The song ‘Le Festin,’ which means ‘The Feast’ in English, is the song that I have played the most since I arrived in New York so far. It’s the soundtrack of the famous Pixar movie “Ratatouille,” an animation about a rat named Remy who aspires to become a gourmet chef in a French restaurant. I played this song a lot, not only because I had to cook so much by myself here, but also because it gives a comforting message to people who may not feel so confident about themselves yet but are still striving to be better. And though I don’t understand French, I really like the poetic and romantic lyrics of this song too.

To talk more about how I like this song, this is the typical scenario when I usually play this song. I return home from school around 6 pm, feeling so hungry and exhausted. After getting off the 6 train and walking for about five minutes on my way home, I feel so recharging noticing the refreshing autumn scent in the breeze. Upon arriving home, I open the refrigerator and think of the menu I can make with the ingredients I have. And when I start the cooking by melting some butter in the pan, a delightful and warm smell fills the kitchen, making me feel so comfortable as if I’m home. Then this is at this very moment I start playing this song.

I like this song because I can relate so well to Remy, the main character of this movie. Like Remy, I also left my home and had a bit of a hard time adjusting to a new place. It doesn’t always go well, but I strive to do my best and maintain a positive attitude. I also cook often too! As an exchange student trying to fit into this city and missing my family so much, I’ve also started to love this place and the new lifestyle it offers. I think how I can relate myself to the movie and this song so much makes it incredibly touching and comforting to me.

I think I have used Hong’s writing as a model in my first draft. I liked how she started the essay with a very descriptive paragraph and set the tone of the overall essay well. She also made craft moves like imagery, sensory details, and dialogue in this paragraph. I have also used these craft moves in my writing when describing a specific scene that directly relates to my moment of epiphany. This essay also helped me with the conclusion part as I was struggling with how to wrap up my writing. My epiphany came in the form of a question, which I still can’t find an answer to. Her writing gave me a hint that throwing some questions can be one form of a conclusion paragraph.

As widely known, pasta is an Italian food that is popular worldwide. Since the ingredients are readily accessible, and it is easy to create variations with what you have in the refrigerator, it is also one of the most popular dishes with various homemade recipes. Today, I would like to introduce how to cook One-Pan Pasta.

This way of cooking pasta became famous in South Korea years ago, as the number of one-person households increased dramatically, and people sought more easy, time-efficient recipes.

Personally, I have not tried this recipe until visiting New York this time as an exchange student. I used to enjoy cooking back in Korea in a fully equipped kitchen. However, since I have to share the kitchen with my 30 other floormates, I tried this recipe to cook with minimal utensils and keep the cooking time short.

If you are having a hard time cooking a meal in a resource-limited environment, it is a good recipe to try!

1. Get these ingredients prepared:
   – Diced garlic: No worries if you’re out; garlic powder’s fine.
   – Diced onion: About a quarter of an onion.
   – Italian sausage: I strongly recommend you use this; it will make the taste much better.
   – Tomato sauce: Buy it in the store! Tomato paste would not work in this recipe.
   – Pasta: Choose whatever you would like to have for your dinner!
2. Now, put these ingredients all together in the pan except for the tomato sauce, and pour some water.
3. Add a bit of salt, pepper, and olive oil to the pan.
4. When it boils (usually takes 5-8 minutes to boil), pour some tomato sauce into the pan.
5. Stir a little!
6. If you would like to add a bit more flavor, you can sprinkle some cheese on top.
7. Done! Enjoy your homemade pasta.
   The best part of the recipe is that all you have to wash for this recipe is one frying pan. Save your time and make yourself a good dinner!