The Dish Fall 2021 Issue: Renaissance and Recovery

T H E

D I S H

Renaissance and Recovery FALL 2021

“Let us all rediscover the power of food as a means of joy, connection, solace and change.”

Letter from the editor As a Leo who notoriously loves her birthday, being able to celebrate my 21st birthday this past August by going out to dinner with my closest friends meant so much. A picturesque view of the Madison Capitol with sunlight streaming into the restaurant greeted my friends and I as we arrived at our favorite birthday spot, Eno Vino. Surrounded by the joy and laughter of my loving friends, I felt grateful sharing a meal with those I cherish most. The food was incredible — the truffle fries with garlic aioli never disappoint — but what I remember most is the experience with my best friends. I was reminded that food is more than just food.

Like many others, I never thought a shared meal with friends and family is something that I would lose. As my team and I began brainstorming for the fall issue, our conversations always led back to embracing being back in person and the importance of food as a means of connecting with others. However, these conversations would not be complete without also discussing the enduring impacts of COVID-19 and the many struggles facing the restaurant industry both here in Madison and across the nation.

Hence, “Renaissance and Recovery” was born. Our fall issue celebrates being able to enjoy our favorite Madison spots in person again. Navya’s piece will give you all the recommendations you need for any special occasion. This issue also celebrates cooking and enjoying meals with all of our loved ones at home.

Keep an eye out for Natasha’s mouth-watering baked macaroni and cheese and Maya’s Dalogna whipped matcha latte for the perfect recipes to please a crowd.

Our fall issue also calls attention to the immense challenges the food industry continues to face. Check out Perri’s article, “From Sourdough to Servers: A Reflection on the Pandemic and Dining Out,” where she recounts her first experience dining out again and encourages you, our readers, to help our local Madison restaurants who continue to deal with the fallout from COVID-19. On page eleven, Caroline continues the discussion on problems still plaguing restaurants right here in Madison. Her interview with prominent members of the Madison restaurant scene is a must-read.

I hope this issue reminds you of the simple pleasure of sharing a meal with those you love. I hope that it makes you excited to make dinner reservations with your friends this weekend or perhaps sit down at home for a meal you all prepared together. I hope it motivates you to help our local Madison food industry. Let us all rediscover the power of food as a means of joy, connection, solace, and change.

Lastly, I want to thank my team for the effort they poured into this issue. The Dish has not met in person since February 2019, so I was elated to collaborate and connect with my team in person during my first semester as Editor-in-Chief. Getting sidetracked at meetings about what restaurants we want to try, seeing our photographers be able to venture through the crowded, student-packed streets of downtown Madison to get the perfect shot, and running into team members on the way to class are all the little things that made this fall issue so special for me. I hope you are all just as proud of this magazine as I am. While the pandemic is far from over and there is still work to be done and precautions to be taken, I am hopeful for what is to come.

Enjoy!

Sofia Rodriguez | Editor-in-Chief

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T H E

D I S H

Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Sofia Rodriguez Deputy Margarita Vinogradov Photography Editor Perri Moran Features Editor Maya Fidziukiewicz Community Editor Caroline Crowley Social Media Director Brooke Bednoff Recipe Curator Natasha Davis

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F A L L Writers Ben Raphael Caroline Crowley Darcy Troyanovsky Erica Miller Jessie Yaffe Lily Schmitz Maya Fidziukiewicz Natasha Davis Navya Narendra Perri Moran Vasudha Khanna Photographers Kyi Phyu Khaing Perri Moran Sofia Rodriguez Layout Brooke Bednoff Darcy Troyanovsky Izzy Wellisch Margarita Vinogradov Maya Fidziukiewicz Sofia Rodriguez

2 0 2 1 WUD President Liam Gramlund WUD Publications Commiteee Director Lauren Daamgard WUD Publications Commitee Advisor Robin Schmoldt Publications Committee Mission Statement “The Publications Committee of the Wisconsin Union Directorate celebrates creativity on campus by providing handson experience in publishing, editing, writing, and art-making. Through the publishing of our 4 student-run journals and magazines, we provide a creative outlet for UW-Madison students interested in creating poetry and prose, reporting on music, or delving into travel, culture, and culinary pursuits.

We also offer lectures with established authors, an annual literary festival, and other exciting events!”

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Table of 2 Letter from the Editor 3 The Dish Team 5 Table of Contents 7 From Sourdough to Outdoor Seating: A Reflection of the Pandemic and Dining Out 9 Time to Celebrate: Best Restaurants for Special Occasions 11 Restaurant Recovery: How Madison Restaurants Handled the Pandemic

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Contents 13 Gourmet Cooking: Dorm Style 16 Quick and Affordable Eats 19 Sending Smiles with Ozzie’s Oats 21 Come and Feast 23 Revived and Cozy 27 Festive Feasts: How Different Cultures Celebrate the Holiday Season with Food 29 Best of Madison: Estacion Inka Renaissance & Recovery 6

From Sourdough to Servers:

A Reflection on the Pandemic and Dining Out BY: PERRI MORAN

The way I see it, there were two types of

people in the early days of the pandemic. Those who baked sourdough bread, and those who did not.

Those who did were the people who took their newfound free time and experimented in the kitchen — people who didn’t let the lack of restaurant access hinder their desire to explore new foods. Those who did not bake sourdough more than likely stuck to what they knew: Kraft Mac’n’Cheese and DiGiorno Pizzas.

Of course, there is no judgement from me on either type of person. We all found ways to cope, and some people coped by finding solace in cooking. I was one of those people.

During the pandemic, I spent most of my free time in the kitchen. I experimented with all sorts of new recipes and cuisines that I had strayed away from before due to my sheer lack of time. The early months of the pandemic reignited my passion for cooking.

But, as fulfilling as it was to create a delicious dish with my own hands, I was missing one of the best parts: someone to share my food with.

Food has been a focal point of gatherings since the beginning of humankind. Everyone has to eat, so why not do it together and kill two birds with one stone?

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Lucille

Holiday get-togethers, birthdays, weddings, retirement parties and so many other standard gatherings are centered around a meal. But in the age of social distancing, this natural human tendency to gather was halted, as was the need for large portions of food to feed the groups.

Yet, I continued to cook family sized meals despite the fact that I usually only had myself to serve. I ended up throwing away more food than I’d like to admit when I realized I actually couldn’t eat an entire pot of soup on my own. Financially, this took its toll.

Restaurants, on the other hand, flat-out stopped cooking when the U.S. shut down.

They didn’t have to throw food away because they weren’t buying food, and people simply weren’t going out to eat.

In late March 2020, restaurant industry sales had a drastic drop, and the effects of that are still being felt even now, close to two years after the initial shutdown.

According to the National Restaurant Association, restaurant sales in 2020 were $240 billion down from expected sales and there were nearly 3.1 million less restaurant jobs than expected. It was a terrible time to work in food service.

The summer months were a window of hope for restaurants. Many restaurants utilized their patio space and began pushing takeout and delivery services to make ends meet.

But inevitably, when the last leaves had fallen from the trees and the grass was frosted by morning, most restaurants moved back to takeout-only service while a few invested in outdoor fire pits and weather-proof patio furniture.

Despite the cold Wisconsin winters, people still wanted to gather for food and good company.

It wasn’t until March of 2021 that I went to my first restaurant in the wake of COVID-19.

I made reservations at Lucille for stone-fired pizza. It felt strange to be walking into a restaurant and taking my mask off in a public setting, but at the time, being half-vaccinated and 12 months into quarantine, I allowed myself the luxury of true dining again.

This simple dinner changed my outlook on dining. I sat at the rustic wooden table across from my boyfriend and just smiled. I realized how much I’d missed the indistinct chatter of restaurant-goers, the ambient flicker of the candle on the table between us and the loud, bass-heavy music that pulsed through the restored brick building in which we sat.

We ordered our appetizers and pizzas, and I reveled in the anticipation for my food that I hadn’t felt in a year. I hadn’t had to wait for food in so long — I hadn’t felt the rush of excitement that I did when I saw our waitress walking up to our table with a tray.

Sitting there in Lucille that evening reminded me of why we go out to eat: not just to eat good food, but to experience something different. To connect with our loved ones, to feel excitement and to be inspired. To feel something that the pandemic took away from us.

Here is your call to action: cut the Kraft Mac’n’Cheese, step away from the sourdough and go out to eat. Visit Lucille, or Hop Haus or any other restaurant that you’ve missed.

Bring a friend, or three or five. Tip your wait staff. Bring the restaurant scene back to life.

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Time to Celebrate:

Best restaurants for special occasions BY: NAVYA NARENDRA After a long year of delivery and takeout, it is exciting to see many Madison restaurants in full swing again with dine-in options. In my opinion, the Madison food scene is one of the best parts of the city. There are a variety of restaurants that are perfect for any celebration.

Here are some of my go-to’s for specific occasions.

Birthdays

Lucille

Located by the Capitol, Lucille is my personal favorite for a birthday dinner. The food ranges from guacamole to tacos to wood-fired pizza. The restaurant has two floors with a balcony looking down from above. Great cocktails — if you’re of age — and very fun for a big group.

These restaurant spots are perfect for a birthday celebration with amazing food options and seating for large groups.

Nitty Gritty

Known as Madison’s “Official Birthday Bar,” Nitty Gritty is the perfect stop on your birthday for some cheesecurds, wings, and a drink to start off your night.

Dotty’s Dumpling Dowry

Dotty’s is a classic Madison restaurant located right next to late-night Ian’s Pizza on Frances Street. It took me three years too many to realize that this restaurant does not serve dumplings at all and is in fact a popular burger joint with a variety of options. The food here is unbeatable and a perfect option for a birthday dinner.

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Anniversaries

For a more romantic atmosphere, these restaurants are perfect for celebrating an anniversary with your special someone.

Bassett Street Brunch Club

This is a classic brunch spot in Madison with killer cheese curds and every brunch item you could want, from eggs Benedict to breakfast burritos and pancakes.

Eno Vino

Eno Vino is the perfect spot for an anniversary for many reasons. Located at the top of the AC Hotel by Mariott, the restaurant features a gorgeous view of the Capitol. The food and drinks only add to its popularity with a wide variety of tapas-style dishes. The truffle parmesan fries and roasted vegetable flatbread are my two favorites.

Naples 15

Naples 15 is a perfect anniversary spot, specifically because of its ambience...we’re talking candle light galore.

The Italian food is some of the best in Madison, with entrees ranging from steak and seafood to pasta and pizza. The variety of amazing dishes makes it hard to pick just one, but whichever one you do choose will not disappoint.

Red Sushi

For a more upscale sushi vibe, Red Sushi is a perfect choice. RED stands for “refreshing, elegant and delicious,” and you get exactly that at this restaurant. The menu has quite a bit of variety, from signature rolls made with salmon, tuna and shrimp to its “from the kitchen” menu featuring everything from octopus to duck. The drinks menu features a wide variety of signature cocktails and saké!

Game Day

Game days feel like a holiday in Madison and often involve visitors coming to town so that they can experience the Badger game day spirit. Here are some places that are great to hit on game day and also to take visitors so they can truly get the Madison experience. If it’s an 11 a.m. game day, start the day off at one of the following brunch locations before heading to tailgates or the game:

Gotham Bagels

This is the perfect place for an authentic New York-style bagel. My personal favorite is the lox with cream cheese, but nothing beats their bagel sandwiches. Gotham is the perfect breakfast stop before a game day.

DLUX

DLUX sticks out to me because of their mimosas and burgers. The burger menu has quite a bit of variety and options for vegans and vegetarians.

I hope this plethora of options added some new restaurants to your bucket list. It is so exciting to get to enjoy and try new restaurants in person again. When I look back on my college years in Madison, I will fondly remember all the special moments spent at these restaurants.

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Restaurant Recovery

How Madison restaurants handled the pandemic BY: CAROLINE CROWLEY

When the pandemic hit,

Madison’s restaurant industry was forced to adapt — and quickly. Dan Fox, the owner and chef of Heritage Tavern, said the experience was not only challenging from a business standpoint but from a personal standpoint as well.

“It was a wild experience,” Fox said. “We went through all of the emotions, all the feelings, all the challenges as far as the abrupt shutdown, the abrupt sense of having to lay off all your staff — or the majority of them — and having to communicate that to these people that you know and love and care about and have known for years.”

Putting Food in Boxes

Then, the industry introduced a new approach to dining. Shifting to takeout — or “putting food in boxes,” as the Heritage Tavern team called it — was a challenge, especially for fine dining restaurants.

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Helene Palau, the operations manager of Graze, said this quick change caused extreme changes to Graze’s services.

The restaurant switched from offering occasional takeout orders on ChowNow to fully operating through EatStreet.

Staff struggled to communicate these changes to customers over social media, said Palau.

Patience Clark, owner and chef of Palate Pleasures, opened her restaurant just weeks before the pandemic hit. When it did, she had a life-altering decision to make.

“I either had to stop or keep going,” Clark said. “One thing people still needed to do during the pandemic was eat, so I just tried to do what I could … and then it worked. It worked really well, people were buying the meals left and right.”

Clark predicted that money would be tight as people left their jobs to work at home, so

she kept her operations to one night a week. She cooked out of a commercial kitchen and allowed custowmers to pick up their meals.

The innovative changes Clark made were similar to those of other restaurants in Madison.

Aside from introducing new takeout options, many restaurants like Heritage Tavern built outdoor seating areas for their customers.

Heritage Tavern, known as a farm-to-table restaurant, started selling meat from their farm on their to-go menu. At another one of the restaurant’s locations, Fox set up a 75-foot tent to serve barbeque outdoors.

In many cases, the flurry of constant changes inspired these restaurants to change their goals. Clark shifted away from her Sunday dinners, focusing on creating cooking shows and her catering. Fox focused on streamlining his services and

strengthening relationships with his team and customers.

We’re Hiring!

As the restrictions around the pandemic loosened, restaurants shared a large, collective struggle: staffing shortages.

Dominating headlines around the country, lack of staff forced restaurants to make significant changes.

According to the National Restaurant Association’s midyear update on the State of the Restaurant Industry, restaurants and bars were nearly one million jobs — or 8% — below pre-pandemic employment levels in August 2021 despite steady gains in the months before.

Restaurants around Madison like Graze and Heritage Tavern experienced the shortage’s full effects, struggling to find new staff.

“Everyone’s kind of fighting for the same small pool of experienced individuals, which is why now we’re looking to branch out and looking to hire maybe people with zero experience and kind of start to regrow the restaurant industry from the ground up,” Palau said.

Maddie Wilinski, the general manager of Graze, said many restaurants had to cut back on their operating hours. Heritage

Tavern streamlined its menu and Graze was forced to shut down its partner restaurant, Estrellón. Both stopped their normal brunch services.

Restaurants made additional changes to compete for employees. At Heritage Tavern, Fox focused on creating a welcoming work environment for his employees, adding benefits like increased paid sick leave and creating team mental health check-in days.

What’s Next?

The challenges for restaurants aren’t over, Fox said. Many restaurants still haven’t received COVID-19 relief funds. Some businesses, like Palate Pleasures, don’t qualify for loans because they opened after March 1, 2020, Clark said.

“It was a wild experience. We went through all of the emotions, all the feelings, all the challenges.”

The impacts of the pandemic will, no doubt, leave visible scars on the restaurant industry for a long time, Fox said.

Despite what may seem like a recovery in many people’s lives, restaurants continue to face changes, adjustments and challenges.

Fox, Palau and Helene all hope for customers to be compassionate during the industry’s recovery. With shortened hours of operation, limited staff and remaining restrictions, the problems restaurants face are large.

If you’re looking to support your local restaurants, here’s a great excuse to enjoy a meal out when you can! A little patience and kindness from our end will go a long way for our local restaurant industry.

BY: VASU

Recipe on Next Page

USHKA KHANNA

GOURMET COOKING Dorm Style

BY: VASUDHA KHANNA

Moving across the ocean into a dorm, I knew I would miss home. As much as I missed India, I realized that I missed my connection to food the most. I often found myself stuck in the monotonous cycle of dining hall breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner.

At home, I loved to make my own meals. I could always add my own twists to favorite dishes that met my standards of taste. Being in the dorms restricted my cooking spectrum.

With a limited selection of ingredients at hand and none of the kitchen tools I had at home — my dear electric whisk, I miss you the most — I was challenged to get creative. I decided this was a challenge I was willing to accept. So, after endless mess-ups, including a couple of fire alarms, I finally have some reliable recipes that any college student can whip up in the nick of time with ingredients they probably have on hand.

This first meal is the perfect balance of healthy and energizing. Every time I make it, I make a big batch because I know I will never get bored of this breakfast. The first time I made this I made just a single serving, and I quickly regretted not making more because my friends finished all my leftovers.

Ingredients: ¼ cup Oats ⅓ cup Milk 1.5 tsp Instant Coffee Powder ⅛ cup water Water 2 tsp Sweetener (I usually use Stevia) Topping: Vanilla yogurt Grated chocolate/chips

BOOSTER START WITH EXPRESSO OATS PUDDING

To make this delicious pudding, start by brewing coffee and water in a small pan for 5 minutes. Once your entire room is filled with the blissful aroma of the coffee, add in the rest of the ingredients and continue heating on low heat until the mixture comes together like a nice, thick batter, about 3-4 minutes. While this cooks, wrap your bowl in plastic wrap (this will give your oatmeal its dome shape). Remove from heat and pour mixture into your wrapped bowl. Cover the top of the bowl with plastic wrap as well and put it in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours. Once chilled, unwrap the oats and pour vanilla yogurt over. Take some chocolate and grate flakes on top for a delicious-looking breakfast.

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VIETNAMESE SUMMER ROLLS

Ingredients (makes 2): 2 rice sheets 1 cup of your choice of veggies, julienned or cut into long fine strips (I usually go for carrots, cucumber, capsicum, and spinach) 1 bunch of mint leaves Salt, to taste ½ tsp pepper Juice from half a lemon

Soak the rice sheet in warm water for 4-5 minutes until it becomes flexible. Spread the rice sheet out on a smooth, clean surface. Line half of the veggies in the center of the ice sheet and wrap it up. Repeat the process with the second sheet and the rest of the veggies. I highly recommend dipping these into a peanut sauce!

Ingredients: 2 oz chocolate of your choice ½ cup almonds — add more if you want, the chunkier the better!

ROCK CHOCOLATE

The first step is optional, but roasting the almonds in a pan gives the nuts a smokey flavor and will give your chocolate an extra crunch. Microwave the chocolate in a bowl for 30-second increments until the chocolate is just melted. Add the roasted almonds to melted chocolate and stir until well combined. Spoon chunks of this mixture onto a tray lined with parchment paper or any nonstick surface to let the chocolate solidify, and voilà!

You just crafted yourself a balanced dessert. Enjoy it with hot coffee or tea.

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more cheap options Renaissance & Recovery 16

&

Quick Affordable Eats BY: ERICA MILLER

As a university student, I am so excited to be back on campus in Madison this semester. I get to again enjoy the atmosphere of the foodie city that I’ve missed so much. Madison is a foodie’s absolute paradise. The city holds the title of having the most restaurants per capita and specializes in bringing farm-to-table dining experiences.

Personally, I adore the ability to support local and small food businesses. This semester, I no longer have the luxury of crafting a delicious omelette while attending my online class. Most students have their schedules tighter, our stomachs hungrier and wallets lighter.

Luckily, Madison has plenty of convenient, affordable and quick options to grab food between classes, post-College Library late-night dinners or caffeine fixes for the days when you might need a little kick.

Food Trucks on State:

When in doubt, head to the Library Mall to see which food truck will satisfy your hunger best. The “Fresh Cool Drinks” cart serves massive spring rolls for only 3-4 dollars and delicious smoothies. “Toast” panini presses together the freshest ingredients.

The smell alone is a mouthwatering experience, and in that first bite, the crunch of the toasted bread perfectly mixes with the cheese oozing out.

“Hibachi Hut” provides large portions of the meat of your choice accompanied by flavorful hibachi noodles or fried rice. All of these food trucks are affordable and give you the freedom over how much you want to purchase based on how hungry you are.

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Sushi Express:

Located on University Avenue, Sushi Express is a staple for quick, lowpriced and delicious Japanese food.

They offer pick-up and delivery options that are both very efficient . My go-to is their sweet potato roll, but if you like a little more spice, you cannot go wrong ordering their spicy tuna or spicy salmon rolls!

Badger Market:

Badger Markets are conveniently located around campus, catering to student’s constant movement during a long day of classes. If you’re needing fuel in between classes, I highly recommend checking out a Badger Market for a quick snack or drink. I typically go for their hummus and pretzels to satisfy my addiction, accompanied

by a Bubblr drink to keep me sharp in class. As a University of Wisconsin student, you may use your Wiscard as payment at these locations.

Paul’s Pel’meni:

Paul’s Pel’meni serves affordable Russian pel’meni. Their menu is special because it consists of only one dish that can be garnished with “the works” or served plain. You have two options for portion sizes and whether you want the pel’meni stuffed with potato or meat. This flexibility gives options for your hunger level, and their service is quick and served with care.

Another benefit are their late-night hours on weekends—a college student’s best friend!

tions on pita sandwiches, platters, salads, and hummus plates. Banzo has even created their own sweet potato falafel. The food is definitely worth the price with the large portions and overall high quality food.

Memorial Union & Union South:

The Unions have plenty of food establishments to get you through your school days. Using your Wiscard at any of these dining options gives you a 10% discount. Grab a brat and some

Sunroom Cafe:

Sunroom Cafe offers a delicious menu consisting of delicious breakfast and lunch foods, including eggs, pancakes, french toasts, salads and sandwiches. Under their new ownership, their menu will now provide Venezuelan food.

I can’t wait to explore their new menu options!

Banzo:

Banzo is a Mediterranean restaurant, specializing in their fresh and homemade falafel and hummus. The adorable blue and green restaurant with an outdoor patio is located right near Tenney Park. Their menu offers varia-

cheese curds from Der Rathskeller or some stir fry from Ginger Root. Or, if you’re craving Italian, then Strada has customizable pizzas for you. Dessert is practically required when you are in the Dairyland of America, so Babcock Ice Cream from the Daily Scoop has your back.

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Feel Good

with Ozzie’s Oats By: Jessie Yaffe For me, quarantine marked the beginning of made from hearts of palm and taco meat made my passion for healthy and plant based cooking. from pumpkin seeds. Most importantly, I Following my older sister’s rare cancer diagnosis learned to love the way that this style of eating in 2017, my entire family decided to support her made me feel. I felt more energized, focused in a complete diet transformation that would and better equipped to function efficiently for focus on reducing the growth of her disease. It the duration of each and every day. So, when took a great amount of effort and determinaquarantine began, I started to play around in my tion from everyone to go from eating ordinary kitchen, learning how to cook new meals that hearty hamburgers made from animals, to those my family could enjoy eating, rather than feeling made from black beans, quinoa and sweet pota- like we were missing out on all of the food that to. However, through this experience, I started we could not eat. What started as a passion for to become fascinated with the exploration of cooking with clean and simple ingredients evencooking creative plant-based recipes that all ex- tually turned into an entire business idea that cluded sugar, gluten and dairy. For instance, we would consume my thoughts for the rest of the experimented with replacements that ranged period of isolation. from pasta After many months spent in the kitchen this past summer, I focused on healthy foods tailored specifically for college students like me. I began with market research and analysis, focusing on college students prioritizing foods that are cheap, accessible and easy to take on the go for classes. I also paid attention to food trends, taking note of the oatmeal trend which skyrocketed over the past year, reaching millions of viewers on TikTok and Instagram, revealing the creative potential behind such a simple bowl of oats.

People shared a range of oatmeal recipes, showing how to jazz up a bowl of plain oats or even resemble a cake with baked oats. Following this trend, I wanted to create a way for college students to enjoy a delicious and plant-based jar of oats that could easily be thrown into a backpack on their way to class. I also wanted to address the lack of healthy food options in the area, especially healthy breakfast options. So,

I launched my healthy food line and titled it Bar Brekkie, with the intention of selling these fresh and healthy oats to students on the go. Yet I knew that these oats needed to stand out from your average bowl of microwavable Quaker oats.

They needed to be different. I wanted to bring back the creative outlet that initially inspired me to begin my passion for healthy cooking: the creativity and ability to produce fun plant based products with unique flavors that have never been combined in the past.

Healthy eating no longer had to be restricted to plain salads and roasted vegetables. I wanted college students to experience the amazing feeling that clean ingredients can produce on our bodies that made me fall in love with plant based cooking. People should not eat this way out of feelings of guilt, but instead out of feelings of love and respect for their bodies. When you eat nourishing and whole foods, your body will truly thank you, making you feel like the best version of yourself. Trust me, I know from experience.

Under the brand Bar Brekkie, I created a sub brand called Ozzie’s Oats which would feature a new and unique flavor each month to match the mood of the season. I remember being so

excited for the September flavor, which was carrot cake oats topped with banana, pumpkin seeds and goji berries. I received amazing feedback and reviews on October’s Apple Pie flavor, which combines the flavors of Thanksgiving in a simple glass jar. While I am still in the early stages of this business, I cannot wait to continue selling jars to my friends on campus. Although quarantine had its challenging moments, it definitely led me to discover the most significant and meaningful form of work that I could ever imagine. I hope to use my business to show that clean ingredients can truly taste good, and that it is time to start feeding our bodies with food that makes us feel amazing.

If you are interested in purchasing a jar, visit @ barbrekkie on Instagram and order through the link in my bio!

Come and Feast By: Natasha Davis One of the things I missed out on this past year due to COVID-19 was spending quality time with loved ones.

With the holidays approaching, one of my favorite things to do is bake with friends and family. Not only does it create great memories for years to come, but you get a delicious dessert out of it!

Easy Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread Fall and winter scream “pumpkin” to me, which has become a staple in my pantry these past couple of years.

This recipe is nut free and can be easily made gluten-free by using a gluten-free all purpose flour.

Ingredients: ¾ cup of pumpkin puree 1 cup of maple syrup ¾ cup of melted coconut oil 1 tsp of vanilla extract 1 cup of all purpose flour 1 cup of oats

1 tbsp of pumpkin pie spice 1 tsp of baking soda 1 tsp of baking powder ½ tsp of salt ¾ cup chocolate chips

Directions: 1. Heat your oven to 350° F and line an 8x4 inch loaf pan with parchment paper.

2. Using a large mixing bowl and a spoon or mixer, combine the wet ingredients until mixed well.

3. Separately, mix the dry ingredients in a blender so everything gets incorporated together.

4. Next, slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until the batter is fully combined.

5. Fold in probably way too many chocolate chips using a spatula. A good rule of thumb is to make it more chocolate than bread.

6. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and then top with even more chocolate chips (because you can never have too much). If you have extra batter in the pan, don’t hesitate to taste test. There’s no eggs in this recipe, so you’re safe!

7. Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean. If it’s not completely done, don’t freak out.

Bread continues to cook for a couple more minutes on its own inside the warm loaf pan!

8. Let cool completely before serving! I recommend grabbing your favorite brand of vanilla ice cream or spreading some nut butter on top.

I hope you enjoy these two comforting recipes that are perfect for spending time with your loved ones. I know I’m excited to be back in the kitchen and cook with my family when I get the chance.

Heading into the colder months, it’ll be nice to settle down and experience some good food. Never forget that food is a love language that you can share with anyone!

Baked Macaroni and Cheese Cheese lovers, heads up! This next dish is perfect for all ages, no matter the occasion. Not only does it provide tons of leftovers that are easily freezable, but you can pop it in the oven and not spend all day in the kitchen. When I think of comfort, something hot, creamy, and cheesy is a go-to. It’s one of my favorite meals for recovering from the cold fall and winter nights.

Ingredients: 1 stick of unsalted butter ½ cup of all purpose flour ½ tsp of paprika ½ tsp of garlic powder 4 cups of milk 4 cups of grated cheddar cheese 2 cups of grated colby-jack cheese blend or your favorite cheese 1 pound of cooked noodles (macaroni is the best but feel free to use any type) 1 cup of Panko breadcrumbs

Directions: 1. Melt a stick of butter in a saucepan over medium to low heat until it’s completely liquid. Keep your eye on it and keep stirring.

I’ve burnt far too many sticks of butter without realizing it.

2. Add the flour and continue whisking until well combined.

3. Add your spices. Sometimes I go a little crazy and add something else in. It really depends on what I have available and what I think will taste good. It might sound weird, but a pinch of nutmeg works wonders!

4. Slowly pour the milk into the mixture, stirring constantly. The key is to watch your pan like a hawk. It’s not fun to curdle milk.

5. Once the mixture begins to thicken, add some dashes of salt and pepper to taste.

6. It’s cheese time. Dump in your grated cheese and keep on using your whisk. Now all you have to do is wait until the cheese melts completely and then you’re done with your sauce.

7. Lastly, pour your delicious cheese sauce over a 9-by-13-inch pan of cooked noodles.

8. Mix with a large spoon and slather the top of the pan with breadcrumbs.

9. Pop the pan in the oven and bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes. The dish is quite hot when it is finished. Let it cool so you don’t burn your mouth.

Revived and Cozy BY: MAYA FIDZIUKIEWICZ

Winter is the best excuse to curl up on the couch with a blanket wrapping you up and a warm drink in your hand. Crafting my warm drink is my favorite form of self-care. As my water boils or my milk froths, I am carefully selecting flavors that will fuel my body while also warming up my inner furnace. So grab your mug and your book, set it by the fire, and walk to your drink-making station to craft yourself one of these beauties.

To inspire your next warm beverage, here are a few hug-in-a-mugs that go beyond the basic latte and hot chocolate to make your sipping extra special.

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Christmas Tree Tea As the Christmas tree finds a corner in your home, you can utilize a few fresh sprigs that you might otherwise throw out to make some of this Christmas Tree Tea. My family makes this during Christmas time or when we are backcountry hiking, but it’s meant for sipping at any occasion.

Ingredients: 4 cups of water 5-6 Pine sprigs 3 green tea bags 1 large lemon Honey (to taste)

Directions: Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan.

While water is boiling, gently pick fresh pine sprigs from your Christmas tree, and rinse under a delicate stream. Set aside. Clean lemon and slice with a sharp knife. Once water is boiled, bring heat down to low and add pine sprigs, tea bags and lemon slices. Let flavors simmer for about 15-20 minutes, then stir in the honey.

Serve right away, and enjoy the flavor of Christmas on your tongue. Makes 2-3 servings.

Apple Cider Old Fashioned Warm apple cider with a splash of brandy sounds like just the drink that would be paired with a plaid blanket, a movie and the crackle of a fire. This recipe has no rules, just suggestions, so there is flexibility to have fun with it.

Ingredients: ½ tsp brown sugar ½ orange slice ½ tsp grenadine 1-2 maraschino cherries 5 dashes bitters 1 ½ oz brandy 1 ½ oz apple cider top with ginger ale Garnish: apple slice, orange peel, cinnamon stick, maraschino cherry, crystallized ginger

Directions: Add orange slices, cherries and brown sugar to your glass and mash them to release the juices from the fruits. Add grenadine and bitters, then pour in brandy and the cider. Top off your beverage with ginger ale and sprinkle on a garnish of choice. Now kick your feet up because you deserve to relax with your favorite show or a good book. Makes 2 servings.

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Polish Kompot Maybe I’m biased with my Polish heritage, but when my mom and my grandma make this at home, no other drink needs to exist. A blend of seasonal fruit with warm spices makes each sip as magical as it sounds. This drink is usually made from overripe fruit that is perfect for cooking/ baking, but it can be made with any-stage fruit.

There are many ways to approach this recipe based on what is in season, but this recipe is made with seasonal winter ingredients.

Ingredients: 4 apples 1 cup cranberries 3-4 plums 2 cups Strawberries 5-6 whole cloves 2 cinnamon sticks ½ cup brown sugar or maple syrup to taste Directions: Fill a large pot ¾ up with water and place over medium heat. While the water is heating, slice fruit and cut out any bruising or spoiled spots.

As you slice, throw fruit into heating water. Once all fruit is in the water, add cloves and cinnamon sticks and wait for the pot to boil. Once the water is bubbling, reduce heat to simmer for about 20 minutes. About 10 minutes in, add sugar or maple syrup to taste. Serve immediately when it’s hot. Makes ~10 servings.

Matcha is a powdered tea that has significantly more health benefits than other teas, and it contains about ½ the caffeine that a cup of coffee would.

This is a twist on the traditional way of making matcha, but this latte still gives you all the good benefits.

Dalogna Whipped Matcha Latte Ingredients: 4 apples 1 cup cranberries 3-4 plums 2 cups Strawberries 5-6 whole cloves 2 cinnamon sticks ½ cup brown sugar or maple syrup to taste

Directions: Fill a large pot ¾ up with water and place over medium heat. While the water is heating, slice fruit and cut out any bruising or spoiled spots.

As you slice, throw fruit into heating water. Once all fruit is in the water, add cloves and cinnamon sticks and wait for the pot to boil. Once the water is bubbling, reduce heat to simmer for about 20 minutes. About 10 minutes in, add sugar or maple syrup to taste. Serve immediately when it’s hot. Makes ~10 servings.

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Festive

FEASTS

How different cultures celebrate the holiday season with food BY: LILY SCHMITZ As we approach the end of the year, we find ourselves immersed in the holiday season: a time of bustling parties, time-honored traditions, warm sentiments and, most importantly, delicious food!

Across continents and cultures, a common thread holding all of our end-of-year holidays together is the role of the meal in bringing us together and enhancing our experiences. Every culture uses food in a unique way to help connect people and show the bonds between them. Here are a few ways in which different holidays around the world use food in their festivities.

Diwali

Hanukkah

Diwali, India’s “Festival of Lights” is a holiday for Hindus, Sikhs and Jains around the world to celebrate the triumph of good over evil. During Diwali, it is traditional to visit the houses of loved ones to share blessings and pay respects to elders. Because the day is interspersed with frequent movement, the meals eaten during the day are usually lighter, snack-style offerings. This can include favorites such as aloo tikki (spiced potato patties served with various chutneys), samosas and kheer (a rich, cardamom-infused rice pudding). Boxes of mithai candies are commonly exchanged between families and friends as a greeting. Diwali highlights the importance of proximity to loved ones and respecting the wisdom of the older generations.

For many Jewish people, the eight-day celebration of Hanukkah is a bright time filled with joy, family, and most importantly, food. Many of the recipes served at Hanukkah celebrations are directly connected to important stories of the Jewish faith, so food holds an important role in the religious observance in the holiday.

Each dish has a specific meaning that manifests throughout the preparation and presentation of the meal. The affinity for fried foods during Hanukkah is not a mere coincidence; dishes cooked in oil such as potato latkes directly reference the miracle of the oil that kept a menorah lit for eight days. Many Jewish people also incorporate cheese into their Hanukkah meals in honor of the scriptural figure, Judith, who tricked the warrior Holofernes into becoming intoxicated on wine and cheese so she could decapitate him and liberate her village. In honor of Judith’s bravery, people now consume a variety of dairy products, from cheese cubes to cheesecakes.

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Christmas

Kwanzaa

As one of the most widely-recognized holidays around the world, Christmas traditions vary as greatly as the people who celebrate them.

Americans have eggnog or mulled wine as their festive drink of choice. In Mexico, you would most likely be served ponche navideño, a warm, spiced fruit punch, during Las Posadas celebrations leading up to Christmas Eve. For many people of Mexican heritage, the Christmas season means it’s time for tamales. Although they are eaten year-round, the labor-intensive process of making tamales requires the help of the whole family — creating the perfect blend of food and fellowship as culture is passed down through generations. Across the globe in Italy, it is unconventional to eat meat on Christmas Eve due to early Christian customs of abstaining from meat on the eve of a religious observance.

Instead, huge feasts of seafood dishes are customary on Italian tables. In true Italian fashion, the Christmas season is centered around the idea of conviviality and the soul-nourishing benefits of sharing good food with even better company.

Kwanzaa, a holiday originating from African harvest festivals, was created to inspire cultural unity amongst Black Americans and reclaim their heritage. The word kwanzaa is derived from the Swahili phrase “matunda ya kwanzaa,” meaning “first fruits of the harvest.” Unlike other holidays, Kwanzaa has no traditional dishes or rules as to what should be served. Because the effects of the African diaspora created such a variety of African American experiences, most Kwanzaa meals offer a blend of traditional African dishes with soul food and other cooking styles belonging to Black Americans. At a Kwanzaa celebration, it is not out of place to serve Nigerian jollof rice, jambalaya and candied yams at the same time – it all depends on the heritage and family traditions of the host. Overall, community and togetherness are the most important aspects of Kwanzaa, no matter what foods end up on the table.

All of these special wintertime holidays remind us of the importance of gathering with all of our loved ones, a sentiment which was deeply missed last year as we did our parts to keep each other safe and well. As we return to our larger gatherings this year, we are reminded of how meaningful it is to actually share the food we make with loved ones around us. When you fill your plate up this holiday season, take a moment to think about where the traditions you’re serving yourself came from!

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Best of Madison

Estacion inka

BY: BEN RAPHAEL AND DARCY TROYANOVSKY

As you walk through the Estacion Inka door, you are hit by the heavenly smell of Peruvian spices.

You get in line behind a group of other ravenous customers, each eager to place their order. As you step up to the counter, you’re greeted by hostess Bella with a friendly smile and “what is it today, the usual”? She asks how your day is going and you chat before you sit down at a set up of plain wooden chairs around wooden tables. The intoxicating smell continues to linger as you and your friends eagerly wait for your meal.

As you talk with your friends, suddenly Maria, another hostess, is flying out of the kitchen with a steaming plate in each hand. She puts down a plate of lime green cilantro rice, magenta onions, caramelized fried plantains, frijoles negro and last but not least, the golden brown chicken.

The chicken is cooked with such expertise that it pulls off the bone with ease. You somehow manage to fit everything onto your fork and take your first bite. As the chicken melts on your tongue, your mouth is filled with a perfect combination of sweet and salty, each flavor and texture complementing one another.

Estacion Inka is a staple in the heart of Madison.

Located at 616 University Avenue, this classic Peruvian restaurant brings mouth-watering dishes to the people of Madison. Estacion was created by the Rodriguez family in hopes of celebrating the Peruvian culture, and creating home-cooked meals that can be eaten for any occasion. Words cannot begin to describe the outstanding atmosphere, service, and menu options that this establishment brings.

From the wide selection of dishes, to the chicken full of immense flavors topped with crispy skin, to the endless amount of side options, it takes skill to go wrong here. It is impossible to walk out the door without a smile and a food coma that makes you want to curl up next to a crackling fire and fall asleep.

“Estacion Inka is a staple in the heart of Madison.”

Estacion has a special place in everyone’s heart who have had the luck to stumble upon it. Although it suffered a setback due to the pandemic, today it is back and flourishing, welcoming in any customer who wishes to try the indescribably amazing food.

Right outside is a sign that says “Worth The Detour.” Whoever wrote this sign hit the mark.

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