International House Berkeley

I -House hosted our 4th annual Global Homecoming on Sunday, October 14th. Over 300 residents, alumni, and community members came to celebrate I-House's take on homecoming with an international twist. Activities included I-House executive director emeritus Joe Lurie's presentation on "Cultural Disconnects with Refugees and Immigrants," an I-House Art and Architecture walking tour, the Robertson Center for Intercultural Leadership's (CIL) interactive session on how humans react to cultural difference, the Global Table Talk Lunch, and the ever popular international fashion show and tasting festival. It was a wonderful opportunity for participants to experience much of what has made I-House home to so many. is year, Todd Koenigsberg, Executive Chef (pictured right), wanted to highlight lesser known countries of the 74 from which our residents hail at this year's tasting festival. With the help of CIL, he partnered with residents from Albania, Colombia, Kenya, and Vietnam to prepare delicacies from their countries and host a table for our Around the World Under the Dome tasting festival. e residents chose their favorite dishes, shared family recipes, and cooked in the kitchen with Chef Todd and his staff to create a culinary experience for all the Global Homecoming attendees. Current resident assistant (RA) Eranda Bregasi was very excited to represent Albania and share her culture. Coming to the United States, she has been exposed to many different cuisines. She believes that learning about another country's gastronomy gives one an enhanced perspective about its history and culture. Global Homecoming International House Times 3 One dish Eranda and Chef Todd prepared for the tasting festival was Byrek. is dish is one of Eranda's favorites from home, and the recipe she used has been in her family for generations. Her mom, Mirjeta, played a very important role, even though she was on the other side of the world. She made sure via Skype that Eranda and Chef Todd had all the right ingredients and the correct methods of making Byrek. e calls were several hours long, and her mother participated throughout the night to make sure the dishes were prepared properly. Surprisingly, Chef Todd and his staff understood her mom even though she was speaking in Albanian, as they all carefully followed each step of the recipe, preserving the traditional way of cooking Byrek. Hence, the love of cooking can be understood in all languages. n Byrek me Djathe dhe Spinaq (Spinach and Cheese Pie) 400 g (12 sheets) Filo Pastry 4 Tbsp Olive Oil 200 g Spinach 220 ml Water 2 Eggs ½ Tsp Dried Basil 180 g Cheddar Cheese Filling: Ensure all stalks are cut off the spinach and place into a mixing bowl. Add the eggs and cheese. Mix so the egg covers all of the spinach. Fill the Pastry: Take two sheets of pastry, add some of the filling along the long edge leaving about an inch under- neath. Fold in both sides about two inches, then from the bottom, fold the inch left over the mixture then roll upwards to make a long sausage shape. Roll loosely into swirls or fold into horseshoe shapes. Create six Byrek. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with basil. Bake at 180 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Recipe from myalbanianfood.com A Tasting Journey Around the World

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