Kahlia Hearon, Joshua Johnson, and Kiara Fradin –

CV Student Media –

Every school year, an event known as Taste of the World is held at Castle View for ASL, Spanish, German, Japanese, and French students to showcase traditional dishes and drinks from countries that speak the language that they are learning. Other students are invited to taste the food and beverages as an educational way to “give [students] an idea of who the people from different countries are and how food reflects their personalities,” said junior Emma Elfring.

Elfring, who is currently studying Japanese, has found a love for the Japanese culture through the dishes that originated there.

As a self-proclaimed food connoisseur, Elfring is passionate about the benefits of eating Japanese food. “Japanese food is more organic than what we eat in the United States, so it’s healthier,” said Elfring. However, she also enjoyed the German food simply because there was so much to choose from.

Senior Erin Zellers said that Taste of the World is educational for all students because it “teaches kids here about the places aside from where they come from.” While Zellers’ favorite dish of the night was the coconut bread which originates in Nicaragua, she was able to taste food items that she was not used to.

“There were a lot of really sweet foods and weird drinks that I had never seen [in the United States] before,” she said. However, Zellers said that if the dishes were offered at school, she would definitely eat and enjoy them.

“They’re exotic and different. It would be a change from the normal food that I’m actually getting bored of.”