international dinner version 1.0

Last night my housemates and I hosted an international dinner party. Ashley, who hails from Georgia, and I decided to make spinach artichoke dip as our culinary representation of the USA. Perhaps I may explain our reasoning:

• 1. Kraft mac n cheese is not available in France, and I failed to pack a few boxes in my suitcase before leaving the States.
• 2. Skippy peanut butter is available in France, however at around 5€ for half a cup of the stuff, we opted out of any pb-themed desserts.
• 3. Apple pie is apparently not as “good ol’ American” as we make it out to be, because our Russian friend brought some pretty delicious apple cake/pie type thing.
• 4. This vegetarian is not about to make Sloppy Joes.
• 5. Spinach artichoke dip is about as unhealthy a dish as you can get, and Americans are obsessed. BINGO! Why look any further?

So Ashley and I hit the Prix, and 20€ later we had all our ingredients. The recipe we used is really quite simple, but delicious! It’s a good thing we doubled it, because it disappeared in no time. We served it with toasted baguette slices and pita wedges, drizzled with olive oil.The finished product - cheesy spinachy artichoky perfection

If you’d like to try it yourself, here’s the recipe we used: Gonna Want Seconds: Spinach and Artichoke Dip. 

Other nations represented included Lithuania, with garlicy-cheesy fried bread sticks (addicting!!), open faced pesto mozzarella sandwiches, cookies (that tasted like fortune cookies), and, naturally, Lithuanian vodka. The Germans prepared ”currywurst” and noodle salad (similar to what Americans call pasta salad). Subi from Korea made a spicy dish with rice cakes and fish cakes, and a beef dish. Polish Ewelina made potato salad, and the Columbians prepared salty banana pancakes with a tomato dip, chicken, rice and plantains, and a milky coconuty dessert. Nina from the Czech Republic brought a tasty vegetable dish with tomatoes and peppers, and Russian Alyona arrived fashionably late with hot apple cake. Needless to say we were all stuffed by the end of the night.   

just a taste of our gluttonous evening

Many of our guests agreed our spinach artichoke dip was their favorite. I must say, I’m not surprised. USA! USA! USA!

Sorry not sorry.