The World Food Prize, Hall of Laurestes, and World Food Festival:

The World Food Prize is compared to the Nobel Prize, but describes itself as:

honoring outstanding individuals who have made vital contributions to improving the quality, quantity or availability of food throughout the world

Luiz Ignacio Lula Da Silva voluntarily got on a plane and flew from Brazil to Des Moines to accept the prize this year. The ceremonies are surrounded by a pomp and sophistication uncommon to the city of Des Moines. Youth Choirs, professional dance routines, live orchestra music, and visits from former or current heads of state are broadcast on public television from downtown Des Moines when the prize is awarded. The noteworthy news of this years ceremony is the completion of the Norman Borlaug Hall of Laureates. The old Main Library has been renovated into a permanent home for the Prize, along with space for a museum, and educational facilities. Several artists were commissioned to create pieces dedicated to Borlaug and the fight against hunger. Decorations include statues, murals, and elaborate metal sculptures of the major grain crops. The expensive renovation reflects the longstanding feeling among the Agriculture intellectuals and their private sponsors that this sort of thing is overlooked by the public at large. They want people to visit, and look at the artwork and interactive exhibits, but to appreciate the contributions of the agriculture scientists and public officials awarded the Prize. Judging from the artwork in the photo galleries, its pretty clear the decisions were made by someone from Iowa.





The World Food Festival is held around the same time as the Food Prize activities are starting. In previous years I had spotted the Laureates in the crown, although they never looked impressed by the whole deal. The local sponsors who want to impress the big agriculture/academic crowd visiting get their name on the festival. But the sponsors are generous with low, or perhaps zero, fees for vendors. Nothing is priced over $5.00, and each vendor must have one item for a dollar. Local foodies recognize most vendors from opening (and closing) grocery stores or local catering companies or grocery stores.

Chocolate Soup: this is sold by the same people who operate a Filipino Grocery Store in the dead mall on the south side of Des Moines.


Cabbage Rolls are $1.00, from operators of a Bosnian/European grocery store:


Zeljanica: spinach and cheese in phylo:


Reptiles:


Cheburekie: this is more dough, stuffed with pork sausage:


Salchipapas: This looked better than it tasted, just a deep fried hot dog:


Taco Loco: These people have a food truck and a restaurant:


US Cellular Des Moines World Food Festival
Oct. 7-9, 2011
Downtown Des Moines East Village
http://www.worldfoodfestival.org/

Norman E Bourlog Hall of Laureates
Open to the public sometime in 2012
http://www.worldfoodprize.org/
Download Brochure:
http://www.worldfoodprize.org/documents ... 7566B8.pdf