FOOD&DRINK

by GIANNA RODRIGUEZ

Walking into Isabelle Smith’s apartment, it immediately smells of rich seasoning and freshly blended sofrito. Smith, also called Izzy by her loved ones, sits at the kitchen table surrounded by large bowls of ingredients.

The senior culinary science and nutrition major scooped cooked ground beef from a large bowl and piled it into the delicate disc of dough. Smith gently enclosed the disc and crimped the edges with her fingers as if it were a little dumpling.

Smith prepared the empanadas, a staple Caribbean Latin dish, the same as she would for one of her empanada sales, where she sells them to students for $5 each. She sold 45 empanadas in her most recent sale, but that was one of her smaller ones. In the spring 2022 semester, when she had a flexible schedule, Smith successfully ran her biggest sale, selling about 150 empanadas to other students.

“Mimi is the master empanada maker,” Smith said of her Dominican grandmother as she laid the empanadas side by side on parchment paper. As the canola oil heated in the sleek wok that looked like it had never been used, she recalled how empanadas have played a role in her family history.

Like Smith, her Mimi used to sell empanadas when she was her age, 21. She sold them at the local church for 75 cents each and sold so many she made the same amount of money then that Smith makes from selling them now at $5 each.

Smith started this business with the hope of gaining something more than just the additional change in her pocket — she gets the heart-warming feeling of sharing this piece of Latino culture with other students.

“It makes me feel very loved,” she said. “Even if I don’t know them, a lot of times I welcome people that want to pick up their orders at my house. It’s just really heartwarming knowing that you’re putting a smile on somebody’s face by creating something they like.”

As of Fall 2021, the Latino community made up only 6% of 8 | ampersand UGA culinary science and nutrition student Isabelle Smith holds a plate of beef empanadas she made and paired with sliced limes. [Gianna Rodriguez]

student enrollment at the University of Georgia. While Latino culture on campus is not abundant, the family tradition and love behind Smith’s cooking shines a light on her community for others to learn about it.

“Being a part of that 6% feels very special,” she said. “I can say that it’s very nice being able to share a little more representation around campus.”

Smith grew up eating Dominican and Puerto Rican dishes from her mom’s side of the family. She wanted to take these meals with her to college, which is when she started exploring the world of culinary science. These recipes, specifically the empanadas, are only a small part of Latino culture she’s able to share with those outside the community.

When asked about any obstacles being Latina in a predominantly white community has forced her to face, Smith says, “like everyone, it’s sometimes hard to fit in certain social circles.” She is often asked “what are you?” by people referring to her ethnicity, but perhaps her empanada sales might give a token sense of what it means to be Dominican and Puerto Rican.

To students who don’t know her personally, Smith is known as @iizzyeats on Instagram, where she showcases the empanada sales along with elegantly plated Latin and Caribbean cuisines. Accompanying mouth-watering photography is a section of testimonials about the sales. There’s no doubt her talent touches other students with the showering of compliments the upcoming chef receives, such as “better than the ones I had in PR” and “compliments to the chef.”

Bethany Younce, a fourth-year dietetics major at UGA, is familiar with Smith’s talent and passion for food. A classmate and friend, she can’t get enough of Smith’s cooking.

“I consider myself to have a love for cooking, but this girl takes it to a new level. She makes food — not only good food, but beautiful food, and she is always so willing to share it,” she said. Younce has classes with Smith and gives props for how seriously she takes food safety when preparing for the empanada sales.

Since discovering a passion for food, Smith dived into the industry first as a food safety and quality intern at Chick-Fil-A and now as an intern at Cooking with Chef JJ. She thanks the connections she made at Chick-Fil-A for the initial business growth, but she also made an effort on her own by getting the word out to UGA Instagram pages with a larger following such as ugaaffirmations.

Smith dreams of continuing her entrepreneurship — as an ice cream business owner where she creates her own flavors. Until she can make this dream become a reality, Smith plans to continue sharing these dishes filled with love and Latino tradition with others to keep that ‘heartwarming’ feeling with her.

To keep up with Isabelle Smith’s empanada sales, you can follow @iizzyeats on Instagram.

1 lb. 80/20 ground beef 1⁄2 cup chipotle sauce 1⁄2 cup Goya sofrito 1⁄2 white onion, diced 1⁄2 green bell pepper, diced, cored 1 tbsp minced garlic 1 packet Goya Sazón – con culantro y achiote Goya empanada dough discs

PLUS: Salt, black pepper, chicken flavor bullion, chili powder, ground oregano, ground cumin, fresh lime juice – add this at the end for best effect

Use preferred cheese mix and meat inside of empanada shell. I like Oaxaca!

 Add diced onion and bell pepper to your pan with a 1⁄2 tbsp olive oil on low-medium heat  After about four minutes, add in garlic and cook until fragrant  Add ground beef, sofrito, and chipotle sauce  Once the ground beef is browned, add seasonings to your liking  Once cooked through, add lime juice  Let cool for at least one hour  Once cooled, add ground beef and cheese to the empanada shell and seal the edges with a fork  Heat a wide and deep pot of canola oil, measuring about two to three inches deep. Fry three empanadas for 2-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

Bear Hug Honey Company lavender-infused honey [Melanie Velasquez]

Located on Prince Avenue near downtown, Daily Groceries has been an Athens staple since 1992. Daily is a community-owned and community-driven grocery store that offers local produce and niche dry goods. You can expect to find berries, fruits, vegetables, greens and other fresh immune-boosting essentials, as well as an array of supplements.

For those looking for a sweet and tasty immune booster, honey is a classic option. Not only can honey soothe a cough, but it has been shown to induce generation of antibodies. Bear Hug Honey Company is a local shop that sells a variety of different types of honey, including flavor-infused and raw honey options. Some of its most popular options include its Georgia wildflower honey, ginger honey and its variety pack.

The Athens Farmers Market offers locally grown produce including immune-friendly sweet potatoes, ginger, beets, broccoli, garlic and more. The only thing you’ll have to worry about is seasonal availability of the produce you’re looking for, but lucky for us, it’s leafy greens season.

Sick of fruits and veggies? Athens-based Figment Kombucha offers signature immune-boosting beverages, as well as kimchi and other fermented foods. Not only are these packed with probiotics, but they are also delicious.

Elderberry syrup is a great choice for those looking for a boost of vitamin C during the winter season. Elderberry syrup from local company The Beekeeper’s Bride contains elderberries, hibiscus flowers, chamomile flowers, red raspberry leaf, echinacea, rose hips, ginger, raw honey and filtered water. All the ingredients are organic. They also offer an infant and pregnancy-safe formula.

The Beekeeper’s Bride founder Michelle Brinson offers some key insight on her process for making elderberry syrup and how it can help your household this season. thebeekeepersbride.com