Baked Magazine - Spring 2021

baked the ultimate food high spring 2021 | issue 13

Salt City Market’s Grand Opening

How Syracuse’s newest food hub launched during a pandemic PAGE 22

sponsored article

Skytop has the best wine selection in Syracuse Conveniently located in Tops Plaza next to South Campus and Manley Field House, Peter’s Skytop Liquors is very excited to be featured in this issue of Baked Magazine! They also have a sister store, Peter’s Discount Liquor, at 628 South Main St. in North Syracuse. Our stores are proudly owned by SU alumni — we have been bleeding orange and blue since 1982.

Stop by and try one (or several) of our featured wines or let us recommend something just for you! If you want to read more about the products we sell, view coupons and sales, or shop online, please visit us at skytopliquors.com.

Castello Del Poggio Moscato D’Asti – $14.99 Looking for a wine that's light and sweet? Well, look no further! This Moscato made its way to Skytop all the way from Italy, which is known for producing the highest quality Moscato’s in the world. Pair this wine with any spicy or Cajun-style foods, cured meats, or nuts and cheese for a perfect night.

Hosmer Semi-Dry Riesling – $12.99 Shopping local is in right now! This bottle comes from a winery located in the Finger Lakes right here in New York. Initially, this wine may seem sweet but is dry at the finish. It’s a versatile wine and pairs well with a variety of foods such as Chinese food, pork, seafood, Thai food, and salads.

The Little Sheep of France Rose – $10.99 or 2/$20 This new bottle is flying off the shelves! Not only is the packaging cool but it’s a high-quality wine at a great price. This Rose is dry and fruit-forward with notes of berries and botanicals. Pair this Rose with white meats, veggies, or your fa-

vorite charcuterie boards!

Stave & Steele Bourbon Barrel Aged Cabernet Sauvignon - $15.99 This Cabernet is made in the Paso Robles region of California and then aged four months in bourbon barrels. This unique process adds layers of depth and flavor to this full-bodied red with notes of vanilla, caramel, and spice. Pair this wine with red meats, burgers, hard cheeses, or chocolates!

Kermit Lynch Cotes Du Rhone - $13.99 A Skytop staff favorite, this fruit-forward red blend is light but packed with flavor. The blend is mostly Grenache and Syrah and can serve as a great everyday red that can be easily paired!

The best pairings are grilled meats, soft and hard cheeses, and fish such as shellfish and sushi.

Catena Malbec - $21.99 Produced at a vineyard atop the high mountains of Argentina, this wine consists of the highest quality grapes. With an almost purple coloring, this Malbec is is rich but soft, and mellower than a Cabernet. With notes of dark fruits, lavender, and mocha this bottle pairs perfectly with chorizo, potatoes, pasta, and lean meats.

SUpercard FOOD Get advance notice on: • Pop Up Events • Flash Specials • SUpercard Only Incentives

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where to use it

baked SPRING 2021

Haley Robertson

editor-in-chief

Talia Trackim

creative director

Editorial senior editors Frankie Sailer, Sarah Slavin

and Allison Weis asst. editors Megan Aprill, Bronwyn Galloway,

Taylor Huang and Caitlin Johnston copy editors Kate Carniol, Louis Platt,

Nina Rodriguez and Nick Robertson staff writers Sophie Baron, Lily Biagi,

Camille Daniels, Julia Fickenscher, Annie Labarca, Julia Langer, Alexandra Pollack, Whitney Welbaum and Winnie Zheng

Digital social media director Anna Henderson asst. social media editors Phoebe Bogandoff

and Iris Schwartz

Amy Nakamura managing editor

Corey Henry photo director

Design designers Natalia Deng Yuan, Elizabeth Goldish,

Tori Sampson, Alana Spiro, Anya Sywulak and Susie Teuscher illustration editor Jordan Schechter asst. illustration editors Thomas Harris,

Chloe Perline and Anya Sywulak

Photo asst. photo editors Elizabeth Billman

and Sarah Lee photographers Reece Nelson, Tori Sampson

and Whitney Welbaum

Food food directors Laurel White and Hope Wilkinson

social media staff Sofie Calderon

and Cara Anne Sheedy video editor Mackenzie Sammeth videographers Natalia Deng Yuan, Rowan Ide

and Jeanette Orlando video hosts Bronwyn Galloway, Eliot Fish

and Thomas Kitchell

Business & Communications pr director Mary Kate Tramontano advertising manager Mark Nash faculty advisor Melissa Chessher

Baked is Syracuse University’s student-run food magazine. Founded in 2011, Baked aims to widen food options for SU students by introducing kitchen amateurs to cooking, highlighting local businesses and eateries, and connecting readers to the greater Syracuse food community. Baked publishes one issue each semester. bakedmagazine.com @bakedmagazine @bakedmagazine

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contents baked 101 06 Fried, sealed, delivered 08 Grown-up baking 10 Sustainable storage 12 Non-dairy dilemma 14 Buzzword bingo features 16 An open letter to my dining hall 18 Soul of Marshall Street 22 Dig in at Salt City Market 28 Syracuse Eating Club Q&A recipages 30 Ready to share 36 Ode to abroad 42 A Taste of the Pacific 48 Heart healthy meals one more bite 50 Syracuse speakeasy scene 52 Catering to dietary restrictions 54 Welcome to the 21 club

letter from the editors

The coronavirus pandemic has devastated the food industry in ways we’ve never seen before. In the past year, we watched our favorite restaurants close their doors for good — the places we’d find peace in after long days, and where we once connected with loved ones to celebrate life’s big moments. We learned that isolation gave us a chance to rediscover the kitchen, providing space for comfort through food in times of grief. Food is one of the greatest vehicles for human connection and joy.

This issue is a celebration of togetherness as we look toward a brighter year ahead. The pandemic still hasn’t stopped some intrepid restaurateurs from following their dreams. For our cover story, Baked talked to the folks behind Salt City Market, the new food hall that’s taking downtown by storm. Other stories share ways to connect with each other through delicious food, from savory charcuterie boards to crispy air fryer snacks. If you miss traveling or missed out on a semester abroad, we hope you can explore the world through your kitchen with our story that features recipes from around the world.

We’re so proud of our staff, who worked hard to bring Baked back to campus while balancing Zoom classes and other commitments during a pandemic. Thank you to everyone who helped bring these stories to life, especially our incredible senior editors who amazed us with their creativity and leadership during a busy final semester at Syracuse.

We hope you enjoy what’s on the menu in this issue. Time to dig in!

With love, Amy and Haley

spring 2021 | 5

fried, sealed,

DELIVERED Tips and tricks for utilizing the hottest kitchen gadget of the year

Text By Julia Fickenscher | Illustrations by Chloe Perline

T

he air fryer is the latest and greatest appliance to appear on every kitchen counter. Its magical marketing promises the texture and taste of fried foods with none of the oil, fat or hassle. What many people don’t realize is that the air fryer can do more than perfectly reheat a bag of frozen french fries.

In fact, the air fryer can be used to create some of the tastiest and crispiest dishes imaginable, ranging from breakfast, sides and even desserts! If you want a crispy concoction without having to wait for the oven to preheat, pull out the air fryer and give these foods a try!

BACON Cook bacon with all the crisp and none of the grease!

Not only is air frying bacon easier and more efficient, but all of the grease drips to the bottom of the air fryer, leaving you with a satisfying crunch and significantly less oil. Just place the bacon in an even layer in the base of your air fryer and cook at 400°F for 10 minutes. Flip occasionally if needed, transfer onto a paper towel and enjoy with eggs and toast for a quick and easy breakfast.

Make sure to clean the oil out before using again to prevent burning

FOUR-INGRIDENT EVERYTHING BAGELS Bagels are a kitchen staple for many college students, and they can easily be made in the air fryer with just a few ingredients! All you need to make the dough is 1 cup of plain greek yogurt and 1 cup of self rising flour. Combine the yogurt and flour in a bowl, then roll it out and shape into bagels. Next, brush the tops of the bagels with a beaten egg and top with Trader Joe’s Everything But The Bagel Seasoning Blend. Cook the bagels in the air fryer for 10-14 minutes at 330°F. You’ll be rewarded with a fluffy, tangy bagel that’s ready to be topped with cream cheese and enjoyed.

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CHICKEN NUGGETS Perhaps one of the most popular foods to air fry is the chicken nugget. It’s easy to make, tastes identical to the real deal, and is a healthy twist on a fan favorite. To make, first chop up some chicken breast, coat in eggs, then in a seasoned breadcrumb mixture, and cook at 400°F for about eight minutes. Alternatively, if you don’t want to make them from scratch, store-bought frozen chicken nuggets crisp up perfectly in the air fryer as well.

FRENCH TOAST STICKS Everyone loves food that can be dunked in syrup, and an air fryer allows you to prepare a crunchy, sweet, breakfast treat in just a few minutes. Cut a few slices of your favorite bread to make the “sticks,” dunk them into a mixture of five large eggs, one cup of milk, and one teaspoon of vanilla mixture, and then gently roll in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar; this will give it a sweet and crispy outer shell. Cook in the air fryer at 350°F for about eight minutes and dunk away!

BUFFALO CAULIFLOWER While any roasted veggie is good in the air fryer, you can spice up the flavors and textures by coating your veggies in a delicious sauce, resulting in a side dish that is sure to please. Buffalo cauliflower is easy to make, and it’s packed with flavor. All you need is a head of cauliflower, two large eggs, about ½ cup of Buffalo sauce, one cup of flour (or almond flour for a healthier alternative), and your spices of choice (we recommend paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder). To make, cut the cauliflower into florets, dip in eggs, then in Buffalo sauce, and then in the flour and seasonings until everything is well coated. Cook in the air fryer at 375°F for 15-20 minutes until crispy. Toss in more Buffalo sauce to coat, then serve with ranch or bleu cheese dressing on the side! spring 2021 | 7

GROWN-UP

BAKING

SU alumna shares how she stocked her first post-grad kitchen Text by Catherine Leffert ('20) | Illustrations by Chloe Perline

G

raduating during a pandemic, I felt the pressure to acquire two essentials on a tight timeline: a job and a hobby. I prioritized the hobby.

I started putting effort into baking in June, a month after Syracuse University mailed me my diploma and wished me goodbye via Zoom. At the time, I was still living with my parents and, more importantly, the small army of baking tools my mother has accrued over the last 40 years.

A few months later, the job came, and I moved out. Cue the reality of not having unlimited access to any and every type of bowl, spoon or measuring contraption. To keep up with my baking, I prioritized what I would spend my newfound salary on for my first out-of-collegepaying-my-own-rent home.

Compiled is my list of must-haves for anyone who will soon find themself living the alumni life, often without parents and their mothers’ rubber spatulas:

1. Mixing bowls This seems intuitive, but what you might not think about as you click any bowl into your cart on Amazon is that variety is key. For any baked good, it’s more than likely there’s a need for at least two bowls for wet and dry ingredients. Sometimes, bowls should be deeper so flour and sugar don’t fly out in clouds of dust. Other times, it’s easier to have bowls with less depth, like when whisking an egg. Try and choose a set of bowls that come in various sizes that can be easily put in the oven or refrigerator if necessary, and won’t be damaged by the paddles of an electric mixer.

2. Hand-held mixer Ok, it’s true. You can physically mix anything without a hand-held mixer. But if it’s going to take two, or three, or six times as long, why put yourself through that? Be right back — I just had a heart attack thinking about trying to hand mix egg whites into stiff peaks for meringue (bakers know what I mean). Anyway, there are perfectly adequate electric mixers for under $50. That’s an investment, and the payoff is great.

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3. Spoons, spatulas, and whisks I’m cheating using one bullet point for several items, but every baker needs at least a couple of wooden spoons, rubber spoons and a whisk. Many stores sell bundles that will have everything needed in one package.

Please, PLEASE don’t be the person who tries to fold batter using the same type of spoon meant for cereal.

4. Measuring cups and spoons I cheated again! These could also be split up, but they do the same thing. You need to be able to measure a teaspoon, a tablespoon and various cup sizes up to one cup at minimum. However, for people who bake often, spoons down to one-eighth of a teaspoon and cups up to a two, or even four-cup measures are essential. The one time I’ll recommend a brand name: OXO. Reliable, user-friendly and reasonably priced.

5. Rimmed cookie sheets Use! Cookie sheets! For everything! You need to bake cookies? Oh, that’s easy.

Use cookie sheets. Want to have Sunday scones? Bake them on cookie sheets. Trying out biscotti for the first time? Working on macarons? Attempting a pizza? Good thing you were smart and bought those cookie sheets! Seriously, I use cookie sheets for at least 75% of what I bake.

6. Cake pan This is the only item on this list that I would say you could potentially pass up, but then you’d never be able to have cake. In short, clearly this cannot be passed up. Start with a 9-inch bake pan. It’s a reliable, sturdy, oftenused size for many cakes. One easy thing about cake is that it can usually be in any pan as long as you adjust baking times and oven temperature appropriately.

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Reduce,

Reuse

- and -

Reuse Again

Products to help you store food in a sustainable way Text by Sarah Slavin Photo by Tori Sampson

Z

iploc bags, plastic utensils and Styrofoam containers are all becoming items of the past. While these are still readily available for sale in grocery stores and distributed at restaurants, the switch to sustainability is on the rise.

In March 2020, New York state banned the use of plastic bags and required a fee for those who chose to use paper bags when grocery shopping. The focus on reusable products and recycling has been relevant for years now, but there are still ways in which people can be more sustainable when storing, eating and carrying food.

The first step toward more sustainable food storage is to use what you already have. It could be an old tomato sauce jar, plastic Tupperware, or a takeout container from a fast-food restaurant that you are able to re-use. Although plastic is extremely detrimental to the environment, if you already have it, it is important to use it first before throwing it out after one use and buying a new product for your pantry.

People often think the low-waste movement is centered around products such as mason jars and bamboo utensils that fit an aesthetic. These products are great, but if you already have jars and utensils that you can re-use, there is no need to break the bank for more products. Reducing your consumption of all products is at the core of sustainability.

But, if you don’t have enough containers to store your food, there are tons of great products and items on the market to help aid in a more eco-friendly lifestyle. Many of these products are a little pricier than their plastic and throw-away counterparts, but actually help people save money in the end because they last for a very long time.

Stasher Bags Substitute for Ziploc bags Price: $10 for a 15oz bag These silicone bags are not only cute and colorful, but they are an incredible substitute for plastic baggies. They come in a range of sizes and can be used over and over again. There are many similar reusable plastic bags on the market, but Stasher appears to be the best from my experience because they are made from a durable material that is more likely to last for a longer time period. They are also great for storing non-food items too!

Metal & Glass Containers Substitute for plastic food containers Price: flexible When you eventually lose, break, or run out of those plastic Tupperware containers that are in your cabinets, a great item to replace them with is a metal or glass container. Glass and metal are materials that are much easier to recycle and reuse than plastic and have a smaller carbon footprint. There are many brands that create these containers and they are also often more leakproof, which is essential when taking food on the go. When shopping for these products, it’s more sustainable to buy them second-hand, from small businesses and local, if possible.

Bamboo Cutlery Kit Sustainable swap for single-use plastic utensils Price: about $15 When eating out and doing takeaway meals, it’s best to turn down the single-use plastic utensils restaurants typically offer, even if it’s made from recycled products. After you refuse single-use utensils, it’s important to have something else to eat with. The solution is to get a utensil kit made from bamboo. Most come in a small carrying case that can fit in a backpack or purse. This allows you to always have it on you and never forget it when refusing single-use plastics.

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THE NON-DAIRY DILEMMA TEXT BY FRANKIE SAILER AND JULIA FICKENSCHER | ILLUSTRATIONS BY ANYA SYWULAK

M

ooooooove over 2% and whole; there is a new milk type on the block. Non-dairy milk alternatives are growing in popularity, with new variations popping up every year. Whether you’re trying to cut out dairy or just want to try something different, we’re here to help! Here’s a breakdown of the milks you can find on shelves today:

DAIRY MILKS

Non-Fat (fat-free/skim) has protein and calcium with fewer calories per serving than other dairy milk.

2% (reduced-fat) gets its name because it retains 2% of the milk’s fat and loses some of the nutrients of whole milk.

Whole milk is perhaps the creamiest and richest of dairy milks because it hasn’t had the fat content stripped.

ALMOND MILK Pros: Non-dairy option with lots of different choices and flavorings, high in antioxidants but low in calories, lactose, gluten free and vegan.

Cons: requires a ton of water in the production process, not safe for those with tree nut allergies, not a significant source of protein, flavored versions tend to be high in sugar, tends to separate when heated.

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OAT MILK

Pros: Uses less water than almond milk to produce, contains high amounts of fiber, protein and calcium, non-dairy milk option for vegan and nut free diets, creamy flavor and can be served both hot and cold Cons: Some brands contain high amounts of sugar and additives, not as nutrient-dense as dairy milk, high in calories and carbohydrates, not suitable for those gluten intolerance or celiac disease

COCONUT MILK Pros: known for its hydrating properties, works well in smoothies, high in antioxidants and aids in weight loss Cons: strong flavor, high in calories and saturated fats, consuming too much or too often can pose problems

SOY MILK Pros: first plant-based alternative milk options in the US, good source of potassium, contains as much protein as cow’s milk yet fewer calories than whole milk and similar to 2%, very little saturated fat Cons: not recommended for young children, can have high sugar when flavored, many complain about taste of soy milk, much soy is grown with pesticides so focus on organic if that is of concern to you

HEMP MILK Pro: low calorie and higher protein than other milk alternatives, will not separate when heated Cons: lower protein than dairy milk, sometimes has issues with chalky texture

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PEELING BACK FOOD LABELS

Debunking the buzzwords you see on grocery shelves Text by Julia Langer | Illustrations by Anya Sywulak

O

rganic, natural, cage-free, oh my! With so many claims and adjectives smacked onto food products, it can feel like a dictionary is necessary for a simple trip to the store.

Often the products with these flashy claims are more expensive; however, it doesn’t always mean they are better for you or the environment.

Natural - Don’t be fooled

Unlike organic, the term natural has NO FDA regulations. “Natural” is a buzz word used by marketers to convince consumers to spend more.

Michele Fumagalli, RD, said marketers do this because people think natural means healthy, and that’s what they think consumers want. When deciding between options at the store, save your money if the ones labeled natural are more expensive. Being an educated consumer pays off.

Organic - Your money, your choice

We see this term everywhere, but what really is organic? Jane Burrell, MS, RDN, CDN, said organic is all about the way the food was grown — following rigid guidelines in terms of usage of pesticides, fertilizer, irrigation and feed. These guidelines are set and evaluated by the USDA, so look out for the 100% Organic USDA seal if this is something that is important to you.

Content claims - Read carefully

It can be enticing to see labels that say “contains this” or “contains that,” but make sure you’re reading between the lines. For example, all milk contains calcium, but many labels boast the line “contains calcium” to entice consumers. That being said, there are claims that hold more meaning. Burrell informed us that the terms high, rich or excellent source mean that the product contains at least 20% of the recommended daily value of that nutrient or vitamin.

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Poultry

When it comes to poultry, you will often see two claims: “no antibiotics used” and “no hormones used.”

The term “no hormones used” means little because the FDA already prohibits the use of hormones in all poultry products. Burrell said it’s the lack of antibiotics that makes the difference when it comes to poultry.

That being said, there are still strict regulations with the amount of antibiotics allowed, so don’t feel like this label is the end all be all.

Beef

In the beef industry, consumers can get lost in the phrases “pasture-raised” and “grass-fed.”

These terms appear to be very similar and certainly can be confusing. Thankfully, Burrell broke it down. Pasture-raised cows feed on a pasture for a majority of their lives. When they reach a certain weight, they get moved to grainfeedlots. Grass-fed cows, on the other hand, feed only on grass or hay for their entire lives.

Eggs

More often than not, eggs get increasingly more expensive as the hens’ quality of living improves. The key to shopping for them is deciding what is important to you and finding that sweet spot where your morals and budget meet.

Fish

The two main divisions of fish we consume are farmed and wild. Wild fish are just that: commercially fished from their natural habitats. Farmed fish, however, are commercially bred and raised in enclosures.

While it may seem like wild is the clear choice, think twice as wild fish can be double, even triple the price of farmed fish!

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AN OPEN LETTER

TO MY COLLEGE DINING HALL TEXT BY ALEXANDRA POLLACK ILLUSTRATION BY THOMAS HARRIS Content warning: This essay contains descriptions of eating disorders. The national eating disorder hotline number is (800) 9312237 and is available from Monday to Thursday 11a.m. to 9 p.m. EST and Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST.

D

ear college dining hall, My first night at Syracuse University in fall 2019, my roommate asked me if I wanted to get dinner next door at Ernie Davis Hall. Reluctant to answer, palms sweating, I responded with a “yes” and a smile, because I did not know her well enough to reveal my history with an eating disorder.

The first thing I saw was the salad bar and I thought to myself, “This is safe.” I had arugula with tomatoes and balsamic for dinner, and my roommate definitely gave me a confused look, but luckily I just changed the subject.

In the United States, 20 million women and 10 million men suffer from an eating disorder in their lifetime, according to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA). Teens and young adults make up the largest portion of affected people, NEDA reported, making college students especially susceptible.

Coming out of quarantine my eating disorder only worsened. My preoccupation with macronutrients and calorie counting was all I thought about. Calories mean more to a person with disordered thoughts than just a measure of energy; a smaller number usually correlates with “good” food and a higher number correlates with “bad” food.

Kristen Douglas, a registered dietitian nutritionist at the Barnes Center said she defines an eating disorder as a, “mental health 16 | baked

condition that significantly disturbs eating patterns and negatively affects physical, psychological, and overall well-being.”

In fall 2020, meal time continued to be a major stressor. I sat in Ernie Davis Hall, just like I had the year before, and stared at my lettuce plate. I tried to encourage myself to try new foods, but nothing met my rigid food standards. It was always too many calories, too many grams of fat or too high in carbs; nothing was up to my code.

I kept these disordered thoughts in the back of my mind but knew my friends would start to catch on. A thought I never had before reached the forefront of my mind, “What if I threw it up instead?” I ate in front of my friends when I was forced to, but the Ernie Davis Hall bathroom soon became a frequented spot.

Assigning a moral value to food is dangerous and promotes an unnecessarily toxic diet culture. Not everyone is responsible for a disordered mind’s triggers, but dining services at SU should make more of an effort to understand the issue.

It is evident that there is a large disconnect between eating disorder specialists and the dining service team working at SU. Ruth Sullivan, the assistant director of nutrition management of Food Services and a registered dietician, leads weekly meetings with other dining service faculty to plan menus and openly takes suggestions from students regarding their own specific dietary needs. Students in recovery like myself, find this wildly insufficient.

Gavi Azoff, a sophomore Art Photography student at SU, is in recovery and had a negative experience with dining halls. So, she decided to move to South Campus this year to have her own kitchen.

“Diet culture has a stronghold on so many people, especially teens and college students, and that mindset can create and/or fuel eating disorders and disordered eating. I don’t know how to stress that enough,” she said.

Sullivan said that eating disorder recovery is not necessarily on her mind during meal planning, due to her lack of experience in the field. She said she focuses on helping students with dietary allergies, which is great, but she is ignoring a significant part of SU’s student population.

“It’s crucial to keep in mind that for someone with ED, food is medicine. It is not about eating special foods, it is about feeding cells. We need to be getting energy: the protein, the dietary fat, the carbohydrates, the fiber, the minerals, the water… We need a varied environment,” said Douglas.

I think I speak for a lot of people when I say there is an insurmountable pressure to look your best in college. So much of your reputation in college is staked upon your social media and physical appearance: exercising all the time, eating less to get drunk faster, or skipping a meal to “look skinny” for Instagram photos before a night out. It’s hard to differentiate my disordered thoughts and hyperfocus on my own beauty from reality, but from my understanding, almost every girl can relate to this on some level.

Douglas said that college students are significantly more susceptible to disordered eating

because of high-stress levels and extreme pressure to fit in with peers. This high stress and shallow environment reinforces disordered patterns among many students, diagnosed or not.

Sullivan said she is open to comments from students via email, but she said she thinks it takes professional help to curtail the perhaps unintentional ignorance toward disordered eating and promotion of diet culture.

While I agree anyone experiencing disordered thoughts should seek professional help, SU dining services can do more. Nutrition facts are readily available online, which is great for anyone who needs access to this information, but displaying calorie counts or specific nutrition facts without reason is unnecessary. Of course this information should be available, but more thought should be put into where this information is located.

All I ask of SU’s dining services is to please consider collaborating with one of the many trained specialists at the Barnes Center to create a safe space for those dealing with disordered eating. It can make a bigger difference than one might think.

Every single day I try to coexist with harmful diet culture, but it’s hard. Recovery is not linear; some days are better than others. I encourage anyone struggling to seek help, and join the fight to break down the strict beauty standards in college.

Sincerely, Alexandra Pollack (A recovering student) spring 2021 | 17

soul

FEED YOUR 18 | baked

Dawn Evette Reed, owner of Winnie’s Soul Delicious on Marshall Street, shares what soul food means to her and her family, and her aspirations for the future.

Text by Winnie Zheng Photos by Elizabeth Billman

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D

awn Reed started learning the ropes of soul food as early as she could remember, cooking as a teenager with her mother and grandmother. As a Syracuse native, Reed always dreamed of opening her own restaurant in her community to share the tastes she loves — hoping others feel the same way.

So far, customers at Winnie’s Soul Delicious have been amazed.

“They don't believe how good the food is until they try it,” she said. Reed has nurtured her passion for food since she was 12 or 13, passing on these same traditions to her youngest daughter, Shante Lewis, who found the location on Marshall Street and helps Dawn out at the restaurant as a food service employee. Winnie’s Soul Delicious is a family affair by Reed and her daughter — allowing Reed to reminisce on her own childhood experiences while passing on homemade recipes to the next generation.

Opening a restaurant had always been a dream of her mother’s, Winnie Reed. Winnie’s Soul Delicious is a symbol of her mother’s legacy — she passed away 10 years ago, and the restaurant is one of Dawn’s milestones to cooking out of her house and catering at local events.

Winnie's Soul Delicious serves a daily selection of homemade foods in cafeteria style, where customers can call ahead to order for carryout and pickup. The menu features baked mac and cheese, which was also Dawn’s first perfected menu item, smothered chicken and collard greens with smoked turkey.

“Everything sells,” Reed said, “there's an option for every kind of taste bud.” After finding success as a take-out eatery, Reed hopes to someday have the space to make Winnie’s a dine-in restaurant as well. Marshall Street is at the intersection of Syracuse residents and university students, she said, and it’s where she wanted to be.

Winne’s Soul Delicious is now a Syracuse staple that has generated lines down Marshall Street with eager customers. Reed’s dream is to franchise Winnie’s one day with locations around the country as a sit-down restaurant with a more “upscale vibe” and an expanded menu. “(Winnie’s is) love, time, and a lot of seasonings,” said Reed.

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(TOP) Oxtail over rice, collard greens with smoked turkey and baked mac n cheese are just a few of the staples at Winnie's Soul Delicious.

(BOTTOM LEFT) Dawn Reed opened up her restaurant on Marshall Street to pay tribute to her mother's cooking and legacy. (BOTTOM RIGHT) Reed serves homemade meals such as BBQ pork ribs with a side of pinto beans and cornbread.

CULINARY

CROSSROADS How Salt City Market cultivated the city’s hotspot for global cuisine

By Lily Biagi

Smoothies, pressed juices and fresh flowers are available at Farm Girl + Catalpa in Salt City Market.

PHOTO BY SARAH LEE 22 | baked

I

f folks are willing to wait in a line stretched down the block on a frigid winter day in Syracuse, you know the food must be good. People from all walks of life have been lining up on South Salina Street, eager to get inside Salt City Market and sample cuisines from around the world.

When I finally heard the words, “Come on in… Welcome to Salt City Market!” my childlike excitement overflowed. I ran into the bustling food hall, hungry to explore. As I wandered around the shiny new building, brightly colored restaurant names pulled me towards them. When I got closer to each food stall, mouth-watering smells drifted towards me — coconut and lemongrass from Mamma Hai, roasted meats from Baghdad Restaurant, and freshly baked berry pie from Pie’s The Limit. How was I supposed to decide what I wanted to eat when it all looked and smelled so good?

"

I'm hoping to spread the love of international cuisines and exploring different things. I think that can lead to being open minded and open minded to others.

Sara Tong-Ngork Chef at Firecracker Thai Kitchen

Clearly, other guests were in the same boat. People took the time to read menus carefully, often pointing at dishes that chefs were cooking behind the counters. “That looks so good,” I heard someone say to their friend. Couples debated over which items to order, their banter in harmony with the gentle background hum of chatter and laughter.

Groups congregated around pastry cases, marveling at the salivary confections. Every guest was on their own exciting adventure at Salt City Market — and if everything tasted as good as it looked and smelled, there were no bad decisions.

Salt City Market has been a hit since opening its doors in late January. Lunch and

dinner on the weekends have been especially busy, resulting in a line out the door. The market's biggest challenge so far has been the “problem of popularity” and keeping up with the demand, said market manager Adam Sudmann. After months of being cooped up in their homes, people are eager to go out, and Salt City Market is the place to go. It’s a hub of culinary diversity that offers guests the opportunity to explore new foods, mingle, stretch their legs and enjoy time with loved ones.

The market showcases the culinary diversity of Syracuse through its ten different vendors. A range of cuisines are offered — Thai, Vietnamese, Burmese, Middle Eastern, Jamaican and American Soul — all for guests to enjoy under one roof in downtown Syracuse. There is also a sweet and savory pie shop, a juice bar that doubles as a flower shop, and a Vietnamese bakery and cafe.

In addition to the ten food stalls, or “self-enclosed little restaurants” as Sudmann describes them, the building’s ground floor features a cafe that turns into a bar in the evenings, a grocery store and a teaching kitchen. During the spring and summer, Salt City Market has plenty of outdoor space for guests to enjoy. There are fire pits to sit around for making s’mores and even a play area for children. On the north end of the building, the bar opens up which connects the outside space to the food hall. Guests can move freely from the market to al fresco dining, bringing their food and beverages with them to enjoy wherever they please.

These outdoor spaces will be especially helpful as the pandemic lingers into the warmer months.

Even without a global pandemic, restaurant industry veteran Adam Sudmann knows how challenging it is to open and keep a restaurant in business. He wanted to give talented cooks, who might lack connections and capital, the opportunity to open their own restaurant and share their food with the public. The mission behind the market is to “allow Syracuse to show off its cultural gems and allow people to build generational wealth doing what they love,” he said.

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The market is modeled off other food halls like Midtown Global Market in Minneapolis. Food halls have become extremely popular in recent years, drawing locals and tourists to cultural districts around the country. Baker Fiona Day of Pie’s the Limit said markets like Salt City are appealing because they have options that will satisfy everyone: both adventurous eaters and those who are more picky.

“One of the things that I love about food halls is that you have the opportunity to try as many things as you want in one sitting or with a big group of people,” Day said.

Selecting which vendors would fill Salt City Market was not a simple process. It began with Sudmann scouring the streets of Syracuse in order to uncover “who's secretly catering out of their house or secretly selling on Facebook,” he said. The pool of candidates was large and the selection process was challenging. Potential vendors had to complete a 12-week business course — all while cooking for a variety of pop up events in which their food was critiqued. After a long and competitive process, eight vendors were given the opportunity to open their own stall in the market. Two established vendors were also given a spot for a total of 10. The selected vendors were then helped with menu planning, recipe scaling, marketing and advertising.

Even though it was challenging, vendors say they learned a lot through the experience and gained a supportive group of friends.

“It's crazy, in a way we were all competing against each other,” said Chef Sara TongNgork of Firecracker Thai Kitchen. “But I never felt like that. I just felt like we were this big extended family. So I'm not just excited for me, I'm excited for everybody.”

Enjoying each other’s food is an important first step toward learning about other cultures, Tong-Ngork said, because connecting through food can lead to more understanding and acceptance. By appreciating the delicious food from a different culture, she said, we come to value and respect the people who cooked it for us.

“I'm hoping to spread the love of international cuisines and exploring different things. I think that can lead to being open 24 | baked

minded and open minded to others,” TongNgork said.

Although there are other Thai restaurants in Syracuse, Tong-Ngork thinks Firecracker Thai Kitchen offers a new perspective and fills a void, as she serves dishes that she can't often find on other Thai restaurant menus. The daughter of Thai immigrant parents, Tong-Ngork grew up eating traditional dishes and uses her restaurant to take Thai food “back to its roots” by serving food that you could find in Thai street markets.

She has been passionate about cooking since a very young age and has worked in Syracuse restaurants such as Lemongrass.

Her signature dish is spicy basil chicken.

“It's minced up chicken and stir fried with garlic, Thai chilies, Thai basil,” she said.

“I threw in a little bit of bok choy and bell pepper and it’s served over rice with a sunny side up egg, and that's the traditional Thai aspect to it. In Thailand when you order it, you can order an egg with it.”

"

One of the things that I love about food halls is that you have the opportunity to try as many things as you want in one sitting or with a big group of people.

Fiona Day Baker from Pie’s the Limit

Baker Duyen Nguyen also incorporates the flavors of her home country Vietnam in her desserts at Cake Bar. She is excited to introduce Syracuse to new ingredients and hopes guests will appreciate her unique Asian flavors in common desserts.

“Instead of just a ginger cupcake, we make a honey ginger cupcake as a homage to the tea we drink in Asia every morning,” she said. Nguyen also incorporates fresh fruits that grow in Asia, such as lychee.

Another vendor who’s putting his twist

The Cake Bar’s “Lotus” cake is a chocolate cake featuring “lotus” cookies and cream with caramel dripping.

PHOTO BY COREY HENRY

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on classics like fried chicken and mac and cheese is Chef Sleyrow Mason of SOULutions Southern Cuisine. A restaurant industry veteran who learned how to cook Southern Soul food from his mother, Mason brings his culinary experience and passion for food to the market. Sudmann raved about Mason’s St. Louis-style oven roasted ribs, one of the most popular menu items at SOULutions.

“It's a different take on your traditional barbecue ribs [because] these are oven roasted, and I prepare a sage and apple chutney that compliment them. That's a little different twist, other than your barbecue sauce,” Mason said.

The restaurant manager of Big in Burma, Hein San, says his homeland is similar to America in that it is a “melting pot” with seven different regions and seven different languages that help foster culinary diversity throughout the country.

San hopes to simplify Burmese food so that more Americans become familiar

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Salt City Market opened in January 2021 and features food and drinks from 11 different vendors.

PHOTO BY SARAH LEE

Hein San, restaurant manager of Big in Burma, talks about his family’s journey to owning their stall in the new food hall.

PHOTO BY SARAH LEE

with its popular dishes in the way they are with Chinese, Indian and Thai food.

On the menu at Big in Burma, guests can find dishes such as chicken curry with coconut rice and Laphet Thoke, a fermented tea leaf salad unique to Burmese cuisine.

San says there are multiple variations of this common snack, which is usually eaten with tea, because people add different ingredients to the salad. At Big in Burma, their Laphet Thoke consists of fermented tea leaves, cabbage, tomato, peanuts, corn, fried garlic and sesame seeds.

The opening of Salt City Market has been a bright spot for the Syracuse community during a challenging year for the world. Those closely involved with the market are enthusiastic about the warm welcome from the community thus far — they look forward to sharing their food with even more people in the coming months.

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Meet Alicia Cuadrado We talked with the founder of the Syracuse Eating Club, a group for people who love eating at all over Syracuse among the company of other foodies, about her experience so far and what's in store for the future.

Text by Haley Robertson Photo by Reece Nelson

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Baked Magazine: When did you first fall in love with food?

Alicia Cuadrado: My life has always been centered around food, like in the way that it is for a lot of people with special events, family gatherings. When I moved back to Syracuse from Florida when I was 12, my parents started getting into a cleaner diet and using more quality ingredients. They read books and tried to cut out the processed stuff, and that’s when my dad really started doing some “legit” cooking. But I wasn’t really into cooking until I was 19 or 20, when I was in college.

B.M.: Have you ever considered running your own restaurant? Or maybe a bar or cafe?

"

My life has always been centered around food, like in the way that it is for a lot of people with special events, family gatherings.

Alicia Cuadrado A.C.: Not on a serious level, but I come from a business entrepreneurial background. That's what I studied, so school reaffirmed the belief that the restaurant business is too risky with long hours, super hard work. I’m not afraid of hard work, but I’m also not enthused by working 60, 70, 80-hour weeks. But I do love to cook. In the last year, I started baking a ton. So when I think about doing food for money, basically as an income, I'm afraid that I would sort of take the passion away from it. So I wouldn't want to rely on it. But that said, I do actually keep a note in my phone for like a restaurant and menu ideas that I have just in case like the tables turn one day.

B.M.: How do you balance your day job with the responsibilities of running the club?

A.C.: When I started the club in June 2019, I was actually unemployed and I had grad-

uated in May from Babson College. I came back to Syracuse and was not exactly in a rush to find a full-time job. Having a lot of passion about entrepreneurship and wanting to work for myself, I didn't want to rush into a job and not end up liking it. So I started the club really using little funds that I had to go to my own outings. Now I work parttime and from home so it’s flexible hours.

I’ve been very fortunate to find a job that fits my lifestyle and gives me time to pursue this club and other foodie ventures I want to do.

B.M.: What have you learned about yourself and your community through this club?

A.C.: I started the club knowing that I wanted to meet some people now that I moved back to Syracuse, and I thought I needed some people to go out to eat with and try all these places I wanted to try. But along the way, I really found out that I happen to like engaging with people in my community — random people, getting to talk to them one-on-one and across a meal. And what I learned about the community is that a lot of people love Syracuse. I've met a lot of transplants, especially, and local people who are excited about living here. Things like the club and cool events that were starting before COVID to pop up in the area has made it a more desirable place than I had thought growing up here. So, yeah, we have a good little community here.

B.M.: What are the goals for this year, both for yourself and for the club?

A.C.: Since the New Year, I've been aggressively trying to grow my reach to spread awareness about the club and maintaining engaged, relevant followers because I've been really focused on my immediate local community. It’s all dependent on COVID, but I’d like to do something exclusive and unique, like a private event with some of the newer businesses in Syracuse. Our social media following, like our group members and Instagram, has pretty much doubled since COVID started. And I think people are going to be pretty eager once it's safer to go out to actually get involved and get out and do things.

This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity. Check out bakedmagazine. com to read the full interview with Alicia and learn more about her experience with the Syracuse Eating Club. spring 2021 | 29

SALTY, SWEE AND SHAREA Untraditional charcuterie boards for an untraditional year Text by Frankie Sailer Photos by Corey Henry

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ET ABLE

spring 2018 | 31

I

n a year with so much time spent apart, we are all trying to find ways to come together. One of the greatest ways to bring people together is over a great meal.

Charcuterie boards have made a huge comeback this year due to their highly customizable nature and their Instagrammability. Charcuterie dates back to 15th Century France and comes from the French words for flesh (chair) and cooked (cuit) and emphasizes the idea that no part of the animal should be wasted. If you haven’t completely lost your appetite yet, stay with us! A traditional charcuterie board is mainly made up of meats and cheeses, but also may include items like breads, fruits, nuts and other complementary condiments like mustards.

With 2020 being anything but a traditional year, we figured everyone needs a charcuterie board just as untraditional. We are all about bringing people together (safely) and what better way than over a board of any and all your favorite snacks. The best part about making your own charcuterie is you can include everything you like and nothing you don’t!

Charcuterie boards have made a huge comeback this year due to their highly customizable nature and their Instagrammability.

For our untraditional takes, we focused on the most important meal of the day, snack time and a DIY sundae “bar” for each board.

When making a board, it is important to have snacks that cover a variety of different flavors, with different snacks to balance one another. For the salty of our snack charcuterie, we chose pretzels and tortilla chips, with a side of salsa for dipping. For a fresher option, we also added assorted veggies (we chose peppers and carrots but others like celery and broccoli work great) paired with a creamy green goddess style dip (our’s was the Trader Joe’s brand). And to satisfy our sweet tooths, we added copious amounts of M&M’s—perfect for sharing. This is just 32 | baked

what we had in our pantry, but as long as you have a variety of sweet and salty, you should be good to go!

It would be much easier to get up if breakfast always looked this good! For our breakfast charcuterie boards, we made sure to cover all the breakfast basics.

On one board, we have a customizable pancake or waffle (choose your fighter) and a buffet with orange slices, raspberries, chocolate chips and Nutella toppings! Try adding other goodies like blueberries, syrup or whipped cream depending on how many sweet tooths you’re trying to please.

A traditional charcuterie board is mainly made up of meats and cheeses, but also may include items like breads, fruits, nuts and other complementary condiments like mustards.

Our other breakfast board is our savory board. We included the classic breakfast meats of bacon and sausage, tucked in between our breakfast potato of choice: hash browns. We also included donuts (could be any pastry of choice like croissants or coffee), more fruit (we chose raspberries and bananas), yogurt and granola.

And though it didn’t fit on the board, we included avocado toast in our breakfast spread as well. Made on sourdough bread, add smashed avocado, lime juice, Trader Joe’s lemon pepper seasoning, goat cheese, sliced multicolor baby tomatoes and a fried egg to top it off.

What better way to end the day than with a charcuterie board piled high with toppings for DIY ice cream sundaes? We used the board to compile all our toppings in a fun way, and served our ice cream on the side. The best side for this dish? Lots of spoons and napkins!

As we begin to see old friends after much time spent apart, there is nothing better than catching up for lost time over a great meal. Whether traditional or untraditional, sharing memories, stories and laughs are best served with charcuterie. spring 2021 | 35

here's our ODE TO ABROAD Abroad recipes from home

With the pandemic cancelling abroad programs, here are recipes from each destination to bring the abroad locations to Syracuse.

Text by Allison Weis Photos by Corey Henry

O

ne year ago, I was studying abroad in London. I was frustrated when I had to cancel and reschedule trips throughout the semester due to borders closing as COVID-19 cases began to rise.

Now, I think back to my time in London with gratitude and incredible nostalgia. For the past two semesters, Syracuse University has not hosted any abroad programs. I was only in Europe for about two months, but I feel incredibly lucky to have had such an amazing experience right before the world turned upside down.

One of the best parts about travelling is getting to try local foods. If you are feeling nostalgic for your abroad locale, or if you’re disappointed that you didn’t get to go abroad this year, here are five recipes from each of SU’s international study abroad destinations to bring the world to your college kitchen.

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LONDON I ended up spending eight weeks in London during my semester abroad. When my friends and I came back from spring break knowing that we only had a weekend until we had to go back to America, we spent our time being true tourists and doing all of the London things we had been wanting to do but hadn’t gotten the chance to experience yet. One thing we did was go to afternoon tea. The concept of ‘afternoon tea’ was introduced in the mid-1840s and has been a staple of British culture ever since, according to Historic UK. The story goes that Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, would get hungry around 4 p.m., but dinner wasn’t served until 8 p.m. The Duchess asked that a tray of tea, bread and butter and cake be brought to her room during the late afternoon. Eventually she started asking friends to join her, and thus the fashionable event of afternoon tea was born. These festive tea sandwiches will make you feel like you’re hosting a posh get-together in your off-campus apartment.

What you’ll need: 1 package of Wegmans sliced vive baguette or 1 baguette, thinly sliced 1 package of smoked salmon slices 1 tin of capers 1 tub of cream cheese 1 bunch of dill Here’s what to do: 1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Put desired number of baguette medallions on large baking sheet and toast in oven until golden brown.

3. Cool bread off so that cream cheese doesn’t melt when applied.

4. Spread cream cheese on medallions.

5. Add smoked salmon slices to each medallion.

6. Top with capers and dill then serve.

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STRASBOURG My six-hour bus trip from London to Brussels took us under the English Channel and through the French countryside. We were stopped at the bus stop on the French side for about 45 minutes, and I marked this short trip to France with a croissant at the bakery. This was honestly the best croissant I’ve ever had — it was buttery and flaky, and tasted luxurious even though it was eaten in possibly the least romantic location in the country. The croissant is based on the Austrian kipfel and was popularized in France in the 19th century.

Croissants are usually reserved for advanced bakers, but this recipe cuts some corners to make the process less daunting. This recipe was adapted from the Taste of Home food blog.

Here’s what you’ll need: 1 - 1 1/2 cups butter, softened 1/3cup all-purpose flour 1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast 1/4 cup warm water (110° to 115°) 1 cup warm 2% milk (110° to 115°) 1/4 cup sugar 1 large egg 1 teaspoon salt 3 1/2 to 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour Here’s what to do: 1. In a small bowl, beat butter and flour until combined.

2. Spread the mixture into a rectangle on a piece of waxed paper. Cover the mixture with a second piece of waxed paper.

3. Refrigerate for an hour.

4. While your butter and flour chills, in a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.

5. To the yeast, add the milk, sugar, egg, salt and two cups flour and beat until smooth.

6. Stir in enough flour to form a soft dough.

7. Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.

8. Roll dough into a square that is slightly bigger than the butter and flour square .

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9. Remove bottom sheet of waxed paper from butter and place onto half of the dough.

10. Remove top sheet of waxed paper.

11. Fold dough over butter and seal edges.

12. Roll dough into a rectangle.

13. Fold dough into thirds.

14. Repeat rolling and folding twice. This creates the buttery layers in the pastry. If your butter softens during this process, chill after folding.

15. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate overnight.

16. Unwrap dough.

17. On a lightly floured surface, roll into a rectangle 18. Cut into 5 inch squares. Make sure that you cut each square diagonally in half, forming two triangles 19. To form a crescent shape, roll up triangles from the wide end; place 2 inches apart with point down on ungreased baking sheets and curve ends down 20. Cover and let rise until doubled, this should take about 45 minutes 21. Bake at 375° for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown 22. Serve warm!

My trip to Spain was filled with tapas, cured meats and my absolute favorite finger food: croquettes. Ham croquettes are creamy from the cheese and filled with ham.

They’re fried, breaded balls of ham and cheese — what’s not to love? While the croquette originated in France, the dish spread all over the world, with each region adding their own spin. You can find versions of croquettes from Puerto Rico to India to Japan.

But I have been dreaming about the Spanish fried ham delicacy for the past year, so when I found a recipe online that promised easy croquettes in 30 minutes, I had to try it! This recipe below has been adapted from the food blog Spanish Sabores.

Here’s what you’ll need: 4 tbsp unsalted butter 1/4 cup olive oil 1 cup flour (just under one cup) 1 medium onion very finely diced 1/4 gallon whole milk at room temperature.

1 tsp nutmeg 1/2 pound jamón serrano (serrano ham) diced into small pieces 1 cup flour for breading 2 eggs 1 cup bread crumbs for breading Here’s what to do: 1. Melt the butter and the oil together in a medium sized pan over medium-high heat.

2. Add the onion and sauté until they start to brown.

3. Add salt and nutmeg.

4. Add the diced ham and sauté for about

30 seconds.

5. Add the flour and stir continuously, until the flour turns a light-brown color.

6. Then, add the milk slowly, always stirring until you incorporate the entire amount. By adding the milk slowly, the croquettes get incredibly creamy.

7. Turn off the heat and let the dough cool.

8. Butter the sides of a large bowl or use plastic wrap and place the croquette dough inside, covered directly with plastic wrap.

9. Refrigerate dough overnight.

10. Shape dough into tater tot shapes.

11. While heating a pan full of olive oil on the stove, cover the dough in flour, then in egg, and then in breadcrumbs.

12. Finally, fry the ham croquettes in the hot oil until golden brown (about 5 minutes, flipping when needed).

MADRID

When you think of Italy, you think of pasta. My trip to Italy was cancelled last spring, so to make up for the pasta-shaped hole in our hearts, my roommates and I made our own Italian food. Spaghetti all'arrabbiata is enjoyed throughout Italy. Arrabbiata means “angry” in Italian, and it refers to the sauce made with tomatoes and spicy hot red chili peppers. It’s my absolute favorite quick and easy Italian meal. The spiciness of the red pepper paired with the creamy pasta sauce and parmesan cheese can spruce up your usual weeknight pasta.

What you’ll need: 1 cup Trader Joe’s Creamy Tomato Basil sauce 1 cup of dried pasta of choice (I recommend Spaghetti or Penne) 2 tbsp red pepper flakes 1/4 cup parmesan cheese Optional: Trader Joe’s Spicy Jalapeno sausage Here’s how to make this: 1. Boil salted water to prepare for pasta.

2. If you want to add sausage, warm up non-stick pan

a. Cut sausage into one inch slices and place in pan to heat

b. Add sliced mushrooms to the pan

c. When browned, flip and brown other side

d. As these are pre-cooked sausages, cook until desired color 3. Add pasta of choice to boiling water, cook to box instructions.

4. Drain pasta and add pasta sauce. Save about 2 tbsp of pasta water and add it to the sauce.

5. To the pasta sauce, add red pepper flakes and parmesan cheese to taste. I like my pasta really spicy, so I counteract the spice by adding additional cheese.

6. Top with sausage and mushrooms and enjoy!

FLORENCE

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SANTIAGO I did not visit Santiago, but this SU abroad location is a popular place to spend your semester. This program emphasizes practicing Spanish language skills, and requires students to take four semesters of college Spanish (or the equivalent) before applying to study here. With these requirements, visiting Santiago may be out of your reach even during a non-pandemic year. One of the country’s best known foods, the empanada, can be easily recreated at home! The empanada originated in Galicia, a region in Spain, but the Chilean variety incorporates olives, raisins and egg according to The New York Times. This recipe was adapted from Food.com.

Here’s what you’ll need: 1 tbsp olive oil 1/2 lb lean ground beef 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped 3 hard boiled eggs, chopped 1/4 cup Pimento Stuffed Olives 1/3 cup Raisins 2 tbsp chopped garlic 1 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar 1 tbsp flour 1 3/4 tsp allspice 1 tsp cumin 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 1 cup grated monterey jack cheese 1/3 cup chopped cilantro 2 (12 ounce) packages refrigerated buttermilk biscuits 1 egg, beaten with 1 tbsp water for egg wash

Here’s how to make this: 1. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat.

2. Add beef, bell pepper and garlic.

3. Cook until beef loses its pink color and vegetables begin to soften.

4. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

5. Mix in cheese and cilantro.

6. Preheat oven to 375º.

7. Roll out one biscuit on lightly floured surface to 4 inch circle.

8. Brush half the dough with egg wash.

9. Place 1 rounded tbsp filling on dough.

10. Fold over to crate half circle and press edges to seal.

11. Using a fork, crimp the edges.

12. Place on large baking sheet.

13. Repeat until you run out of dough and filling.

14. Brush all empanadas with egg wash.

15. Bake until golden brown, this should take about 12 minutes.

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A TASTE OF THE PACIFIC Learn about the cuisine of the Pacific Islands through these traditional dishes Text by Amy Nakamura Photos by Whitney Welbaum

W

hen thinking about ordering Chinese takeout or dining at a fancy Italian restaurant, it’s easy to picture the classics. But what about food from the Pacific?

The Pacific Islands are composed of three regions — Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia. Across all of these island nations, food is a colorful and delicious expression of culture and tradition. Because of their tropical climate, many recipes from this region use fresh fruit, such as pineapple or coconut, fish and pork.

To Chris Uyehara, a chef instructor in Syra-

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cuse University’s Food Studies Program, food from the Pacific is more than a tropical experience. It’s a reminder of home. Growing up and working as a chef in Hawai‘i, he remembers how food was able to bring people together.

Teaching younger generations, sharing traditions and spending quality time with one another are just a few of the lessons that come from Pacific Islander food culture.

“A lot of the history, the storytelling and education was from teaching from generation to generation to generation,” Uyehara said.

In the spirit of passing along knowledge, here are five recipes to give you a traditional taste of the Pacific.

LOMILOMI SALMON HAWAI‘I This popular side dish, especially at luaus, features raw salmon, tomatoes and onions.

Lomilomi means “to massage” in Hawaiian, and for this dish, the salmon is meant to be broken up and tossed with other ingredients.

Onions and tomatoes were first introduced to Hawaii by western sailors from the late 18th to mid 19th centuries. However, the utilization of raw fish is similar to e’ia ota from Tahiti, oka i‘a from Samoa and poke from Hawai‘i. Today, the island of Maui is known for its own type of sweet onions, and lomi lomi salmon is a staple of Hawaiian cuisine. Besides lomi lomi salmon, other common sides include laulau, poke and poi, which is pounded taro.

What You'll Need • 2 whole tomatoes • 4 stalks of green onions • 1 large white onion • 1 lb diced salted salmon Directions 1. Rinse and dice the tomatoes and onions and place them in a bowl. Mix together.

2. Thinly cut the green onions and add them to the mixture.

3. Cut up the salmon and add it to the vegetable mixture. Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to eat!

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LAULAU | HAWAI‘I Laulau is another luau essential. Pork and fish are combined and wrapped up in taro or ti leaves. The neat ti leaf packages are then steamed. Traditionally, laulau is cooked in an underground oven called an imu. Imus typically include a large pit, in which hot stones are used to cover and cook the food.

Banana, taro or ti leaves are traditionally used to build and close the imu as well.

What You'll Need • 6 large ti leaves • 2 cups of spinach (traditionally, you can use luau or taro leaves) • 1.5 lbs pork belly or pork short ribs • 1.5 teaspoons of salt • 2 sweet potatoes • Toothpicks or pieces of string • Steamer or Instant pot 44 | baked

Directions 1. Wash the ti leaves and remove the stems an d fibrous parts of the veins.

2. Cut your pork belly or short ribs into small cubes. Then, season it with salt.

3. Cube the sweet potatoes as well.

4. Wash your spinach and lay out a layer on a flat surface. Try to wrap the meat and potatoes in bundles of the spinach 5. Place the ti leaves in an X formation on a flat surface. Place your pork and potato bundles in the middle of the X and wrap it as tightly as you can. You can fasten your laulau with toothpicks or string.

6. Bring water to a boil in a steamer for 6 hours. If you’re using an instant pot, select the meat/stew option and place some water at the bottom. Place the laulau on top of the wire rack and steam for 45 minutes.

PANI POPO | SAMOA This sweet dish features a key ingredient across all Pacific cuisines: coconut. In Samoan, “popo” means coconut and “pani” means buns.

In 1962, Samoa gained its independence from New Zealand after enduring more than a century of colonialism and foreign domination. It is composed of two main islands, Savai‘i and Upolu, as well as other inhabited islands. Samoa is known as the “Cradle of Polynesia” because Savai‘i is said to be the Polynesian homeland, Hawaiki. Samoan music, traditions and food have influenced its surrounding Polynesian counterparts.

What You'll Need • 1 package of King’s Hawaiian Rolls • 2.5 cups of coconut milk, well shaken/ stirred • 1 cup of granulated sugar

• 3 teaspoons of cornstarch • ¼ teaspoon of salt Directions 1. Preheat your oven to 350ºF. 2. Place the dinner rolls evenly on a baking tray or skillet and use a fork to poke holes in the rolls.

3. Combine the coconut milk, sugar, cornstarch and salt in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir constantly until the sauce is slightly thickened in 5-7 minutes.

4. Evenly pour ¾ of the coconut sauce on top of the rolls and place them in the oven for 6-8 minutes.

5. Take the rolls out of the oven and while they’re still warm, pour the rest of the coconut sauce on top.

OTAI | TONGA Otai is popular in other island nations such as Samoa and Fiji, but it is mostly attributed to Tongan cuisine.

Tonga is made up of 170 islands but only 36 are inhabited. Most residents live on the main island Tongatapu.

The original recipe uses grated coconut and fruits native to the island such as ambarella, or vi in Samoan and Tongan. This sour fruit has a taste that is similar to pineapple, which is an ingredient in the modern recipe. Other fruits in the traditional recipe include the Tongan mountain apple fekika.

More modern takes on this refreshing drink use watermelon, mango and refined sugar, which are mentioned in the recipe below.

What You'll Need • ½ large watermelon • 1 can of crushed pineapple • 3 cups of cold water • 1 can of coconut milk • Sugar (optional, to taste) • Crushed Ice Directions 1. Cut the watermelon into chunks. If you’re using a watermelon with seeds, be sure to take them out.

2. Add all of the ingredients into a blender and blend together.

3. Chill and serve with ice

E‘IA OTA | TAHITI This dish is also known by the name “poisson cru,” which means raw fish in French. The island of Tahiti is a part of French Polynesia, a group of over 100 islands in the South Pacific. Tahiti was made a French colony in 1880, but it is now a semi-autonomous overseas country of the French Republic. Much like other Polynesian dishes, e‘ia ota is made with fresh fish, tropical fruits and vegetables.

What You'll Need • 1.2 lb of sushi-grade tuna • ½ cup of lime juice • ¼ cup of coconut milk • 1 cucumber • 1 tomato

• 4 stalks of green onion • Salt • Pepper Directions 1. Dice the tuna, cucumber and tomato and mix in a bowl 2. Chop up the green onion and also add it into the mixture 3. Add in lime juice, coconut milk and salt and pepper to taste. Put the mixture in the refrigerator and marinate for 10-20 minutes.

4. Take out mixture and drain excess liquid.

Add more green onions on top for garnish and serve

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LOVE YOUR HEART WITH THE RIGHT FOOD

By Camille Daniels

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ith busy schedules, studying, and job or internship hunting, your heart health is probably the last thing you are thinking about, but your heart needs your attention now.

Just like the brain, the heart must be taken care of continuously throughout your lifetime — even while in college. That way, you don’t pay for the negative consequences of an unhealthy heart when you’re older, regardless of who you are.

Heart related health issues show up differently in women than in men, including heart attacks. But, with the college experience filled with stress, limited funds and relying on dining halls for food, how can you make taking care of your heart a priority?

It all begins with simply starting where you are.

Lisa Olson-Gugerty, an associate teaching professor in Public Health at Syracuse University, said that the first thing any student can do to protect their heart is to educate themselves about nutrition.

“I think nutrition can be complex, but it doesn’t have to be,” “I think beginning to learn about food and diet... And also how they can enhance their nutritional intake — whether it’s by communal culture or social economics or both — those are things that they can work on as students.”

Lisa Olson-Gugerty Associate Teaching Professor in Public Health at SU

Women of color, including Black, Asian, and Pacific Islander women, are all at high risk for heart health issues such as hypertension, according to various scientific sources such as the American Heart Association. Non-white Hispanic women were more likely to be overweight. Factors, such as racial insensitivity and access to healthcare, put women of color and their hearts at risk, according to The National Center for Biotechnology Information.

Olson-Gugerty also emphasized the importance of reducing activities like smoking and drinking as the long-term impacts can damage the heart. The implementation of exercise, whatever form it may come in, is especially important in a collegiate lifestyle.

But for the student that may not have the time to focus on healthy options or has no desire to enter a gym, it’s best to start small with mental food prep in mind.

“Work diligently to keep variety, meaning like, if you’re in a dining hall-to me there’s too much variety- but compartmentalize your mind and do a little bit of your own mental meal prep,” said Mary Kiernan, an associate teaching professor of food studies at SU. Kiernan said it is about incorporating healthy foods into your diet via moderation.

One way she suggests is to make the time for mental meal prep. This means to pick a healthy food to have once a week to start off like a salad. She suggests using the weekends to prep.

This mental meal prep helps to prevent automatically defaulting to what is convenient in the dining halls, such as pizza or a burger.

Heather Dorsey, a nutritional counselor at Upstate Medical University, also says the most important thing for students, especially those who may be preparing to graduate, is sticking to a diet that incorporates plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and fish.

“Picking healthy heart fats, like avocado, olive oil, canola oil, watching eating out; those are things they can all do. Watching alcohol consumption, binge drinking, definitely would play a part in getting their hearts healthy later on in life,” she said. “A healthy diet is a heart healthy diet.” spring 2021 | 49

Scott Friedberg founded The Gilded Club, a speakeasy located in Armory Square, after graduating from Syracuse University in 2014.

A CENTURY AFTER PROHIBITION,

SPEAKEASIES ARE STILL THRIVING IN SYRACUSE 50 | baked

Text by Frankie Sailer Photos by Corey Henry The roaring '20s are back and booming! While many trends have come back, one of the biggest has been the reemergence of speakeasy-style establishments. Originally acting as underground bars during prohibition in the 1920s, many speakeasies have diverged from the classic 1920s style while still paying homage to classic traits. We dove deeper into Syracuse’s modern-day speakeasy scene.

Located inconspicuously down the block from Funk N’ Waffles with an unassuming store front in Armory Square, The Gilded Club is a speakeasy that strives to deliver a quality product and fun experience for its guests without being a 1920s history museum.

Scott Friedberg never imagined becoming a partner in a speakeasy. Post-grad, he decided to stay in Syracuse after noticing a hole in the market for a marketing company for businesses in Syracuse. After graduating from Syracuse University in 2014, Scott Friedberg founded Gilded Social, a marketing company in downtown Syracuse. One of Friedberg's partners later bought the space that now houses The Gilded Club. After just seven weeks of conversation in that space, the two parties discovered their mutual love of speakeasies — and realized they could open one of their own.

Freidberg is a huge fan of speakeasies, he said, and has been to over two dozen as part of his “primary research.” He loves them not just for the great drinks and the atmosphere, but for the brief moment of uncertainty when you don’t know if you’re at the right place or if you’re going to get in.

To get into The Gilded Club, customers fill out a form on the website and are delivered that week's code to their inbox. Friedberg said they already have several thousand customers in their database who receive the code weekly. Only one member of a party needs access to it, as the code remains the same throughout the week it was sent for.

Friedberg said that The Gilded Club does not have a specific customer demographic, but rather appeals to the masses, attracting college students and members of the greater Syracuse community.

Other than The Gilded Club, Oh My Darling located on Salina Street has its very own speakeasy in their basement known as The Fitz. When you enter, there is a door near the front and if the light above the door is on, The Fitz is open. The Fitz doesn’t have any cell service, encouraging people to take a break from their phones and connect with those around them.

After living our lives through screens for the past year, a night out with no cell service may be a great chance to unplug and enjoy the post-pandemic Roaring 20’s. spring 2021 | 51

32 million Americans have food allergies.

Here’s how some Syracuse restaurants are supporting people with dietary restrictions TEXT BY CAITLIN JOHNSTON ILLUSTRATION BY THOMAS HARRIS

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f you’ve looked at a restaurant menu in the last few years, you might have noticed symbols next to menu items, or seen several different kinds of menus at a table depending on dietary needs. From gluten-free and nut-free to vegan and vegetarian options, restaurant menus have slowly become accommodating to food allergies and dietary restrictions.

According to Food Allergy Research and Education, a nonprofit organization with the mission to educate and advocate for those with food allergies, 32 million Americans have food allergies. With this many Americans affected by allergies, restaurants have started to accommodate those needs.

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We are pretty much able to have a customer tell us what they are allergic to and the kitchen can create a dish for them from scratch.

Brittany Berry Anything But Beer Chief Operations Officer

“We really try our hardest,” Pastabilities Kitchen Manager Rachel Heagerty said. “We are a pasta restaurant and a bakery so it’s challenging to really make sure that each item is prepared separately.”

In comparison with other Italian restaurants, Armory Square favorite Pastabilities offers a wide range of options for 52 | baked

the vegan community with vegan sauces, noodles, cheeses and other menu items.

These ingredients are made in a completely different room to avoid any cross-contamination and ensure a safe and delicious alternative to their non-vegan counterparts, Heagerty said. She said their efforts to offer vegan options have been getting noticed, especially with social media and word of mouth.

While gluten-free bread is one thing they lack, Heagerty said ensuring that eliminating the risk of cross-contamination is an essential part of the accommodations they do and do not provide.

Despite the tedious task of labeling everything and ensuring there are enough options for everyone, Heagerty said she enjoys the challenge and creativity of transforming their popular dishes into accommodating ones as well as trying to create new recipes and menu items.

While long-standing local restaurants have had the challenge of adapting, other restaurants were created from the idea that the world needs more options and places for those with dietary restrictions to go.

Since its opening in February 2020, Anything But Beer wanted to create a space for those with dietary restrictions and allergies. The newcomer to the Salt City restaurant scene is located on South Salina Street in Downtown Syracuse. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic restricting their availability, the public has supported them throughout the past year and the restaurant opened back up for in-person dining in February 2021.

“We can cater to a variety of restrictions,” Chief Operations Officer Brittany Berry said. “We are pretty much able to have a customer tell us what they are allergic to

and the kitchen can create a dish for them from scratch.”

In 2019, Anything But Beer opened up their grain-free brewery which then grew into a grain-free taproom. Not limiting themselves to that, Berry said they went right on to creating a restaurant as well.

The establishment works hard to create a space for those with needs and restrictions when eating out (and drinking), she said.

With a grain allergy herself, Berry has taken on a personal mission to provide options for customers with any dietary restriction.

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I remember my life changed when there were other restaurants that started to offer a variety of dishes.

Annabeth Mann 2020 SU Graduate

“Everything is color-coded and our recipes are very explicit,” she said. “We make everything in-house so it’s a little different than your traditional place and we have kept a very tight ship here.”

Annabeth Mann, a 2020 Syracuse University graduate, said she appreciates the effort that local Syracuse restaurants have put into adapting menus. After becoming a vegetarian her freshman year, she said finding good places to eat was difficult.

“There weren’t many options in my first years at Syracuse,” she said. “Strong Hearts [Cafe] was always my go-to, but I remember my life changed when there were other restaurants that started to offer a variety of dishes.”

These types of places are popping up in many metropolitan areas, but for Syracuse, Berry said Anything But Beer is still very niche. And long-term restaurants are still trying to find ways to make more of these accommodations.

“Especially in college cities, we are going to start seeing more of it because people are coming from those metropolitan areas and there is a higher demand for it,” Berry said.

For Pastabilities, Heagerty said making these changes is an important part of culture today and a creative challenge for restaurants’ brands.

“It’s about how we can reintroduce different methods of cooking that you know people will want and that will taste good but still compact our brand and our culture and flavor profiles in it,” Heagerty said.

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welcome to the

21 CLUB RIP fake ID! So you turned 21 in a pandemic, and it’s time to make your first adult bar appearance. While a vodka lemonade or a vodka cran has been a good go-to, we are here to break down some of the most famous mixed drinks.

You may know their names, but what are their stories?

Text by Frankie Sailer Illustrations by Thomas Harris

MOSCOW MULE

Well known for its gingery finish thanks to the ginger beer, Moscow Mules are a vodka based mixed drink that are a great intro to the mixed drink realm.

What's in it: Three parts vodka to one part lime juice, topped off with desired amount of ginger beer and garnished with a lime *Pro tip: A Kentucky mule contains the same ingredients but subs bourbon for vodka

APEROL SPRITZ

Best served sitting in a little cafe overlooking the Amalfi Coast, Aperol Spritz is a bright orange color, which can be deceiving for this champagne mixed drink that can be quite bitter.

What’s in it: Served over ice, one part Aperol to one part champagne, plus a splash of club soda to top it off and garnished with an orange slice (this drink was made for the hands of Syracuse students!) *Pro tip: Because it is champagne based, DO NOT SHAKE (unless you’re looking for a champagne shower)

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MANHATTAN

Getting its name from the Manhattan Club in New York City where it was created, the Manhattan is a classic whiskey-based drink to make you look and feel sophisticated.

What's in it: Two parts of bourbon or rye to one part vermouth plus a dash of Angostura and orange bitters, garnished with a brandied cherry *Pro tip: Stir, don’t shake, so the drink doesn’t turn cloudy

COSMOPOLITAN

Popularized by Ms. Carrie Bradshaw of “Sex and the City,” Cosmopolitans are a slightly sweeter option.

What’s in it: Three parts vodka to one part Cointreau, to two parts cranberry juice, to one part lime juice *Pro tip: If you are looking to deepen the flavor and the color, add a splash of orange liquor

LONG ISLAND ICED TEA

If you’re looking to dive into the deep end of mixed drinks, a Long Island Iced Tea, made with five different types of alcohol, may be just what you’ve been looking for.

What’s in it: Equal parts gin, tequila, triple sec, vodka and white rum plus a squeeze of lemon juice, topped with cola of your choice, garnished with a lemon wedge *Pro tip: There are tons of different variations on this drink, but if you are looking for a tropical twist, replace cola with pineapple juice for a Hawaiian iced tea

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