Food for Thought

This is going to be my final post. And I'd like to use it as a forum to discuss something a little larger than a critique of the food that has fed me for four years.

There has been a lot of publicized tragedy this week. Boston. Texas. India. All over the world. And with a seemingly never-ending self-consumption of a combination of heartbreaking images and stories of extreme heroism, I am fortunate.

I am fortunate that I, or anyone I love, isn't injured or has died as a result of someone else's decisions. But I know others who have been affected. And it's tragic. And they've cried. And I've cried. But the tears we're shedding still mean we're alive.

I don't think we're ever going to live in a world without tragedy. Unfortunately, there's probably always going to something terrible going on somewhere in the world. And it's worse to know that no one is immune. And tomorrow is never guaranteed.

So take today as a gift. I'm graduating from college with a higher education. I have access to clean drinking water. I have clean clothes. I have access to indoor plumbing. I believe the greatest gift I have is the ability and the accessibility to resources to help others.

I encourage everyone to do the same. Use your resources, your abilities, your education to help those less fortunate. Educate yourself to be able to help in dangerous situations. Stay up to date with current events.

So the next time you're complaining about the dining hall food, remember how reluctant you are to be able to complain about it.

Let's Have Dessert Before Dinner

If there is one thing that dining services (unfortunately for my waist) gets right all the time, it's dessert. I've always had a huge sweet tooth so coming to a college that served great desserts was awesome. But, again, didn't make that Freshman 15 easier to keep away.

Pictured above is a chocolate pudding pie, covered in whipped cream and with chocolate cookie pieces on top. I'm a terrible pie slicer, but, hey, it all tastes the same no matter what it looks likes.

As an unhealthy challenge to all my fellow seniors out there, I encourage you to enjoy your just desserts. Eat dessert before dinner. And before lunch. And maybe after. Because these last few weeks are probably going to be some of the few where dessert (delicious, delicious dessert) is available at your whim. It is also probably the only time in your life where it also make too much of a difference on waist line. Well, maybe. But it's dessert.

And with graduation only a few weeks away, we deserve to treat ourselves. I believe indulging in our final dining hall desserts goes on this list: http://www.buzzfeed.com/ariellecalderon/things-youll-never-do-again-after-graduating-coll.

One of the list items from the link is that this is probably the only time in our lives when we will have a meal plan, at least full time meal plans. And as much as everyone has complained about dining hall food now and again (I'm also guilty as charged), take advantage of using your meal plan. If you're not going to use all of your meals, lend them to other underclassmen, commuters, professors, so on. I encourage you to really relish in those tray and plate meals until May 11. Then you can move onto non-prepaid meals.

Nope, This Is Not About Food At All

*As a disclaimer, I had to write this for class. So sorry this week you won’t be reading about my expertise in Cedar Crest dining services. If you have any complaints, please email Christine Schiavo.

Until seventeen, I was not allowed to have a Facebook page. I never had an AIM or a MySpace. When I graduated high school, my mother finally decided it was time to give my sweet internet freedom. I’m not sure how she would have reacted if I decided to use the page to start a revolution in Egypt as opposed to connecting with fellow recent high school graduates.

Facebook, Google, Twitter and other familiar social media organizations are business corporations. In this YouTube video, Mona Eltahawy argues that these social media corporations have a responsibility in the name of human interest to help activists in other countries, specifically the Middle East, join together in the name of democratic revolution. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAlbajRFgUE

The question of responsibility to these activists from social media corporations is up for debate. Facebook and YouTube have both created obstacles, as stated in the video, for activists who want to use their sites as a tool to bring other activists together. But these are not necessarily the means or values of these social media sites.

If social media sites are either not in favor of or do not want to side with the activists, it is not necessarily in their business model to do so. It is not in the terms of service that these social media have to help the activists. And if they were to make exceptions for activists, would they have to then give these freedoms to the other users of their sites? If these social media corporations want to change the way their sites work to accommodate these activists, that is completely up to them, but as of right now, they are in no regards to do so.

Lunch 3.20.13 - A Taste Of The Middle East

I was so excited to have lunch on Wednesday 3.20 because dining services would be serving Middle Eastern cuisine. Pictured above (ignore the to-go box) is Lebanese rice pilaf, kofta, spanikopita, kofta, shish taouk and naan. And I enjoyed every last bite of it.

In fact, it was the dining hall that first introduced me to Middle Eastern foods several weeks ago. While some of the foods differed from the first time they had served this food, I was a little less hesitant the second time around.

Although students ask for new things in the dining hall and complain about the food from time to time, I think that when the dining hall does attempt to release new items or try to present food from different cultures, it can come with some backlash. I appreciate that the dining hall giving students the opportunities to try new foods and I think most students appreciate the opportunity to try these new foods.

Middle Eastern food has a bold and somewhat salty flavor. It's also very savory and contains a lot of spices. I've found that with the specific flavor of Middle Eastern foods, people either love them or hate them because of the combination of spices, specifically with curry. Personally, I really enjoy the combination of flavors.

While salty foods can be delicious, too much sodium is bad for health. This week a study was released from Harvard's School of Public Health saying that too much sodium in the diet is responsible for 85,000 deaths per year in the United States. Too much salt can cause heart attack, stroke or other diseases of the heart. The dietary recommendation for salt, depending on the organization supplying the recommendation like the American Heart Association or the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, is between 1,500 mg to 2,300 mg per day. Most Americans are eating more than their fair share of salt in one day.

So while the Middle Eastern food may be delicious, it could be an issue if there is too much salt. But as long as salty foods are eaten in moderation, dig in and try new foods!

Just Some History Over Brunch

Brunch is the casual hybrid child of breakfast and lunch served with a combo of food both typically served at both meals. At Cedar Crest, the sleepy, pajama clad young women slowly gather in the Falcon's Nest to enjoy the foods served buffet style.

Brunch and dinner in the Falcon's Nest is a recent change to this year. While the times of both brunch and dinner during the weekends have remained the same (10:30am to 1:30pm for brunch and 4:30pm to 6:30pm for dinner) the location has changed. Dining services also closed the dining hall for breakfast during the week and only serve it in the Falcon's Nest.

The Falcon's Nest itself is still very new, with construction on the conversion of the old bistro completed in late 2009. The Cafe, which is on the opposite side of the Falcon's Nest, was completed within the last 3 years and used to be an art gallery.

And while students may always complain about the food (really no matter what college or university they attend), Parkhurst (which is the foodservice organization that operates at Cedar Crest) seems to really listen to student concerns and complaints by changing and trying to meet student needs. In the last 5 years, they added a salad bar, started providing more diverse and healthier options, and most recently added a soy milk machine.

Dining services also celebrates and recognized different holidays and events by having their employees dress up and providing special meals. Because this weekend is St. Patrick's Day, the Falcon's Nest is covered in green and employees have gotten in the spirit by dressing up as well.

So if you find yourself eating brunch in the Falcon's Nest this Sunday, look out to see if Dining Services has anything special (most likely green colored planned.)

Shhh It's A Secret

Though this week was spring break, I'd like to share some of the secrets of the dining hall and the Falcon's Nest to help make you healthier in honor of the beginning of National Nutrition Month.

Want to be healthier in the Falcon's Nest? You can substitute the french fries for carrot and celery sticks. You can also ask for whole wheat or multi-grain bread instead of a bun or white bread if you're ordering from the grill.

There is a salad bar in the Falcon's Nest believe it or not. And while it may seem expensive, it is unlimited, a fact few actually know.

If you suffer from a disease that you need a specific diet, like celiac disease, if you let dining services know in advance, they can plan a special menu for you or let you know what items on the menu are appropriate.

The dining hall just added a new Silk dispenser, which will dispense both vanilla and chocolate soy milk. Soy milk can have less calories and fat compared to cow milk. The chocolate Silk also has less sugar than chocolate cow milk.

The dining hall offers fresh apples, bananas, pears and oranges. You are able to take one piece of fresh fruit with you when you leave the dining hall, so you'll be able to have a healthy snack later.

Instead of buying a bottle of water for $1.00 in the Falcon's Nest, you can purchase a 16 oz cup with water from the soda fountain for 20 cents, which also comes with free refills for water only. Plus you'll be saving calories and sugar from not drinking soda.

The theme of National Nutrition Month presented by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is Eat Right Your Way, Everyday. Just because you may be stuck eating on campus in the dining hall or the Falcon's Nest, doesn't mean you should be stopped from eating healthy every day. Make sure you keep these secrets in mind the next time you eat in the dining hall or the Falcon's Nest.

Everyday Item: Pizza - Pie As A Whole

P-i-z-z-a, I want P-i-z-z-a, I want P-i-z-z-a, I want pizza, pizza everyday!

I learned that fun little song when I was first grade. All through my public schooling, pizza day was looked forward to by almost everyone (except for those who were unfortunately lactose or gluten intolerant...and even then some of them suffered past their metabolic disabilities). So now in college, when pizza is an option at every meal (well...except for breakfast), at every club activity, or when I pick up the phone to call one of fifty local pizza locations, I've become desensitized to pizza day. And I've become more particular.

Pizza is served in both the dining hall and in the Falcon's Nest. In the dining hall, while pizza has been served less often than in the past, the variations differ from cheese to buffalo chicken to white pizza. In the Falcon's Nest, cheese pizza is served everyday, usually with another choice like vegetable pizza or pepperoni.

There's a saying that "Even bad pizza is good pizza." That phrase encompasses how I feel about the pizza in the dining hall and the Falcon's Nest. It's not the best pizza I've ever had, but it's not the worst.

Because the pizza sits out under hot lamps to keep it warm, the cheese gets dried out very quickly. The amount of sauce on the pizza could possibly be enough to create a whole other pizza. The crust is very thick at the top but very thin underneath all of the other toppings, making it very crisp. The taste is average, enough to satisfy a craving, not enough to make me scream out in joy.

Pizza is great to enjoy with friends while hanging out watching TV or the lastest YouTube videos. Recently, my friends and I have been enjoying our pizza by watching Harlem shake videos, the latest dance sensation that has generated millions of videos. My favorite so far has been the UGA Men's Swim Team: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkNrSpqUr-E. And the one with Matt and Kim: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DABphlXEyW8

It's said that New York has some of the best pizza and where you could get a great "slice." New York is very sensitive to the way non-New Yorkers react to their pizza...and to their dances. Harlem is not happy about that. Take a look at this video to see how Harlem reacts: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGH2HEgWppc.

Ultimately, I give the pizza 2.5 out of 5 card swipes.

Lunch 2.12.13 - It Faschnaut Be True Pope!

How perfect to celebrate the day before lent with something that is fried, doughy, and covered in sugar? Faschnauts, a fried doughnut, are typically served on Fat Tuesday. Above is the picture of the Faschnauts served in the dining hall during lunch on Fat Tuesday.

It was announced on Mon. Feb. 11 from Vatican City that Pope Benedict XVI is retiring effective Feb. 28, according to the Associated Press. Although, Pope Benedict XVI still led the Ash Wednesday service, which marks the beginning of Lent. This will be the first pope in about 600 years to step down from the position.

Faschnauts originated in Germany, where the doughnut is deep fried and coated in powdered sugar, table sugar or cinnamon and are either plain or filled with a fruit jam.

The Faschnaut has evolved into a standard of multiple cultures. In the Pennsylvania Dutch region, Faschauts are commonly made with potato flour and covered in table or powdered sugar.

It was only a couple of years ago that I tried a Faschnauts for the first time. It was unbeknownst to me the popularity and deliciousness of  this religious and culturally diverse treat. Now I look forward to their fried goodness every Fat Tuesday.

On Wednesday, students could be seen walking around campus with ashes on their foreheads. A service was held in the chapel at noon for students who still wanted to participate in between classes and were not able to make it to their own churches.

It is common to give something up for the 40 days of Lent, like eating ice cream or swearing, or others find it easier to adapt to something, like working out for 40 days or eating a salad every day for lunch to be healthier. What some do not know is that Sunday is a rest day and it is okay to eat ice cream or not have a salad for lunch. (I guess Pope Benedict XVI is giving up being pope for Lent.)

The Faschnauts in the dining hall were fairly delicious. While they were a little tough and hard, possibly from being fried too long or being made too far in advance and possibly being a little stale, they were still delicious. Of course, fried dough covered in sugar is hard not to be found delicious.

I give these Faschnauts and 3.5 out of 5 card swipes.

_______________________________________________________________________________

I'm not sure if I want to attempt making Faschnauts. I don't think I'm authentic enough or have the amount of time to create them. I might just leave this particular yearly treat up to the baking professionals and enjoy their expertise. Maybe I'll get a few old ones and invite Pope Benedict XVI over and we'll hang out on his retire time.

Lunch & Dinner 11.30.13 - I Can't Pronounce Galaktoboureko

Although I ate this Greek Custard, or Galaktoboureko, last week as a part of my lunch and dinner on January 30 in the dining hall and I wanted to put something more recent up, I've just come across a discovery of my own.

Galaktoboureko is a Greek dessert of  baked custard and phyllo dough. It is usually covered in a syrup of lemon, orange or sometimes rose.

Right now, I'm sitting on my kitchen floor looking up recipes to bake this weekend. It as comfortable as it sounds. And poor Nemo got confused between the Eastern Australian Current and the East Coast and wandered here instead. So I wanted to bake him some treats so he had something to eat when he gets here.
(Don't remember that scene in Finding Nemo? http://video.disney.com/watch/catching-the-eac-4bb39d25a179ea8833003b15)

According to the Winter Storm Warning by the National Weather Service, the Lehigh Valley where I am currently located, is expected to receive as much as 10 inches and gusty winds of 20 to 30 mph. Sounds like warm dessert baking weather to me.

As I'm sitting on the uneven tile being supported by a wall that very obviously used to be a different color, I started going through some of my old cookbooks and magazines. About two years ago, I bought my favorite cooking magazine. A Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publication called Ultimate Desserts. Even though my eyes have gazed through these recipes a million times, I always seem to find a recipe I hadn't noticed before. And that's where I found a recipe for Greek Custard, the same exact dessert I had tried for the first time last week in the dining hall. Thus why it's making a late appearance now.

When I saw this in the dining hall, I was afraid to try it. I didn't know if it was going to be sweet, savory, bitter, or squishy (just like the jellyfish in Finding Nemo). I couldn't take too long to stare it down because of the long line behind me. I had to make a decisions: take the Greek Custard and be able to blog about my adventurous new worldly experience from the dining hall or walk away, having to sit in my scaredy-catness, defeated by my own fear of trying new things. I put it on my plate, my only security knowing there were napkins at the table to spit it out in if I didn't like it.

I slowly spooned myself the corner of the desert and lifted it towards my mouth. I already knew my face looked as if I had just eaten an entire lemon, cringing at the thought of a less than delightful taste entering the sacred territory of my mouth. And then, it was wonderful.

It was similar to the consistency of bread pudding, warm and tasted like thick, sweet oatmeal. I loved it. That's why I had it again when it was offered at dinner.

I'll give it 4.5 out of 5 card swipes.

______________________________________________________________________________

So now, as I will probably be trapped in as a result of the thunderous Storm Nemo, I am going to attempt to make my own Greek Custard. Now I just have to brave it out to get the phyllo dough. I invite you to do the same.

Greek Custard (adapted from Ultimate Desserts)

Prep: 25 minutes
Bake: 45 minutes
Cool: 35 minutes

Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
4 cup milk
2 Tbsp butter
6 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup melted butter
10 sheets frozen phyllo dough (halved)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 slice lemon

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. For custard, stir together 1/2 cup sugar, flour and cornstarch in a large saucepan. Stir in milk and 2 Tbsp of butter. Cook over medium heat, while stirring, until bubbly and continue to cook for 2 minutes.
3. Stir in 2 cups hot mixture gradually into beaten eggs. Then return the now formed egg mixture to the saucepan and stir over low-medium heat until it starts to bubble. Remove from heat and add vanilla.
4. Brush some of the melted butter on the bottom of a 3-quart rectangular baking dish. Start brushing one of the halved phyllo dough sheets with some of the melted butter. Top this sheet with nine more of the halved sheets brushed individually with butter. Place this stack in the bottom of the baking dish.
5. Pour the custard over the phyllo dough stack in the baking dish. Repeat the brushing phyllo dough with melted butter into another stack of 10 sheets and place on top of the custard. Bake for 45 minutes.
6. For syrup, combine 1 1/2 cup of sugar, water and lemon into a small saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and discard lemon.
7. Wait 30 minutes until the custard is cooled after cooking before pouring syrup on top of custard. Cover and chill. Cut into squares to serve.

Lunch 1.29.13 - Why French Toast? A Mystery...

Only in a dining hall could I enjoy pizza, sauteed vegetables, stuffing and french toast all in the same meal. Absolutely at no other point in my life have these individual foods been paired together, even on my most desperate of food quests.

For this post, I want to specifically focus on the french toast. From my history of eating french toast, and at any point correct me, it's traditionally a breakfast food. To learn more about the variations and history, I recommend heading to http://www.frenchtoastrecipe.org/history-of-french-toast/.

Now as to why this sweet breakfast bread based dish was being served next to such savory options, like the basil topped pizza and mushy yet still satifying stuffing, I have no idea. I guess I should have mustered up the courage to ask one of the several chefs roaming the post-rush empty dining hall. But I didn't. As one of my high school history teachers always liked to say "the train makes no stops and only goes in one direction."

This particular french toast, as seen beneath a simmering pool of warm syrup, was not out of the ordinary, above average french toast. It was squishy not soggy, sweet not overpowering, and simple not bland.

I'll give it 3 out of 5 card swipes.
__________________________________________________________________________
French toast can be either a simple from a bag of traditional white bread or from a baguette. It's really a canvas to a multitude of diverse toppings: strawberries, blueberries, nutella, powdered sugar, bananas, crumbled up bacon is you wanted to get really crazy. It can be baked in an over or cooked in a pan on the stove.

If you're interested in making French toast on your own, follow this simple recipe adapted from allrecipes.com.

6 slices of bread
2 large eggs
2/3 cup milk
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

1. Beat together eggs, milk, salt and vanilla in shallow dish.
2. Heat nonstick pan or slightly oil pan over medium heat.
3. Dip each piece of bread in the egg mixture, making sure both sides are covered. Place in pan and cook until golden brown. Flip bread and cook until other side is golden brown.

I've used this recipe many Saturday mornings at home to surpise my mother with breakfast. It's a simple recreation and as close to the dining hall recipe as you'll come. Get creative and think outside of the syrup bottle.