday, I met Luci, a JHU classmate, for happy hour at Zengo, a popular Latin-Asian restaurant. I was excited that Luci chose this place, as I am always interested in sampling fusion cuisines.

Fusion is typically a combination of foods from different cultures or regions in the world. In the United States, I’ve had this type of cuisine mainly on the west coast and in big cities like Chicago and New York. In reading about chefs that cook fusion, I’ve learned that they use ingredients found through international travel or local immigrants to make their favorite dishes more exotic and unique.

Last night I sampled the Thai chicken empanadas. Its Mexican ingredients were chile poblano, Oaxaca cheese and mango, and its Thai twist was a curry salsa. My taste buds thought they were in two different worlds; the flavor was absolutely amazing.

If you are interested in fusion cuisines, take a look at Zengo’s menu to see examples. When you are ready to try it for yourself, look for restaurants with menus that feature dishes made from two or more cultures. Lastly, if you are interested in cooking fusion dishes, try the cookbook New American Table by Marcus Samuelsson. This chef was born in Ethiopia, raised in Sweden and moved to the United States to make a culinary living.

A World of Flags

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I love how fans add excitement to international sporting events, like the Olympic Games, by waiving their country flags and chanting in their native tongue. When I see those flags, I often wonder where I can buy one, especially from Brazil. I am sure most people buy them online; however, I found an eclectic shop that sells rugs, clothing and of all things flags. There were so many different country flags in many different sizes. In addition, there were commemorative flags, such as countries that participated in the 1996 World Cup qualifiers, and mini flags with stands, good for Model UN type displays.

I had a lot of fun looking at the different flags from around the world up close and personal. If you want to show support for a country during sporting event or need decorations for a cultural event, stop by your local flag distributor and pick up a flag or two. It is so much better than surfing the Internet.

Brazilian Pinot Noir

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I enjoyed a Pinot Noir made in Brazil during dinner. I was surprised to see a Brazilin wine on the list; however, the sommelier explained that Brazil is becoming popular for its new world wines, like American chardonnays. He predicted that Brazilian wines would one day be in demand like Chilean wines.

Next time you look at a wine list, see if a Brazilian wine is available and try it.

The International Food Aisle

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My mom took me to Wegmans, an upscale supermarket that offers a wide range of food products and general merchandise, as well as a café with a variety of choices from sushi to European sandwiches. This store is the Disney and Nordstrom’s of all supermarkets. The service is fantastic, and the food looks like it was just picked off the farm.

After a nice lunch in the café, my mom helped me select a few items for my spa weekend with girlfriends. In addition, knowing my love for ethnic foods, she took me to the international section, which of course was my favorite part of the store. I was very impressed, as Wegmans did not skimp on its selections.  There were several isles of international foods that were labeled by culture: Indian, Latin American, European, Asian, Jamaican and a few others. There were sauces, beverages, sweets, spices, and many other items that are typical in popular ethnic dishes. I encouraged my mom to try a Jamaican seasoning to spice up grilled chicken, the Japanese Wasabi peas as a snack and a Cuban mango salsa for tortilla chips. She decided on the Jamaican seasoning. However, she too was intrigued by the products so I have a feeling she will try the others in the future.

While most grocery stores are not as elaborate as Wegmans, they usually offer at least one international aisle. Therefore, next time you go grocery shopping, I encourage you to stroll down this section and take note of the variety of ethnic foods that can help mix up your daily menu. And if you have a Wegmans in your neighborhood, I am so jealous!