Laramie Main Street Alliance (LMSA) is pleased to announce the 2nd Annual Laramie International Flavor Festival at participating restaurants and venues throughout downtown Laramie April 4-8, 2023.
This year’s festival will feature menu items inspired by stories. All Laramie community members, including international students and scholars, are encouraged to submit up to 250 Words of Flavor describing how food connects them to their heritage. There is no minimum word count.
Top story submissions, selected by an eight-member festival jury, will be chosen to receive gift certificates to the event. Restaurants will feature internationally inspired specials from flavors extracted from these stories. To submit a story, visit: https://laramiemainstreet.org/international-flavor-festival , or scan the QR code. Stories must be submitted by February 12 to qualify for the contest.
“Everybody has a story. Often, it’s foods that connect us to our heritage, memories, and traditions. What better place to start a conversation about heritage than at the table? Whether it’s schnitzel, frybread, dumplings, paella, biscotti, or rice and beans, the idea is to connect the Laramie community through the sharing of these stories and celebration of heritage,” says Laramie International Flavor Festival Co-Chair Ali Grossman.
“The Laramie International Flavor Festival brings so many opportunities for discovery and for making new connections across cultures and we’re thrilled to partner with the Laramie Main Street Alliance to highlight the rich diversity of our community.”
Laramie Main Street Alliance partners with University of Wyoming International Students and Scholars to encourage the participation of the international community.
“What could be more exciting than discovering new foods and, along with them, new cultures and maybe even some new neighbors?” says Dr. Isadora A. Helfgott, VP for UW Global Engagement, “The Laramie International Flavor Festival brings so many opportunities for discovery and for making new connections across cultures and we’re thrilled to partner with the Laramie Main Street Alliance to highlight the rich diversity of our community.”
“We had a great time last year, collaborating with a Pierette Planche, to offer a French menu.” says Kerri Smith, co-owner of Alibi Wood Fire Pizzeria. “Pierrette taught us to make crepes and to say "c’est bon" at the completion, which means "it's good". “
In last year’s festival, 20 participating downtown restaurants featured menu items with flavors inspired by over 80 international community members from over 40 nations. These specials appeared on their menus throughout the week.
“We feel that this event has such a positive impact on our local community, including our chefs and restaurants,” says Kerri Smith. “Alibi was given the opportunity to participate in the Taste of Colorado in Vail this year, but it overlaps with the Laramie International Flavor Festival so we’ve made the decision to stay here, support Main Street, and represent new cultures and flavors this year.”
Festival Co-chair Deb Ross adds, “The 2023 festival will offer even more opportunities to meet our neighbors and share culture through stories, flavors, and demonstrations.“ The festival will conclude with an international showcase and community conversations, sponsored by the University of Wyoming Center for Global Studies.
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ABOUT LARAMIE MAIN STREET ALLIANCE:
Laramie Main Street Alliance strives to preserve historic Downtown Laramie while enhancing its economic and social vitality.
Laramie Main Street Alliance is a 501 (c)(3) Nonprofit Organization, operating as part of the State of Wyoming's “Wyoming Main Street” program under the Wyoming Business Council, guided by the principles of the National Main Street Program. More information can be found at laramiemainstreet.org.
STORY EXAMPLES:
In a few paragraphs (no more than 250 words and no minimum), describe the culinary dish or flavors that evoke the strongest memories of your cultural heritage or home country.
"I have a favorite family recipe that I bake every year for the holidays. My memory of these special cookies come from the kitchen of my Uncle Frank’s mom who immigrated from Italy. She kept cookie jars all around the house and I would pick these chocolate anise cookies out from the assortments. My sister remembers a treasure trunk shaped box with cookies. The cookies are a moist chocolate, with chocolate chips and flavored with anise then frosted with a white anise icing. These cookies have become legendary in my family as many cousins also have the recipe which has been passed down through generations, it’s fun to have a recipe that connects us."
— Deb Ross, Retired UW Pastry Chef, Laramie, WY
I grew up in the 60's in Adelaide, South Australia. My Mum Ruth now of 92 years, cooked a leg of lamb roast every Saturday night. The aroma of sizzling lamb with plugs of inserted garlic and abundant rosemary filled the house along with oven heat, as my 8 brothers and sisters and I filtered in from their various weekend activities, tennis, football, swimming, athletics, picnicking, and surf lifesaving. Fresh rosemary and mint were handpicked from a garden bed right next to the back fly screen door. This garden placement was old British custom believed to help keep the flies out of the kitchen and house. The kids all helped in some way with the meal, peeling the veggies, peas, carrots and potatoes, setting the table, washing up and wiping (no dishwashers), making and serving a pot of black tea along with dessert. All eleven of us, 9 kids and Mum and Dad sat down together at a table resembling the Last Supper. No television, radio on, all together, sharing the stories of the day. That leg of lamb fed us all with leftovers for our school sandwiches the next week. Magic!
- Paul Taylor, Storyteller, Laramie, WY