THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, December 14, 1995 TAG: 9512130034
SECTION: FLAVOR PAGE: F1 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: MORSELS
SOURCE: RUTH FANTASIA
LENGTH: Medium: 93 lines
``BY ACCIDENT of birth, you were born in a rich country to parents who can afford to feed you.''
Donald Zeigler was talking to a few hundred teens at Norfolk Collegiate School one day last week.
The head of Old Dominion University's department of political science, Zeigler had been invited by the school's Spanish Club, as part of a ``banquet'' recognizing world hunger.
``The United Nations estimates that 800,000 people go to bed hungry every night,'' Zeigler said.
A few minutes later most of the students were finding out what it is like to be among the have-nots.
School lunch was free that day, but students drew lots to determine which ``world'' they would eat in. Color-coded slips were based on figures from Oxford Famine Relief, and reflected the world's current food distribution.
About 15 percent of the more than 400 students, teachers and administrators dined in the ``first world.'' They ate Chicken Cordon Bleu, soup, salad and pie and in the gymnasium at tables draped in linen and set with earthenware plates and stainless steel.
Another 25 percent lined up for ``second world'' rice and beans and sat in the bleachers.
The remaining ``third world'' students, about 60 percent, were left to grab a bit of rice and to sit on the floor.
Before lunch, ninth-grader Jared Goodman was skeptical.
``I don't think we should be starved just for them to prove a point.
(Hunger is) not our problem. We should take care of the deficit and not be the world's police.''
But classmate David Cundiff disagreed. ``It's, like, pretty cool because we get to find out what it's like in other countries,'' he said. ``I hope I get to eat off the floor.''
Because some servers - student volunteers - gave a little extra rice to friends, there was a shortage. About 50 students went hungry. Just like in the real world.
Several girls huddled on the floor, scooping up rice with their fingers.
``This is nasty,'' said seventh-grader Erin Beyers.
``We could at least have butter in it, or something to make it less boring,'' said Meredith Donegan, another seventh-grader.
A ``Jeans Day'' fund-raiser, in which the students paid $1 for the rare privilege of wearing blue jeans to school, had raised $305.
Cundiff, who had hoped to eat on the floor was at a table eating chicken-noodle soup.
The exercise received a mixed reaction from students.
Goodman, who drew beans and rice, said he didn't think denying lunch to some students was fair, but added that he'd learned something.
Seventh-grader Cristen Cross said, ``It made us realize how lucky we were.''
``Don't forget, locally, we have a hunger problem, too,'' Zeigler said. ``For you to eat less won't do it. You need to change the system. Volunteer at area agencies such as the Foodbank, Catholic Family Services, Meals on Wheels and Project Share.
``There are things you can do.'' WHEN BAKING STINKS
Garlic Cookies is a recipe I'm not eager to try.
A colleague didn't intend to make them either, but when she left a batch of sugar cookies to cool on her butcher-block table, the heat from the cookies drew the garlic scent out of the block. Hence, the incredible, inedible Stinking Sugar Cookies.
The moral here: Be careful how you wrap fresh baked good, especially if you intend them as gifts.
Another disaster we've heard of this baking season: a gift of puff pastries packed in a plastic container that previously held ``something rancid.'' The desserts absorbed flavor from the plastic. CYBER SALES
Some of Virginia's food producers are selling their wares in cyberspace.
Wander through Rowena's Gourmet Foods catalog by using the Internet address: http://www.infi.net/rowenas. Or buy fruitcake from monks at Holy Cross Abbey in Berryville at fruitcake(AT)globalcom.net or on the Holy Cross homepage at http://www.presstar.com/fruitcake.html.
Of course, the Internet-illiterate can still order the old-fashioned way: by phone. The number for Rowena's is 627-8699; Holy Cross is at (703) 955-4006. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
HUY NGUYEN/The Virginian-Pilot
Scott White, center, finishes his main course at the ``privileged''
table while some friends beg for a share of food during Norfolk
Collegiate School's World Hunger program.
by CNB