An International Night Of Culture

With Benefits That Will Reach Beyond Connecticut’s Borders

By Shannon Hicks

Eight tables, 32 wines, two dozen silent auction items, more food than was possibly going to be eaten during a three-hour period, and dozens of people smiling, socializing, and enjoying themselves filled The Alexandria Room at Edmond Town Hall last Friday night. The evening was billed as “An International Night of Culture” and it certainly lived up to that billing, with foods and wines from Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, and Spain all offered during the party on April 4.

Trinity Episcopal Church Youth Ministry planned the event, which was a fundraiser for the Main Street church’s Pilgrimage Fund, as well as for Newtown Youth & Family Services. Proceeds were raised through the $25 admission paid by everyone who attended, along with the winning bids that came from a silent auction that offered everything from a Nike Odyssey putter and a signed copy of Ellie Krieger’s The Food You Crave to clever lots like the Dining On Main Street package that offered gift certificates to Mona Lisa, Kolam, El Coyote, Sal e Pepe, and Villarina’s.

Proceeds from An International Night of Culture also came from the sale of wines that were purchased Friday night, thanks to the generosity of Stop & Save Liquor of Newtown and Yankee Wine & Spirits, also of Newtown. The liquor stores arranged for the wines to be sampled, invited distributors to attend the event to offer education about those wines, and provided another way for the church to raise money through the event.

Attendees were welcomed into The Alexandria Room, and handed a wine glass to be used for tastings. Eight tables had been set up, each representing one of the abovementioned countries. A table host or hostess welcomed guests to each table and explained the culinary offerings that had been prepared, while a vendor was also stationed at each table to conduct tastings and answer questions about the four different wines selected to represent the featured county and answer questions about each of the alcoholic offerings.

Elizabeth Zarifis and Marcela Rumeli took care of the Argentina table, which offered empanadas and dulce de leche, an Argentinean cookie.

Australia’s table was loaded with Anzac biscuits prepared by Tanya Cutolo, and also featured chocolates and candies from Down Under.

Ann and Terry Tabler welcomed guests to their table, which offered some of the goods of Chile including a tenderloin dish Terry called “Chilean BBQ of sorts.”

The France table, of course, offered plenty of brie. Terry Gottlieb had selected a few different versions of the popular cheese, and complemented them with baguettes and croissants among her offerings.

At Italy’s table, guests were welcomed by Beth Breuninger, who offered tomato-basil spears, asparagus cannoli with aioli sauce, and antipasto spears, all catered by Carl Anthony’s Trattoria of Monroe.

Next to Italy was New Zealand, where Cindy and Peter Anderau and Paige Fischer had collaborated to present salami rolls filled with cream cheese, sour cream, cucumbers, and red peppers; kiwi chicken salad served with crackers; and a hummus-style dish with artichokes.

South Africa was represented with a selection of smoked snook pate (“Delicious!” declared Than Smith, the distributor who was offering the wines at that table), curried vegetables, and brandied gingerbread, all created by table hostess Jeanne Benedict.

Spain had one of the most popular dishes of the night. Beth Thompson had prepared a pork tenderloin with pistachio pesto that was almost fully consumed by about 8:30. She also offered guests a choice of garlic shrimp, albondigas (Spanish meatballs), and tuna steak with tampenadas.

Guests moved freely and happily between the tables. Most seemed to be trying to taste a little of everything, while others seemed to find something they really enjoyed and returned frequently to the country of their favor. The room was filled with chatter and laughter, along with some musical entertainment thanks to the guitar playing and singing by Dean Snellback.

The silent auction was set up on a series of tables that ran along the kitchen end of the room and offered plenty of choices. There was a basket of six Webkinz offered by The Magic Garden, a full house blessing by Pastor Kathie Adams-Shepherd, a hot stone massage, and a Nike putter.

There were some lots that had been combined from a number of donors. One lucky bidder went home with a Mr Coffee 12-cup coffee machine, a set of mugs, and a $15 Starbucks gift card. Someone else went home with a soccer basket filled with a ball, cones, shirt, and towel, while someone else went home with a large-size ceramic planter decorated with a rooster and filled with potting soil and a set of hand tools. Another lot offered a mixed bag of local international dining, with gift certificates from J. Fuji, Kolam, New Wok, Franco’s Pizza & Café, and Señor Pancho’s.

On top of everything else, there was décor provided by The Dressing Room, Lexington Gardens, and The Red Garage, all of Newtown, along with artwork by residents of Meadow Ridge in Redding on display around the perimeter of the room. Dennis Walton explained that the residents of the assisted living complex where he works were thrilled to be able to offer their own international flavor to the event he helped put together.

“Some of these folks are from the countries we’re representing tonight, so even the art has an international flavor,” he said.

 Attendees were not just members of Trinity Church. Layne Lescault was there because, she said, it was “a good thing for Trinity. They do so much,” before turning back to inspect the items offered in the silent auction.

Herb Doscher does not attend Trinity either, but his friends and neighbors the Whitaker family does, so when they told him about the event he signed up for it.

“This is a fantastic event,” said Mr Doscher. “It’s just amazing.”

Mr Doscher’s support of the event will in part help support his neighbors’ daughter Kathleen Whitaker, who is one of Trinity’s workcampers.

Friday’s International Night of Culture is the latest of a campaign that is in full swing to help cover the cost of sending between 30 and 40 workcampers from Trinity to North Kingston, R.I., during the week of June 29 to July 5. There have already been a Valentine’s Day candy sales and a one-night collaboration with My Place Restaurant this year. Coming up in May are a Mother’s Day flower sale and a car wash.