World Eats celebrates diversity

(Spaghetti Cake is really easy to make and looks like you spent a lot of time doing it)

Every year at the Poughkeepsie Journal we pause to break bread — and lots of other recipes — to celebrate our cultural diversity with food. Lots of food!

Today is the 14th annual World Eats, which was started as a way for staffers to mingle over good food and share a slice of their cultural background. I can tell you right now, there are lots of satisfied, and satiated, staffers in the building at this very moment (OK, everyone, back to work!).

Prizes are given for Best Tasting, Most Unique, Best Presentation and Best Dessert. Then there is the People's Choice award, which is determined by staffers.

This is a great workplace event — it brings all the employees from the various departments together and makes us pause for a spell to enjoy some good food and conversation.

I got up very early this morning to assemble my Spaghetti Cake (which was actually made with linguine because that's all I had in the closet!), and guess what? It won for Best Presentation (see photo at top of post). Thank you, judges! (And, no, I didn't bribe them with second helpings!)

All the recipes were winners, though. There really was an eclectic assortment of dishes that were festively presented. Kudos to all the participants! And thanks to the Social Committee and Nora Pietrafesa for putting it on.

The other awards went to:

Judi Janos in retail advertising for her Stuffed Cabbage.

Beth Cashara in the business office for her Curried Couscous Salad with Apples and Sweet Potato (yum-o!).

Best Dessert was awarded to Carol Moran in classified advertising for her killer Flourless, Butterless, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Torte (which also won the People's Choice — you can see how quickly it went!).

There was so much food, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, there will be plenty left over for the late shift.

Here are some more scenes from World Eats:

This lovely autumnal cake was made by Jean Harris in market development (she was testing out the recipe for the upcoming holidays). Nice job!

These to-die-for Shortbread Cookies were made by Cindy Battaglia in advertising.

Nora (human resources) and Dan Pietrafesa (assistant sports editor) put together this wickedly good (and easy, Nora tells me) Vidalia Onion Dip.

Rita Lombardi from the business office made this Macaroni with Spinach Dip and Ricotta. It was really tasty.

Here's Rita perusing the culinary offerings. (How many times did she make the rounds? You'll have to ask her that!)

Our publisher, Barry Rothfeld, made this scrumptious Mexican Chili Dip, which was vegetarian-friendly.

Rose Simpson, administration, made a different recipe for kick-butt Mexican Dip, also veggie friendly!

This was the dessert table where the People's Choice ballots were cast (in secret!). Those are also the little award statues given out along with a cash prize for each entry.

So that was World Eats for this year. Click here to see scenes from last year's event.

And if you work for a large company, think about starting your own World Eats as a way to bring your co-workers to the table and celebrate cultural diversity.