NET WT 14 OZRECIPES10 ARTICLES5 28 g OF FUN
Happy reading and happy eating, The Very Hungry Caterpillar
This edition of the Palmier was written to encourage students to reconnect with their inner child. Especially in college, we too often get caught up stressing about what’s ahead: the next exam, the next internship application, the next COVID test… (Oh shoot! That reminds me, I still have to do that today!) The point is, we forget what it was like to be a carefree kid and just have fun. One of my favorite things to do as a kid was bake brownies with my grandmother. The cheery, se rene feeling I get when reminiscing about those memories is what motivates me to make brownies whenever I feel over whelmed.Eachof these recipes inspires creativity, fun, and will simply make you smile, no matter how tough a day you’ve been having. But, we are still college students, so these recipes have been “enhanced” to bring a twist to familiar classics such as Poptarts and Mac and Cheese. These articles remind us that, regardless of how old we get, we can still bring childlike won der into research, debates, and stories. So relax, take a deep breath, maybe eat a PB&J, and let your inner child run free!
AKA Megan Houchin ‘23 Editor in Chief of The Palmier
Dear Readers,
When I was a mere five years old and about three and a half feet tall, my favorite food in the world was peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Without fail, I would come home from school every day and have a peanut butter and apple jelly (crazy, I know) sandwich and a tall glass of milk. My day felt incomplete without it. As I grew up, my palette may have ex panded and I did get a bit taller, but my love for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches never faded. From running out of time on a test to dealing with heartbreak, peanut butter and jelly always has the ability to raise my spirits and make everything OK. Though I may have switched from skim milk to oat milk, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches will always hold a special place in my life — they are a reminder to remain a kid at heart.
The Little Eater’s Guide to the World
Fancy Pop Tarts
Table of Contents
Invisible Vegetable Bolognese 19
Fancy Lunchables
Elevated Burger 22
Gourmet Chocolate Chip Cookies 23
Mud Pies for Kids, Dirt Desserts for Adults 24
Recreating Foods I Used to Hate
Matcha White Chocolate Dessert Popcorn
String Cheese Controversy
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Raising A Foodie
Peanut Butter French Toast with Strawberry Compote
School Lunches Through the Decades
Blueberry & Brie Grilled Cheese and Butternut Squash Soup
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Michelle Setiawan ‘25
One of the most universal kid’s foods is the chicken nugget. It’s versatile, easy, and delicious. Chicken nugget fans might prefer it plain and simple, or as a topping to a dish such as mac-and-cheese. If you’ve ever had a chicken nugget, you’d know that the breading is equally, if not more important than the chicken itself—envision a crispy, golden exterior that encases a juicy mouthful of
Food is consolation, pride, joy, and peace. Cooked into each dish are ingredients special to each culture, representing snippets of a country from the comfortable setting of a dinner table. Within my family and others, it is a means of connecting each new generation to their roots and honoring those who came before them. Aside from nostalgic signif icance, I appreciated being raised to explore foods from foreign cultures in order to learn more about them—it has made me more aware of countries outside of my own.
When we think about our childhood, there are some staple items from the pantry or the super market aisle that come to mind; it might be eating store-bought butter cookies out of a tin while watching SpongeBob, or hanging out with your best friends and sharing a bag of shrimp crackers. Regardless of what foods you’ve experienced already, here are some staple childhood foods from differ ent countries that might pique your interest. Who knows, maybe you’ll find a new favorite!
The Little Eater’s Guide to the World
USA: Chicken nuggets
India: Maggi
Whether it be seasoning packets, instant noodles, or sauce, Maggi has it covered. Although Maggi originat ed from Switzerland, it has made its way to the hearts of Asian countries including India. A popular Indian Maggi dish is the instant-noodle vegetable masala, which consists of Maggi instant noodles, seasoning, along with a dash of garam masala. The product is a twist on a comforting classic.
Not to be confused with taiyaki, which is made out of fish-shaped dough and sweet fillings, dorayaki consists of two stacked pancakes with sweet filling in between. Usually, the filling is sweet red bean paste, but there are different versions depending on where you buy them. In Japan, dorayaki can be bought packaged or fresh on the streets as an easy and yummy snack.
Japan: Dorayaki
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Indonesia: Martabak
Morocco: Merendina
Cheesy, chewy, bite-sized bread. What’s not to like? Originated from Portugal, this round, savory bread is a staple breakfast or snack food of Brazil. It is made of tapioca flour, which lends its light and chewy consis tency, along with a lot of cheese, which is its primary flavor. When served as a breakfast food, it is either consumed with hot coffee or alone as a doughy mouth ful of delight.
On our list is another sweet snack! This time, it’s a cake with chocolate coating that conceals a soft sponge and another layer of chocolate in the middle. It’s a perfect balance of flavors, with fluffy-butteriness from the interior and a decadent sweetness from the exterior. These small cakes come in bright, red packaging and are readily available at supermarkets in Morocco as the perfect afternoon snack!
Brazil: Pão de Queijo
I had to include my home-country on this list! I grew up pestering my parents for my next serving of martabak, a thick, margarine-slathered pancake sandwich with sweet filling. Commonly sold as a street-food, the treats are known for their crispyon-the-outside-fluffy-on-the-inside texture. There is also a savory rendition, however, my personal favorite is one stuffed with chocolate, condensed milk, cheese, and peanuts. Martabak is one of the foods I’ve missed most in my time away from Jakarta, my hometown. But the next time I taste it again, I’ll know that I’m home.
Food is strongly bonded to places and emotions. No matter where we grew up, it is never too late to explore other cultures!
Dash of salt to taste
Prep time: 1 hour active, overnight inactive Cook time: 22-25 mins Makes: 1 dozen 2x3 in poptarts
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2 large red apples, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes
¼ cup light or dark brown sugar
Prepare the pie dough:
½ cup powdered sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
INGREDIENTS
Take the poptarts out of the refrigerator and brush with egg wash. Bake for 15 minutes. Rotate the pan, and bake for another 5-10 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is almost Whenbubbling.they are done baking, let them cool on the baking sheet for at least 15 minutes. When the poptarts have cooled, top with icing and be creative with your toppings and decorations!
Fancy Poptarts
Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
Double pie crust, store-bought or homemade
1 tbsp milk (any type)
Make the cinnamon apple filling:
2 tsp lemon juice
Store filling in the refrigerator until you are ready to use.
In a medium-sized saucepan, combine apples, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and lem on juice over medium-low heat.
Dash of vanilla extract
For cinnamon apple filling:
For icing:
3. Place the cut rectangles on baking sheets lined with parchment paper and let chill in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. In the meantime, make the fillings (these could also be made the day before and stored in the refrigerator overnight).
ASSEMBLY
Use a potato masher or the back of a spoon to crush the apples until it turns into a purée with some apple chunks. Continue to cook the apple mixture, stirring constantly to make sure the bottom of the pan doesn’t burn, until it becomes a thick consistency. If the fill ing is a little thin, add flour.
Combine powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and salt in a bowl and stir with a spoon until smooth. Set aside until ready to use.
Take the smaller bottom rectangle of dough and place about a tablespoon of your filling of choice onto the center. Spread the filling out into an even layer, leaving about ¼ inch around the Withperimeter.afork, poke holes all over the larger top rectangle of dough. Place the larger piece on top of the smaller piece of dough and attach the edges with your fingers, pressing down lightly to make sure there are no air pockets and the filling doesn’t leak out. Crimp the edges, using the back of a fork to seal. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.
1 egg
2 tsp cinnamon
2. With a knife or pizza cutter, cut one of the rectangles into 2x3 inch rectangles. These will be the bottom pieces. Cut the other rectangle into slightly bigger rectangles for the tops of the poptarts.
Chelsea Wong ‘23
1 tsp flour
1. Take the pie dough out of the refrigerator. Flour your work surface and rolling pin and roll out both the doughs into a ⅛ inch thick rectangle.
Make the icing:
BAKING
For pie crust:
Stir frequently with a spoon or spatu la until apples release their juices and start to break down.
5. Once most of the kernels have been popped, pour into a large bowl.
2. Remove from heat and let cool, then chop almonds.
4. Add matcha and milk to the bowl and mix quickly with a fork.
1 tbsp ghee
Matcha White Chocolate Dessert Popcorn
4. Cover pot with lid, leaving a slight gap for popcorn to remain crispy.
3. Drizzle the icing over the popcorn with a spoon.
2. Test if ghee is hot enough by dropping one popcorn ker nel into the pot. It should pop immediately. Otherwise, increase the heat a little, wait, and test again.
1. In a pan on medium-low heat, toast almonds until browned (about 2 minutes).
3. Once the ghee is hot enough, pour popcorn kernels in. Remove from heat.
5. Place the baking sheet in the fridge and have it cool for at least 30 minutes.
POPCORN
Cook Time: About 1 hour (for each) Makes: 4 (for each)
½ cup unpopped popcorn kernels
2. Pour out all the popcorn onto the sheet, and spread it out into a single layer
3. In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt white chocolate for 1 minute, in 15 second inter vals, mixing with a fork at each interval.
4. Sprinkle chopped walnuts/almonds over the popcorn.
Tip: If icing has hardened by the time you’re assembling, microwave for 15 seconds and mix quickly.
TOPPING
ASSEMBLY
1. Lay parchment paper onto a baking sheet.
INGREDIENTS
½ cup white chocolate chips 2 tsp matcha powder 2 tsp almond milk
½ cup sliced almonds
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1. In a pot over medium heat, add ghee and melt until liquid.
Vicki Tran ‘24
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Although I will eat almost any thing now, there are a few foods that I hated as a child. Even then I adored food, so it was a big deal when I actually hated something. As a kid, there were two vegetables in particular that I detested: okra and eggplant, both of which I am a big fan of nowadays. I also used to hate the entire genre of breakfast foods up until my freshman year of college when I retried fried eggs.
When I asked my parents what foods I hated most as a kid, their immediate answer was okra (or bhindi in Hindi). This may sound like an obscure food to be present ed with on a regular basis, but it is a fairly common vegetable in Indian cooking. As for the reasons I hated it, the vegetable has a somewhat slimy mouthfeel but is also crunchy, which can create a really confusing texture experience that I did not enjoy as a child. However, as I grew up and was consistently fed okra on visits to my grandmother’s house, I came to enjoy it more and more. On our last trip to India in 2019, some thing switched in my brain and okra became my favorite vegetable. Since then, every time I cook Indi an food I make bhindi, and my dad knows to double the recipe when he makes it for me. My go-to prepara tion for okra is a very simple Indian recipe where you coat the bhindi in oil and then add your desired spic es. You then toss in sliced onions which release water and “activate” the flavor of the spices, making all the flavors come together.
Ariana Mehrotra ‘25
Another food I hated was egg plant. Eggplant can be bitter, spongy, and soft, an experience that I never enjoyed as a kid. This was another vegetable that my parents really enjoyed and is common in Indian cooking, so it was relatively present in my life. When eggplant was on the table I always avoided it. I became more open to eggplant in high school, when our lunch lady pressured me into trying eggplant parmesan. I was honestly shocked that I liked it so much, considering it was cafeteria food. That eggplant parm inspired me to try eggplant prepared in different ways, such as one with eggplant caramelized in gochujang, a grilled eggplant salad which doubles as an addictive dip, and a hearty eggplant soup.
Freshman year of college, I start ed realizing how ridiculous this ha tred was. A few meals inspired me to retry breakfast foods: my mom’s scrambled eggs, the egg yolk in my ramen, and the Mexican breakfast restaurant that I discovered during my junior year of high school. Once I got to college, Dewick’s fried eggs changed my life. I would go to the dining hall after 7-a.m. lift and feel inspired by the runny yolk. In the same period of time, my freshman year roommate introduced me to almond butter, bringing new life to toast and yogurt. Cereal didn’t seem so bad anymore once I had the free dom to eat as many bowls of Lucky Charms as my heart desired. Now, I eat eggs daily. My current favorite way of preparing eggs is scrambled with spinach and mushrooms sau teed in olive oil, salt, pepper, and cayenne.Kidscan certainly be picky eat ers. But as we grow up, we all get more willing to try new things. In college I have seen my friends try foods, like mushrooms or fruit, that they would never have been willing to try before (although the fruit-hater still has a ways to go). Of course there are some foods that I will never like—I will forever de spise bell peppers of all colors and I don’t think my taste buds can change their mind on that fact—but my newfound love of okra, egg plant, and breakfast have inspired me to be open to whatever gets add ed to my plate.
Besides vegetables, I swore off the entire concept of breakfast food—more specifically eggs—for years. It was easily my most contro versial take but I stood by it. When I was in elementary school I would have boiled eggs for breakfast every day. I had so many eggs that I came to hate them. Bacon wasn’t for me either, and while I loved pancakes and waffles, they made my stomach hurt. The healthy cereal and yogurt my parents made me eat were too boring. Instead of breakfast food every morning, I would have left overs. Pad Thai would frequently fuel me for my day. All of my friends knew how much I hated Breakfast Day in the school cafeteria when I would basically starve because I re fused to eat scrambled eggs.
Recreating Food I Used To Hate
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4 eggs
1 ½ tsp. of cinnamon
¼ tsp. of vanilla extract
16 oz of strawberriesfrozen
¼ cup of milk
1 loaf of brioche or challah bread
Maddie Katz ‘24
As a child, I was in love with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Not the whole wheat bread, low-sugar jelly, all-natural peanut butter ones my mom would make for me, but the Uncrustables I would be given on school field trips, or the sugar-loaded ones I would make for myself in my friend’s kitchens. The combination of creamy peanut butter, slightly too-sweet jelly, and soft white bread made for a perfect lunch or after-school treat. As a college student, I still love a good PB&J, as they are easy to make (and cheap!), but sometimes we all deserve to have a more interesting, elevated meal. Breakfast has always been my favorite meal, so I created this peanut butter and jelly french toast recipe, using a strawberry compote instead of jelly. This delicious breakfast takes the classic PB&J to a whole new level.
PEANUT BUTTER FRENCH TOAST WITH STRAWBERRY COMPOTE
2 tbsp. of white sugar
1/3 cup of white sugar
Juice from half a large lemon
Ingredients
½ tsp. of vanilla extract
2 tbsp. of butter
½ cup creamy peanut butter (Skippy with honey works really well!)
For the French Toast
For the Compote
2. Spread the desired amount of peanut butter between two slices to form the sandwiches.
4. Pour the mixture into a shallow container.
5. Dip the sandwiches into the egg mixture, flipping them to get each side covered.
Cook time: 15 minutes
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3. In a medium bowl, combine the cinnamon, sugar, eggs, milk, and vanilla.
Prep time: 15 minutes
7. Cook the sandwiches until golden brown, flipping
1. With a bread knife, thinly slice brioche to make 6-8 sandwiches.
8. Pour frozen strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla into a pot over medium heat.
10. Take pot off of the heat once the strawberries have fully melted and begun to cook down.
them to cook each side.
9. Bring the strawberry mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, stirring constantly.
6. Melt two tablespoons of butter (plus more if needed) on a pan over medium heat.
Makes: approximately 6-8 pieces
11. Allow the strawberries to cool for at least five minutes and then pour the compote over the french toast sandwiches and enjoy!
Instructions
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the growth of social media and technology resulted in the pro duction of tons of photos, videos, TV shows, and podcasts. Through multimedia, kids were exposed to a whole new world of cuisine and were craving to get their hands on it. This, coupled with the improve ment of living standards, led to a sizable increase in the quality of kid’s palettes. Now more than ever before, it’s kids who are making the dinners for the family and not the parents. And this is not just spaghetti and meatballs. Children are making everything from roast pork belly with char-grilled peach
Before we answer this question, it is important for us to contextu alize the culinary norms of the late 1900s. During the 1950s, McDon ald’s created the model for the modern fast food restaurant. With brilliant marketing and features such as the drive-through, cheap meals, and of course “fast food” as the name implies, McDonald’s, and other fast food establishments, achieved record breaking sales in a relatively new industry. But, all this came with a price. Being exposed to such fatty, salty foods, the pal ates of the youth became pickier, leading to the notorious American phenomenon of kids not eating
their veggies. And for all that it’s worth I can’t assign much blame. Who wants to make dinner when you can get a Big Mac and a Coke for a dollar twenty?
Meals during the 1970s. This raises a fascinating question: Why are the palettes of youngsters so much more refined than those of kids fif ty, thirty, and even ten years ago?
Josh Ober ‘24
Raising A Foodie
“Mom! Dad! Look what I made for dinner! Trofie with nastur tium and macadamia pesto!” This is what my cousin Will told his parents after a long day at school. Did I mention Will is only thirteen yearsFromold?academics to athletics, and everything between, kids these days are becoming more and more impressive. However, one area that is often overlooked is the culinary arts. There is no question that the palettes of children and young adults have matured over the last 50 years. Don’t believe me? Turn on the TV, tune in to Masterchef Jr. and watch eight year old Av ery make a seared ribeye cap with mustard greens, glazed onions, chimichurri, and bone marrow butter. Now compare that to kids regularly gobbling down Happy
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with our eyes first.”
After pulling through the peak of the fast-food era, we have finally reached what I would call a golden age of cooking. I would love to see the growing emergence of young chefs persist in the future. But in order to make this a possibility, we ought to keep exposing the younger generation to the exciting and ever-growing world of cuisine. Therefore, it is important for all of us to consider the tips listed above to ensure that foodies continue to be raised.
Second, let the kids cook. If we are going to inspire change, we need to break precedent. One of these precedents is the pattern of having the parents always make meals. Why not let the kids cook? Given their relative inexperience and lack of hand-eye coordina tion it may not be a good idea to have kids start in the kitchen right away. Instead, let them start small, having them pick the ingredients from the grocery store and let them slowly work their way up to cook ing Third,alone. make it a habit to buy foods you don’t like. When we take a look at why kids can’t expand their palates, we often forget to examine the parents themselves. When parents only serve their favorite foods, it directly limits the
scope of cuisine a kid is exposed to. If you are a parent, try to serve your kid a full variety of food, even ones that you may not like. Even if you don’t have kids, try to expand your tastes as well!
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salsa, to chargrilled broccoli with crispy-skinned snapper and chili soy Sosauce.how do I raise a foodie? These following tips can help, but they also don’t only apply to chil dren—you can use any of them yourself to improve your own pal ette. And while a little exploration can’t hurt, it is completely alright if your kid is picky and doesn’t love to cook.First, add colors. Parents often use bright colors for their children to distinguish between different objects as their field of vision is still developing. The same should apply to food! Kids will be more excited by a rainbow of foods. Let’s try to incorporate lots of different colors into our meals in order to make our meals more exciting to look at. As all the great chefs say, “we eat
Combining different food types will create a box with the perfect flavor balance and various health ben efits. Below are the essentials for any box you might make:
• Hummus/dip box with crackers and veggies
• Veggie protein: hard boiled egg, apples w/ peanut butter
• Extra: cheese (sliced, cubed) for a boost of yum
• Charcuterie: cubed cheese, brie, grapes, salami/ prosciutto
• Protein: sliced meat, hard boiled eggs, chickpeas
• Guacamole/salsa box w/ veggies and tortilla chips
Fancy Lunchables and Charcuterie Boxes
One of the most common American lunch meals for kids are lunchables. What are they, you might ask? Lunchables is a brand of food that puts together some snacks, dips, or veggies for the perfect to-go meal. While the memory of this food may be great, there is so much potential in making your own adult version for the perfect on-the-go lunch or snack. With a few tips, anyone can easily put together an almost bento box lunch.
• Veggies/fruit: a combination of 1 or 2 veggies/ fruits for nutrients
• Mini wrap: lettuce, choice of sliced meat, cheese, pickles. Side of veggies
Chloe Nia ‘24
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With a charcuterie themed box, starting with the cheese is always an easy way to establish the “base” of the box. Keep it diverse with one soft cheese, a semisoft or hard cheese, and one more of your favorites. Having a full block of brie is great for aesthetics and makes for a perfect cut-into cheese. Mix it up with some cheese squares or slices and your on-the-go box is perfectly set up. With the meat you can really go crazy. Whether it’s salami, mortadella, or — if you’re feeling fancy — prosciutto, any will pair perfectly with the variety of cheeses. If you’re feeling extra fancy, it’s always fun to play around with the meat slices and wrap them around the cheeses for a pretty presen tation. After those parts of the box are done, all you need are some dips and crackers! Everyone has differ ent preferences, whether you’re looking for something salty like olives or pickles, or you like to pair your cheese with something sweet like honey or jam, any accompaniments will do! Place these sides next to your favorite crackers and you’ve made the ~perfect~ charcuterie box.
• Veggie mini wrap: chickpea salad wrap w/ lettuce. Side of veggies
• Dips: hummus, tzatziki, peanut butter, guacamo le, salsa
FULL BOX IDEAS:
• Carbs: chips, crackers, etc.
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Human history has been saturated with contentious debates: the chicken versus the egg, Team Edward ver sus Team Jacob, and those that saw the dress as black and blue versus those who saw it as white and gold. How ever, the most divisive, polarizing, and controversial debate to strike humanity is the age-old question: to bite or to pull the cheese stick.
It’s satisfying, sanitary, and sage: it might sound cheesy, but biting the cheese stick really is the superior meth od of cylindrical dairy consumption. To begin, biting the stick is by far more ef ficient than individually pulling strands. As college students, we crave efficiency in our lives; we simply do not have time to waste on eating. By biting the stick, you can use one fluid motion simultane ously allowing you to consume the exact amount of cheese you want in seconds! Moreover, the process of pulling strands is so tedious that it requires nearly all of your attention and offers zero oppor tunity for multitasking. Want to enjoy a snack and work on homework? Bite method. Where the pull method falls short, the bite method excels. Biting is quick and easy and saves you the mo notonous labor of individually pulling strands.Furthermore, biting the cheese is by far the sanitarily superior strategy of string cheese eating. In a time where we are all hypersensitive to health and germs, why would anyone willingly rub their hands all over food they are about to eat? Biting the stick ensures minimal contact with the germs of the outside world! You heard it here first, pulling string cheese strands is not COVID-19 friendly.Finally, biting is just more mature than pulling strands. We are college stu dents, not middle schoolers. While one could make the argument that pulling strands evokes the nostalgia of a simpler time, is it really the process of pulling cheese that we are chasing? Or just the experience of eating a beloved snack? Personally, I would lean to the latter. Consequently, pulling strings does not carry the same elegance and sense of maturation that comes with biting the stick. There is something graceful in the process of biting the stick that the pull method severely lacks.
The String Cheese Controversy
In conclusion, biting the cheese reigns as the superior method of string cheese consumption due to its effi ciency, cleanliness, and maturity. It excels in the areas where the pull method fails, and for that reason, wins the classic debate.
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Peyton Krinsky ‘24
The evidence is in the name. “String” cheese implies that this snack takes on a stringed form when eaten; the method is therefore embedded in the title. Furthermore, it is undeniably more fun to pull string cheese apart and examine its complex structure before indulging in the perfect stringy bite, rather than barbari callyForchomping.parentsof young children, the pull method provides unmatched benefits for the growing mind. By pulling string cheese, children develop patience and improve hand-eye coordination. Parents, therefore, have the opportunity to make a mundane activity (snacking), into an educational and developmental experience for their Thosechildren.without children; however, may be ashamed to eat string cheese like a child and sadly resort to the bite method. Rather than letting this perception hinder your string cheese adventure, consider it a nostalgic experience. “Nostalgia has been shown to counteract loneliness, boredom and anxiety.” (New York Times). Therefore the nostalgic benefits that may come from pulling string cheese have the potential to boost overall wellbeing. It can even im prove the relationship of couples: “Couples feel closer and look happier when they’re sharing nostalgic memories” (New York Times). Who knew string cheese could have such a positive psychological impact?
There are many questions that divide us, yet none has split the country more than this: What is the correct method to eat string cheese? Some argue that the “bite” method is simple and less time-consuming – I beg to disabrie. In fact, I believe this hypotheswiss to be highly flawed.
Online studies further prove the popularity of the pull method. According to a Buzzfeed.com poll, 80% of string cheese-eaters peel their favorite snack, compared to 17% that bite their string cheese. The proportion is overwhelming: 1 in 5 people are biters. It is important to find these munsters and change their ways.
I must admit, my passion for pulling string cheese may be extreme for some. However, from its implication in the name to its child development and relationship benefits, the pull method is undeniably the way to go. Although it may be cheesy, regardless of your stance on the string cheese controversy, I respect your opinion—no strings attached.
Jack Lehrhoff ‘25 15
Despite these compelling arguments, opponents argue that the pull method is less efficient; however, does one eat string cheese for efficiency? No—string cheese is an activity; an experience meant to take time and energy. Pulling each string is stress-relieving, nostalgic, has developmental benefits, and so much more.
5. Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth, or allow to slight ly cool and transfer to a stand blender to puree.
6. If a stand blender was used, transfer back to the pot.
2 tbsp. olive oil
7. Continue to cook until both sides are golden brown and the cheese is melty.
8. Serve hot alongside a cozy bowl of butternut squash soup.
2 whole garlic cloves
INSTRUCTIONS:
3. Bring the mixture to a boil.
MAKES: ~8 sandwiches
COOK TIME: 3-5 mins
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. of butternut squash, cubed
2 cups chicken broth or vegetable Saltstockand black pepper, to taste Pumpkin seeds, roasted and salted
INGREDIENTS:
2. Add butternut squash and stock of choice into the pot.
5. On another baguette slice, coat the non-mayo side in as much blue berry jam as desired and place mayo-side up on the bread with brie that’s already in the pan.
4. Once at a boil, reduce to a simmer until squash is tender, stirring occasionally.
4. Place one slice in the pan, mayo side down and top with a few slices of brie.
Gia Magnoni ‘24 Gia Magnoni ‘24 16
COOK TIME: 1 hour
6. Flip the sandwich once the cheese is slightly melted and the bread is a nice golden brown.
Notes: I also suggest using sliced apples and honey as a substitute for the blueberry jam if you’d like. Regarding the mayonnaise, I too was once a skeptic, but I promise it adds the most perfect crispness and golden color to the sandwich.
1/3 cup mayonnaise, 2 tsp. per sandwich
2. Add olive oil to the pan until the surface is lightly covered.
Modified from Tufts University Butternut Squash Soup
3. Lightly coat the outside of the baguette slices with mayonnaise.
1 onion, sliced
½ cup carrots, chopped ½ of a jalapeño, diced and deseeded
1. In a large pot, sauté onions, carrots, jalapeño, and garlic in olive oil at medium high heat until onions are caramelized.
½ cup blueberry jam, 2 tbsp. per sandwich
Blueberry and Brie Grilled Cheese
MAKES: ~3 servings
1 wheel of Brie cheese, thin rectangle slices
8. Top with roasted and salted pumpkin seeds when ready to serve.
Butternut Squash Soup
INSTRUCTIONS:
5 tbsp. olive oil
PREP TIME: 15 mins
7. Add salt and pepper to taste.
1. Preheat the pan on the stove at medium heat.
PREP TIME: 5 mins
1 French baguette, ~1 inch thick diagonal slices, 2 per sandwich
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8. Return the meat and its resting juices back into the pot. Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, bay leaves, a teaspoon of salt, and a pinch of black pepper. Stir gently.
2 bay leaves
Cook time: ~1 hour 40 minutes
3 springs each thyme and rosemary
1 6 oz can tomato paste
4. To the pot, add the onion, carrot, and celery. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Stir well and scrape up any browned bits leftover from the meat.
12 mushrooms (cremini or button), finely chopped
1 large carrot, diced
12. Remove the bay leaves, thyme and rosemary. Serve hot over your favorite pasta, butternut squash “tagliatelle,” or a combination of the two!
7. Add the zucchini, tomato paste, and anchovies to the pot. Stir well to combine then reduce the heat to medium.
2 lbs ground beef or 1 ½ lbs ground beef + ½ lb ground pork
9. Rest the rosemary and thyme springs (tied together) on top of the liquid.
INVISIBLE VEGETABLE BOLOGNESE
½shapeofamedium butternut
2. To a boiling pot of generously salted water, add the squash. Boil for approximately 30 seconds. The “pasta” should be soft but not falling apart. Thickness also varies based on peeler, so it is best to stay by the pot.
1. With a vegetable peeler, shave off long sheets of butternut squash. Width will vary based on your peeler.
Salt Pepper
1 medium yellow onion, diced
10. Bring to a simmer, then cook uncovered for 1 hour. Stir every 1015 minutes.
Ingredients
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Madison Wong ‘23
Prep Time: 20 minutes
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
Instructions
Tagliatelle pasta, or your desired
Bolognese Sauce:
1 cup chicken stock
3. Remove meat from the pot and set aside. Do not discard the fat in the pot!
1. Place the zucchini in a colander in a sink. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt over the zucchini. Distribute evenly.
6. While the garlic and mushrooms brown, squeeze any remaining liquid out of the zucchini.
3 cloves garlic, minced 2 zucchini, shredded
11. After 1 hour, if the sauce still appears watery, continue to simmer uncovered until thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4 tinned flat anchovies, drained from oil
Makes: 6-8 servings
2. While the zucchini salts, cook the meat in a pot over medium-high heat until no pink remains.
5. Cook until the onion and celery become almost translucent. Then, add the garlic and mushrooms. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Butternut Squash “Tagliatelle”
2 stalks celery, diced
reasons lunch in school was introduced was to provide the growing bodies of children nutritious foods and to teach them healthy eating habits. In fact, the concept of a school lunch is rooted in 1790 Germany. Ameri can-born physicist and statesman Benjamin Thompson, who was also known as Count Rumford, began a combined program where children worked part-time in exchange for schooling and food. Rumford would serve the children soup made of cheap and abundant ingredients such as barley, potatoes, and peas during the hours between their work schedule and learning time. The earliest form of school lunch in the U.S. caught on in the 1900s when the Women’s Education and Industrial Union organized meals for students in cities like Boston and Philadelphia. An annual report of their 1913 sample menu included beef and barley soup, sliced ham sandwiches, creamed eggs, celery and nut salad, corn muffins, and strawberry ice-cream.
By 1946, and thanks to the National School Lunch Act signed by President Harry S. Truman, every U.S. state had federally supported lunch programs in place. The act secured the availability of school lunches and emphasized providing domestic and nutritional foods to the youth for the well-being of the country.
Grace Hamilton ‘23
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In addition to the nutritional benefits of the midday meal, these “school feeding” pro grams quickly paved the way for improving at tendance, enrollment, and academic success. Children began to rely on the school lunch program, especially during the Great Depres sion. To resolve the laborers finding work, farmers’ financial ruin, and poor children expe riencing malnutrition, the U.S. Department of Agriculture bought a surplus of food from farmers and funneled it into school lunch programs. Beef, pork, butter, fresh apples, bananas, vegetable soups, and peanut butter sandwiches became the budget meal of the 1930s.
Oneafternoon.ofthe
School Lunches Through the Decades (1900s to Today)
For some, lunch constitutes a time to decompress and refuel as a break between the rigorous work day. For others, a protein bar is as much as they can fit in. But whether you’re dining in or on-the-go, lunch is what will provide you the energy and nutrients to keep your body and brain working through the
Ultimately, what once began as a charitable effort to provide children the necessary resources to thrive in the classroom is now a competitive market for food giants to promote business.
Theresnacks.was no stopping the fast-food oper ators from entering the cafeteria in the 1990s, even with the climbing childhood obesity rates. Lunch bags were filled with Dunkaroos, Gush ers, Teddy Grahams, and bottles of Squeeze-It with McDonald’s, Little Caesars, and Chickfil-A offered in cafeterias. In efforts to slash the soaring 2000s obesity rates, menus were tweaked to include grilled jerk chicken, bar becued pork sandwiches, and fresh (instead of canned) fruits and vegetables. With the per sisting appeal of soda and fast food, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michele Obama made attempts to return to the original intentions of school lunch. In doing so, Congress passed the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 which revamped the federal lunch program’s nutrition stan dards and the Let’s Move campaign made fitness and nutrition a priority.
In the 1950s, private food companies began contracting with school lunch districts for business, feeding baby boomers ham and bean scallop, sausage shortcakes, milk, cheese meatloaves, and orange coconut custards; thus becoming a $450 million dollar business by 1952. Lyndon B. Johnson took a necessary step towards progressing the school lunch program when he passed the Child Nutrition Act in 1966. This act added breakfast as part of the school lunch, serving students dry toast, bananas, eggs, orange juice, and milk. Yet, this step forward was followed by one step backward in the rising fastfood industry. Marketing of hamburgers, French fries, and other greasy foods by places like Kentucky Fried Chicken and McDonald’s became more appealing than fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. In the 1970s, however, federal nutrition standards weakened when school lunches mandated only “minimum nutritional value.” With that, chiliburgers, hamburgers, oven-fried chicken, buttered corn, fruit gelatin, and vending machines full of chips and candy bars were added to school menus.
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In 1980, the federal lunch program clas sified ketchup as a vegetable. To meet a $1.5 billion budget cut, the Food Research and Ac tion Center and the Department of Agriculture made the adjustment, along with others, to the nutritional standards of food. More processed foods began dominating the cafeteria with the menu set to chicken nuggets, cheeseburgers, rectangular pizza slices, chocolate pudding, Jell-O, and sliced fruit drenched in syrup. Commercialized food also heightened during the era with the introduction of Lunchables, pouches of Capri Sun, fruit roll-ups, and por table
1 tbsp. ketchup
¼ tsp. black pepper
For the special sauce
1 tsp.gochujang, sriracha, or other hot sauce (optional)
3 yellow onions, halved and sliced thinly
¼ cup water
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 lb. 80% lean ground beef, as fresh as possible
7. To finish assembling the burgers, cover the patties with caramelized onions and dill pickle chips and spread special sauce on the top bun. Serve.
1 tsp. vegetable oil
2. Uncover the skillet and continue to cook the onions over medium heat, stirring often, until they are dark brown (about 30 more min utes). Place the onions in a bowl and reserve. Onions can be refriger ated for up to a week.
1 tsp. fish sauce (optional)
Kosher salt and black pepper
22
4 slices mild cheddar
4. Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes (and make sure to turn your exhaust fan on). Portion the ground beef into four portions andgently form into balls (each should weigh around 4 oz).
1. Melt the butter in a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once melted, add the onions and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened slightly (about 5 minutes). Add the water, cover the skillet, and let cook for 5-10 minutes, or until the water has evaporated.
3. While the onions are cooking, make the special sauce by stirring together the mayonnaise, ketchup, black pepper, gochujang, and fish sauce in a small bowl. Set aside.
6. Using the same spatula, scrape the burgers from the pan and flip them, seasoning the other side with kosher salt and pepper. Top burgers with mild cheddar cheese and cook for another 60 seconds, or until a crust forms on the bottom. Scrape the burgers from the skillet and place on buns. Repeat with the other two patties.
For the burgers
Makes: 4 burgers
Aaron Gruen ‘25
Ingredients
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
Instructions
5. Once the skillet is heated, add the vegetable oil. Going two at a time, place the burgers in the pan and smash down to ¼ inch thickness using a large, flat spatula. Season the burgers generously with kosher salt and pepper. Cook until the edges turn golden brown and juices begin to accumulate atop the burger (about 90 seconds).
For the caramelized onions
½ cup store-bought dill pickle chips
Time: Approx. 1 hour
Elevated Burgers
½ tsp. kosher salt
10. Leave the mixture in the fridge for at least 1 hour, until slightly hardened, but preferably overnight.
5. Add both sugars on top of the cooled but ter and whisk to combine.
13. Cook in a 350 degree oven for 9 minutes.
150 g combination of chocolate bars (around 2 large chocolate bars)
1 egg
Ingredients
2. Transfer into a large bowl to cool.
4. Chop the chocolate into small, irregular pieces.
½ cup brown sugar
Bella Gurel ‘22
9. Fold the chocolate in until fully incorporated.
¼ cup granulated sugar
8. Fold the flour mixture into the butter mix ture. Do not be discouraged if it looks like the flour is too much at the beginning.
½ tsp salt
Gourmet Chocolate Chip Cookies
6. Add one egg and whisk for 2-3 minutes until the color of the mixture has lightened considerably.
23
1 tsp cornstarch
Makes: 40-45 cookies
Prep Time: approximately 45 minutes of work, before chill
½ tsp baking soda
1. Melt ½ cup, or one stick of butter until the milk solids have browned.
½ cup butter
12. Slightly flatten the ball of dough before plac ing it in the oven.
Cook Time: 9 minutes
1 cup flour
Instructions
3. Add flour, baking soda, salt, and corn flour to a medium size bowl and whisk to com bine.
1 tbsp vanilla extract
11. Scoop out 1 tbsp. (~25 grams, depending on the chocolate) portions of the dough and roll it into a ball.
7. Add vanilla and whisk to combine.
4. Pour mixture into pie crust and chill in a refrigerator for several hours (4-6) or overnight.
25 Oreo cookies
2. Melt your butter in a microwave, then mix it with the crumbs and stir together with a fork.
Pie Crust
Crust
1 cup sugar
3. Using the fork, press the crumbs against your pie pan (preferably a 9” pan) then chill for 30 minutes before filling.
Note - This recipe is easiest using an electric mixer, but can be done using a hand mixer/whisks.
Serving: 1 pie
3. Beat each egg separately for five minutes, adding them to the mixture one at a time. Throughout this process, make sure to continue mixing at high speed. This can be a very long process if you’re using a hand mixer/whisks.
2. Blend in your vanilla and melted chocolate into the bowl and thoroughly mix.
Ingredients
3 large eggs
5 tbsps. unsalted butter melted
1. Using leftover Oreo cookie crumbs and gummy worms, sprinkle the extra candy bits atop your finished pie however you’d like.
Toppings
24
Note - I like to add in extra Oreo crumbs and mini chocolate chips into my mixture for an extra crunch and true feeling of a ‘Dirt Dessert.’ You can even hide some gummy worms in the mix if you’d like!
Pie Filling
¾ cup butter
raspberriesFreshMiniGummycookieswormschocolatechipsstrawberriesand
3. Add whatever extra bits and candies take you back to your childhood!
2. Add strawberries and raspberries for a fresh extra touch too.
Filling
1. In a bowl, cream together butter and sugar until well blended.
Prep time: 2 hours
Cook time: 4-6 hours/overnight
MUD PIES FOR KIDS, DIRT DESSERTS FOR ADULTS
2 tsps. vanilla
Reagan Williams, 2024
Toppings
Oreo
2 unsweetened chocolate squares, melted and cooled (can use microwave or stovetop to melt it)
1. Finely crush your Oreo cookies. The best and easiest way to do this is to place the cookies in a sealable bag then use a rolling pin to roll over and crush the cookies. This can get tiring, but the finer the crumbs, the better the crust sticks together!
Instructions
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Jumbo needs your help bringing the lost dining hall food downhill! Complete the maze to return the food to Jumbo.
Help Jumbo!
