Take a walk around the world without leaving the dinner table

February 16, 2011

Imagine savory, moist stir-fried chicken lightly kissed with caramelized sauce, mixed in a medley of spices -- basil, garlic, pepper -- topped with a sunny-side-up fried egg.

If the thought of this entree is enough to make your mouth water, the International Dinner will leave your taste buds ecstatic.

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s annual International Dinner will feature authentic meals from 10 countries.

This year’s dinner will take place at 6 p.m. Friday, March 4, in the Hamilton Room in the James R. Connor University Center. For the past two years the dinner has been a sellout and Jessica Harmatys, chair of the planning committee, is confident this year will be just as successful.

“Many people haven’t had a chance to travel abroad,” said Harmatys. “This event is their chance each year to experience not just one culture, but many, all packed into one fun, festive evening.”

All the recipes are provided by UW-Whitewater students. The menu includes:

• Chinese chicken dumplings – China
• Russian beet salad – Russia
• Tabouleh – Middle East
• Chicken tikka masala – India
• Beef and prune tagine with couscous – Morocco
• Stir-fried chicken with basil – Thailand
• Samaki wa kukuango fish – Burkina Faso
• Peruvian quinoa stew – Peru
• Green tea pound cake – Japan
• English shortbread cookie – England

Professional Russian accordionist Sergei Belkin will set the dinner mood. Belkin regularly plays at the Overture Center in Madison, as well as other well-known venues.

Entertainment will continue throughout the evening with student performances featuring traditional Thai and Chinese music, African and Latin dances and a fashion show with styles from around the world.

To add to the global perspective, video clips taken around the world will be shown, including clips of international students’ favorite places back home and videos from UW-Whitewater students who studied abroad.

Tickets are $10 for students and children 12 and under and $19 for the general public. Tickets are available until Friday, Feb. 25, and will not be sold at the door.

The dinner is open to the public and tickets can be purchased:

• At the Greenhill Center of the Arts Ticket Center
• By calling UW-Whitewater Ticket Services at 262-472-2222
• At the International Student Association booth in the University Center between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday

The event is sponsored by the Center for Global Education and the International Student Association and catered by Chartwells.

For more information, contact Harmatys at 262-472-4992 or harmatyj@uww.edu.