POP by Crème de Cornell

spring 2021 / vol xvii

POP

EDITION

SAY HELLO THE STAFF Editor in Chief ABBY REING Treasurer & VP ALEXANDRA CASTROVERDE Assistant Treasurer ASHLEY ZHANG Advisor HEATHER KOLAKOWSKI Managing Editors PRIYA PRADHAN, JACLYN LIU Editors GARRETT EMMONS, ALEXANDRA LI, SUE KIM, HANNAH SCHOONOVER, NATASHA AYSSEH, GRACE WILKEY Contributing Writers MACKENZIE CHILDS, MARIANA MERILES, CONSUELO LE, MIKA ULMET, ANIKA KUMAR, GRACE KIM, HANNAH ROSENBERG, MARIA DIGIOVANNI, TRIN KITISOONTORNPONG, ERIC GUO, ABBY REING, MADI YEH, JOHANNA KIEGLER, DENIZ TEKANT, JUSTIN SAMOVER, BRIANNA NAYLOR, JONAH GERSHON

Layout Directors CHASE LIN, MUFFIN LAOSIRICHON Layout Staff KWAN ASADATHORN, HELEN STURMAN, ASHLEY JIAN, ABIGAIL CASTRO, JENNIFER HUANG, YU DA, THUAN LA Photography Directors HAILEY SCHWARTZ, EMILY LAM Photographers MELISSA SHAO, TIFFANY CHAN, MARIA DIGIOVANNI, HANNAH ROSENBERG, GRACE WILKEY, ANABEL MALDONADO, LORENZO SCOTTO DI VETTIMO Culinary Director TRIN KITISOONTORNPONG Webmaster JANICE JUNG Social Media Chair JULIE CHEN Assistant Marketing Manager MADI YEH Event Chair ROBERT BROOKS

Let’s Celebrate! The enthusiasm and excitement that comes with the end of this spring semester is especially vibrant, as nearly half of campus is vaccinated against COVID-19, and an in-person semester on the horizon. With this return to a typical college experience, students are not only looking forward to inperson classes, but also spending time with friends, partying, and perhaps Slope Day 2022. While this may seem like reckless optimism, this hope is giving us the strength to power through the pandemic. Looking forward to next semester, I am very proud to hand over my position as Editor in Chief to Alexandra Castroverde. Since my first editor’s letter in Finger Foods 2019, I have witnessed Crème grow exponentially as an organization and family. To those of you who joined my first E-board in Fall 2019, we could not have done any of this without you. We really have made the most of the past two years: churning out seven magazines, making friends over wine and cheese nights, and exploring local restaurants. I am so excited to hand Crème over to a set of fresh minds, who will bring even more life, energy, and POP to our foodie family. In this spirit of enthusiasm and revitalization, our POP edition ranges from spicy fermentations and media munchies to ice cream sandwiches and plenty of cocktails for friday nights with friends. Kick back, pop open a drink, and enjoy the magazine. Cheers - to Crème! Abby Reing | Editor in Chief

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR 4

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The Sonic Appeal of the Pop & Crackle Too Many Dips for My Chips Food in Anime I Invented Popsicles! - Sort Of... One Board at a Time Vodka Pop The Revival of Ancient Fermentation Buy U A Drank #AppleTahiniBakedOats The Existential Horror of Popcorn at the Movies Trader Joe’s: A Snack Review Lacto-Fermented Hot Sauce Sourdough Popovers Earl Grey and Raspberry Ice Cream Sandwiches Elio’s Italian Peach Cookies Media Munchies Pulp Fiction’s Five-Dollar Strawberry Milkshake 5

The Sonic Appeal of the

& BY ANIKA KUMAR Flavor yields a multisensory experience. It’s no secret that taste, smell, appearance, and texture are key contributors to any meal’s appeal. However, according to Charles Spence, a professor of experimental psychology at the University of Oxford, sound is a lesser known but equally important factor when it comes to food preference and enjoyment. Whether it’s the pop of a champagne bottle or the crunch of a savory snack, our brains are programmed to taste through our ears long before a morsel reaches our mouths.

“ONCE YOU POP, YOU CAN’T STOP.” We’ve all heard the famous slogan referring to the satisfaction of popping the top off a Pringles can and the irresistible nature of the contents inside. Looking at the massive popularity of the company’s products, it seems this smart alternative to other brands’ noisy and metallic snack packets was a true success. However, the sonic attraction of pringles doesn’t just stop at the pop of a plastic lid. The true magic lies in the crunch of each individual potato crisp. In 2003, Dr. Spence conducted a study in which a group of

20 research subjects were asked to bite into 180 Pringles chips while seated in front of a microphone in a soundproof booth. The participants wore headphones that looped back sounds of their crunching. However, unknown to them, Spence periodically changed the volume of the feedback. Sure enough, those who heard their crunching at louder volumes reported tasting fresher, crispier chips, while those hearing lower volumes believed their chips to be stale and unsatisfying. Similarly, in another one of Spence’s studies, participants gave carbonated drinks higher ratings when the sound of their bubbles was louder, higher-pitched, and more frequent. It soon became clear that the association of sound and food could dictate the enjoyment of flavor and quality.

WHY DOES THE SOUND OF FOOD CREATE SUCH STRONG ILLUSIONS OF TASTE? As we’ve seen in Spence’s studies, in the same way a certain song might remind us of a nostalgic memory, the food sounds we hear evoke a certain perception and expectation of flavor. Each time we chew, the auditory areas in our brains collect and relay information regarding the freshness and texture of our food. We’ve even been conditioned to anticipate taste and start salivating as soon as we hear a meal being prepared. The sizzling of oil in a pan, the popping of popcorn in a microwave, or even just hearing words like crunchy and crispy is enough to prime us for the experience. Spence’s theory regarding our attraction to loud food sounds relates to the survival instincts of our evolutionary ancestors. Many noisy foods, such as apples and celery, are quite nutritious. Their sounds often signal a high vitamin content. In the absence of modern-day nutrition labels and advanced

health research, the innate attraction to the crunch helped our ancestors maintain a diet necessary for proper body functioning. Noisy foods also tend to contain higher amounts of fat, another essential substance for living beings. Although potato chips may not be an ideal source for the nutrient, the brain’s sensor for fat through sound can explain our attraction to the crispy snack.

EXPERIMENTING WITH THE FORGOTTEN FLAVOR SENSE Modernist chefs are beginning to experiment with gastronomic illusions using everything from popping candy to digital sound. For example, Chef Saurabh Udinia from Farzi Café combines six to ten auditory elements into each dish. Whether it’s the addition of bursting chaas spheres, crunchy onions, or crispy popcorn, each new medley of textures and sounds breaks the monotony and enhances any meal. Similarly, French chef Michel Richard garnishes his popular risotto with Rice Krispies, stating that the pop of the crunchy treats adds a new layer of excitement. In yet another experiment at London restaurant House of Wolf, a fascinating dessert called the “sonic cake pop” was served with a phone number through which callers could select sounds to listen to alongside their meal. Pressing the number 1 would emit a high-frequency “sweet” sound, while the number 2 emitted a low-frequency tune associated with a “bitter” flavor. Customers were enthralled by the ability to both taste and hear their cake, and the experiment was marked as a success. Sensory awareness can spice up any dish, and information regarding the interaction between sound and taste is constantly being utilized to manipulate our experiences with food. We don’t alway realize just how much our senses influence the way we process information from mouth to brain. The next time you add seeds to your salad or sprinkles to your ice cream, think about the factors that influence your own perception of flavor. As Professor Zata Vickers, a researcher at University of Minnesota also studying the interaction between food and sound, puts it: “Like flavors and textures, sometimes sounds can be desirable, sometimes undesirable. Always, they add complexity and interest to our eating experience and, therefore, make an important contribution to food quality.”

PHOTO: Maria DiGiovanni

iss aS ha o

el M : TO O H

by Madi Yeh It’s 12:35am, you look outside and can’t seem to remember when the sky suddenly shifted from a beautiful pink sunset to pitch black. The blue tinged screen illuminates your face as Netflix relentlessly begs you to go to sleep for the second time that night, asking, “are you still watching?”

Your stomach grumbles, instinctively, you gravitate towards the pantry, grab your favorite chips, and head to the fridge, where you are faced with the age old dilemma - having too many chips for your dip. Too many dips for your chips has never been a dilemma that anybody’s faced… until now! This article is a complete guide to the perfect chip dip combo to match your most recent Netflix binge, and might even inspire your next TV show obsession.

the age old dilemma having too many chips for your dip.

For the Casual Sitcom Fan

For the Internet Sleuth and DocumentaryJunkie

Madi’s Recommendation: Modern Family

Madi’s Recommendation: Unsolved Mysteries

Just like Keeping up with the Kardashians, and other reality TV shows, this seven layer dip is a true guilty pleasure. Providing no substantial benefit to your wellness, or health, both the show, and this dip WILL keep you on your toes. From its colorful appearance, to its intense savory flavor, the fusion of freshness and spice in these seven layers are sure to bring the drama to your dip.

Like Modern Family, and other sitcoms, this French onion dip, is absolutely addicting and guaranteed to bring a smile to your face. The creamy and beautiful velvet consistency mixed with the perfectly smokey, caramelized flavor of French onion dip are absolutely to die for. From heartfelt scenes and sweet caramelized flavors t o rolling-on-thefloor humor and smoky savory bites, Modern Family and French onion dip both have everything you need in a TV show and dip.

The savory, fiery flavor of buffalo chicken dip is sure to give your mouth a scare as you unravel murder mysteries, and true crime while watching Unsolved Mysteries. Its smooth, creamy consistency and cheesy goodness offer the perfect amount of comfort amidst its subtle spicy and savory kick. This dip is everything you need to accompany your night of thrill and suspense.

Ingredients: 1 ¼ cups salsa 16 oz. refried beans (1 can) 2 tbsp. milk 8 oz. cream cheese 1 ½ cups sour cream 2 tbsp. taco seasoning 1 cup guacamole 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese, grated ½ cups black olives 4 green onions, sliced

Ingredients: 3 tbsp. butter 2 ½ cups diced yellow onions (2-3 medium onions) ¾ tsp. salt ½ tsp. black pepper ½ tsp. onion powder ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper 4 oz. cream cheese (cubed and softened) ¼ cups whole egg mayonnaise ½ cups sour cream 2 chives, chopped (optional)

Ingredients: 1 tbsp. unsalted butter 2 tsp. minced garlic 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded 5 tbsp. hot sauce (or to taste) 8 oz. cream cheese, softened ½ cups sour cream ½ cups white cheddar, shredded ½ cups American cheese, shredded ¼ cup blue cheese crumbles (optional) 2 green onions, sliced (optional)

Recipe: Place salsa in a sieve to drain liquid. In a separate bowl, combine refried beans and milk, mixing until smooth. In another medium sized bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream and taco seasoning with a mixer on medium. Spread the refried beans at the bottom of a medium sized pan (9x13 is my recommendation) Next, layer on the cream cheese and sour cream mixture. Spoon the guacamole into the pan, then repeat with the salsa. Top the dip with cheese, olives, and finally, green onions. Chill 1 hour before serving.

Recipe: In a frying pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add onions, salt, pepper, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often until the onions are a caramelized brown. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. The onions should be sweet and golden. Remove from the stove and allow caramelized onions to cool. Add cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise into a bowl and mix until smooth. Add caramelized onions into cream mixture and mix until combined. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set, serve at room temperature. Add chives at room temperature for garnish.

Recipe: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius,) and prearrange the oven rack to the middle position. In a cast-iron skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute until fragrant (30 seconds.) Add chicken and hot sauce to the pan and let simmer. Reduce the heat to low and add cream cheese. Mix until combined. Remove the skillet from the heat, and stir in the sour cream. Top the mixture with both white cheddar, and American cheddar. Bake the dip and cast iron pan in the oven for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted. While hot, garnish with blue cheese and green onions, and serve immediately.

Pairs Well With: Original Ruffles, Original Lays

Pairs Well With: Original potato chips, baguette slices, tortilla chips, celery sticks, carrot sticks

For the Reality TV Lover

SEVEN LAYER DIP

Madi’s Recommendation: Keeping up with the Kardashians

Notes: Feel free to replace ingredients to taste - fresh diced tomatoes are a great substitution to olives! Pairs Well With: Tortilla chips, lightly salted popcorn chips, lightly salted crackers

FRENCH ONION DIP

BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP

FOOD IN ANIME It’s a cold night as I sit down at my table. The hustle-bustle of diners chatting and the clinking of silverware against plates fills my ears. In the kitchen, a chef is working the wok, stir-frying a sizzling dish that I will probably get to see a server whisk out to us soon. But I’ve sat down here tonight only for the one dish in front of me: a massive bowl of Chinese fried rice. The rice, glistening from the sesame oil, soy sauce, and oyster sauce, is shaped in a nearperfect scoop. I spot peas, kernels of corn, carrots, egg, and many small, succulent shrimp all nestled within the steaming rice. I close my eyes and waft that beautiful aroma toward me as if — *clack* my fingers tap the screen of my laptop. I can only sit back in my chair now as my mouth waters at the sight of the animated masterpiece presented in Season 1, Episode 1 of Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma.

Never would I have thought my eyes would crave this hard for 2-D food. Food depicted in anime has always been a point of interest for me. Even as someone who has watched anime for scarcely six months, I find that the greatest pleasure is in watching food scenes. Sure, fight scenes can be incredible in action while sad, dramatic scenes can be a real tear-jerker. However, when it boils down to aesthetics and to the fact that I love the culinary arts, food scenes in anime become more than

ILLU rs Wa STRATI ONS: Food

By Eric Guo Watching such beautifully drawn animations in Food Wars made me feel as if I was indulging in those foods themselves, as if I was partaking in a luxury tour of fine dining and world cultures every single episode. Dare I say, do food-specific animes actually have… too much food? I’m just a rookie when it comes to judging food animes, but Food Wars teeters on the border between magical and farcical, especially in the later seasons.

just a sequence in the narrative; they are the center-stage eye candy, especially in food-specific animes like Food Wars. In this show, we get to see young budding chefs of a top culinary academy, quite literally, duke it out on the kitchen battlefield in the most intense and skillful of ways. With impossibly quick and perfect preparations and plating, they create increasingly elaborate dishes with names like “Roast Beef of Temptation” and “Le Plat Véritable ~Delinquent Daughter Style~”. Ranging from cheap street food eats to exquisite and refined fine dining delicacies, Food Wars! will satiate your food cravings with ease. There are flaky Taiwanese black pepper buns with explosively juicy pork insides, jiggly tamago sitting atop al dente jasmine rice and soaking in a glistening gravy packed with umami… heck, this show could even make vegetables look mouthwatering to a young child who always rejects their greens and beans at dinnertime.

Food Wars bombarded me with meal after meal, eat after eat of delicious and beautiful dishes that I never even knew existed or could be made.

For example, one of the most iconic dishes of the anime that the protagonist Yukihira Soma makes occurs in season one: the “Transforming Furikake Gohan.” It seems to just be a rice dish with eggs, furikake (a Japanese rice seasoning), and a garnish of chopped scallions, but the secret is that the furikake is actually a sprinkle of chilled gelatin cubes of chicken broth, called aspic, on top. As the anime explains, the rich umami of the aspic enhances the subtle sweetness of the fluffy eggs once the aspic melts and coats the steaming egg and rice, creating a dish that is both gentle and bursting with flavor. This dish does well to introduce the brilliant innovativeness of Soma, and it makes logical sense. YouTubers such as Feast of Fiction and CHEFPK have even managed to replicate the dish itself to great success, so it’s quite magical as to how a high schooler like Soma could make such a dish. On the other hand, there are the bizarre elements in Food Wars that make me question what I’m even watching. Soma’s rival, Nakiri Erina, possesses a superhuman ability called “God’s Tongue,” which accentuates her sense of taste to levels beyond comprehension (e.g. As a child, she was able to differentiate and identify the origins of eight types of salt that were from local cities in Japan alone.) In fact, superhuman abilities are characteristic of many figures in this show. There’s a student who possesses an acute sense of smell

similar to that of God’s Tongue, and there’s another student who can photographically mimic and predict the movements and thinking of his opponents through stalking and reconnaissance. Combined with the exceptional culinary skills displayed all around, these powers put the food that the chefs make in a completely different world that cannot actually be replicated in our reality.

Surely, our 3-D world could match the artistry and extravagance of the food seen in this 2-D world, right? The Food Wars universe depends on exaggerations in logic and in human capabilities to keep the show going. For example, an upperclassman in the show manages to make a castle made of intricately designed Japanese roll cakes that is many times taller than the chef herself in only an hour. This makes for great entertainment, but by the end of the show, I personally felt desensitized to all of the surreal cooking performances and final dishes presented. At times, it was even overwhelming, as if I was overindulging on a fantasy. With that said, I feel the most meaningful food scenes in anime occur in “nonfood anime.” From my own experiences watching Studio Ghibli films, food in these types of anime represent much more to the story. Director Hayao Miyazaki presents food in his films in a way that is simple but also realistic. Spirited Away was the first of his films that I watched, and I distinctly remember the scene in the beginning where Chichiro’s parents begin to feast on the unattended food at the spirit world restaurant. When I was watching it, the huge plates of roasted Cornish hen, sausages, pork belly, and soup dumplings immediately took my attention. Even as Chichiro begins to walk away and explores the rest of the spirit world, I was still salivating thinking about all that food just waiting to be eaten. So it was a surprise to me when the scene transitioned back to the restaurant, and

all I saw were two grotesque pigs in human clothes digging away at what was left of all the food on the restaurant counter. Seeing that same restaurant with neatly plated dishes now disheveled with the remains of food and bone all over the place just made me feel disgusted. And it makes sense. Miyazaki drew my attention to the food as easily as it did to Chichiro’s parents, and he foreshadowed the impending danger that the ravenous parents were in when they wouldn’t stop eating even as the spirit world awakened. By the end of the movie, I realized that this scene helped set an important message that the film was trying to make: greed is destructive. (You’ll just have to watch the rest of the film to understand why.) Not all food scenes in the anime films that I’ve watched hold as deep of a rhetorical meaning as the one in Spirited Away. I remember the bento box that Satsuki makes for her family in My Neighbor Totoro not only because it was cute and simple, but also because I’ve always wondered what that pink substance was on top of the rice. The food in Grave of the Fireflies is nothing fancy, but throughout the film, I became much more cognizant of what life was like in post-WWII Japan because

of how difficult it was for Seita and Setsuko to find food and survive on their own.

Food in this film became a powerful symbol to me, one that represents both the joys and tragedies of life. Finally, in Ponyo, the most memorable scene for me is when Ponyo and Sosuke eat ramen during their “sleepover.” When I watched Ponyo for the first time, I watched it with a really close friend who shared the same love for food and snacks that I did. Watching Ponyo and Sosuke bubble with excitement for their homemade ramen always reminds me of the times I spent with my friend staying up late snacking and talwing into the night. With Japanese anime becoming more and more popular and integrated into American pop culture, I think it was best that I show my love and appreciation for this genre through a food-specific lens. Even with all the food-related animes I have watched so far, I know I have barely scratched the surface into the world of food animes.

PHO TO: Tiff any

Ch an

i invented

sicles! -sort of...

by Deniz Tekant With spring just around the corner, I start remembering the frozen treats that make me feel like a kid again. Growing up in Istanbul, I had been exposed to all types of food from all around the globe, but surprisingly, some of the very common kids treats in the US such as popsicles, Nerds, and Oreos did not make it across the Atlantic. For me, growing up, no lunch box was complete without a kids yogurt cup. It was a simple treat for most kids, but I saw something more. I saw a world of culinary opportunities and I took them. I began saving the wooden sticks from my ice cream, for my new invention. Breaking them in half, I stuck the ice cream sticks into my yogurt cup, popped them in the freezer, and waited. The result: A fruity, creamy, frozen treat. I was a genius!

Photo: Melissa Shao 12

As I grew older, I started saving the empty yogurt cups and ice cream sticks to pour whatever juice we had at home to re-freeze. Hot tip: ketchup and mayo are not the greatest flavors for popsicles… But as I kept trying different mixes, I was also getting really successful batches, and wanted to share them with my friends. For a school picnic, I made 20 colorful popsicles from different juices and my classmates loved them! Thinking I was the new Gordon Ramsay, I was disappointed when, as a college student, I found hundreds of popsicle options at my local Wegmans. Nevertheless, I still want to believe that my creation was the first of its kind. Today, I present to you my four all-time favorite popsicle recipes.

CREAMY WHITE CHOCOLATE AND POP ROCK COVERED CHERRY YOGURT

FRUITY CLEAR POPSICLE (APPLE JUICE) WITH VISIBLE FRUIT INSIDE

Ingredients: 1 cup plain Greek yogurt 1 cup sweet cherries, fresh or frozen 1 tbsp honey ½ tsp vanilla extract ½ cup melting chocolate wafers, white milk or dark whichever you prefer! 1 pack pop rocks

Ingredients: ½ cup strawberries, thinly sliced ½ cup raspberries ½ cup blueberries ¼ cup pomegranate 1 peach, thinly sliced 1 kiwi, peeled and thinly sliced Apple juice, as needed depending on the size of your molds

Instructions: 1. In a bowl, combine yogurt, honey, and vanilla extract. 2. In a food processor or with a hand blender, purée the cherries until smooth. 3. Add a spoonful of yogurt in the molds followed by a spoonful of the cherry purée. Continue these steps, alternating with the yogurt and cherry purée until all molds are full with 2 inches of space at the top. For an ombré look, swirl the mix with a thin tool (could be a fork or a chopstick!) 4. Freeze overnight or until the popsicles harden. 5. Melt the chocolate wafers of your choice in a bowl. This can be done in a microwave or in a water bath. 6. Once melted, remove the popsicles from the molds, dip or drizzle the melted chocolate on top, depending on preference. 7. Sprinkle the pop rocks on top before the chocolate freezes. Tip: you can use any fruit you want here, if you hate cherries substitute with raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, peaches etc

VEGGIE SPINACH & KIWI & BANANA Ingredients: 1 cup spinach 1 ½ banana, thinly sliced 2 kiwis, peeled and thinly sliced 1 cup milk (All types of milk will work!) ½ cup fresh parsley 3-4 tbsp honey, to taste 1 tbsp ginger, grated Instructions: 1. Place 1 kiwi and half a banana into the molds. 2. Blend together the spinach, milk, honey, ginger, and parsley. Add the remaining banana and kiwi slices to the mixture and blend until smooth. For a sweeter taste, add more honey. 4. Pour the mix into the molds. Freeze overnight or until the popsicles harden.

Tip: You can add any fruit you like! Instructions: 1. Start by adding the bigger slices into the molds and use the smaller berries to fill in the empty spaces. Add as many or as few berries desired, pressing them against the sides of the molds. 2. Once done adding the fruits, fill the molds with apple juice, leaving 2-3 inches of space at the top for expansion. 3. Freeze overnight or until the popsicles harden.

BOOZY FROSÉ (FROZEN ROSÉ) OR MIAMI VICE (MY FAV COCKTAIL) Ingredients: 1 ½ cup strawberries, 1 cup quartered ½ cup chopped for decoration 1 cup pears, peeled and chopped in cubes 1 ½ cup rosé 4 tbsp. simple syrup Instructions: 1. Combine everything but the ½ cup strawberries in a blender. 2. Place the rest of the strawberries into the molds. 3. Divide the mixture in the molds equally, leaving 2-3 inches of space at the top for expansion. 4. Freeze overnight or until it hardens.

General Notes: 1. We recommend buying molds for these recipes but just as young me, you can get old containers and ice cream sticks and call it a day. 2. If your popsicles are stuck to the molds, run them under warm water for a few seconds to loosen them up. 3. Try popping your popsicle directly into a boozy cup. The melted popsicle pairs perfectly with 2 shots of vodka/ Bacardi/Malibu!

One Board at a Time by Grace Kim PH

a Gr O: OT ce

During my time scrolling through Tik Tok, bored and hungry, it wasn’t unusual to come across Tik Toks that showed dressed up girls outside on a picnic. These aesthetic picnics always featured a beautiful view that could be seen straight out of a Pinterest board. But arguably the highlight of them all was the charcuterie board, simply known as “cheese boards” or “adult Lunchables,” filled with all types of cheese, colorful fruit, and even sometimes sweet treats. The word “charcuterie” originates from the French words “chair” and “cuit,” meaning ‘flesh’ and ‘cooked’ respectively. A word once used to describe shops that sold pork products in the 15th century, charcuterie boards are now beautiful and delicious spreads of meats,cheeses, and fruits galore. The variations are endless, and you can add whatever your heart desires, from bread and jam to olives and nuts. The sudden surge of charcuterie boards’ popularity was brought by the rise of Tik Tok and Instagram food accounts with stunning clips and photos of charcuterie spreads that left everyone wanting more. Professional chefs and regular users alike began to post pictures and videos of

W ilke

their cheese boards onto social media platforms, thus gaining heavy interest and exposure. As a lover of cheese myself, I naturally followed suit and began to buy ingredients to create my own cheese board. I remember the first time my friend and I spread the ingredients across the table to begin our process. A swarm of thoughts filled my head: “Should I place the grapes here? Should I place the pieces of cheese in a zig zag or cluster them in the corner?” More stressed than ever, I realized that my desire to create an aesthetic or Instagram-able board was counterintuitive to my whole purpose of making a cheese board: to have fun! Once I abandoned the idea to my envisioned replica of a perfectPinterest charcuterie board, the process of creating one became much easier and my food placings became much more entertaining and enjoyable. I remember making a cheese board with my high school friend at the beach park for a picnic. Both inspired by Tik Tok, we started off by unloading, by going through our groceries from Trader Joe’s: a bag of mini brie cheese, a big baguette,

a box of cookie butter cookies, and grapes. We struggled a bit with the placement, moving our treats here and there — never quite sure where was the best position. Once complete, the charcuterie board disappeared within a matter of mere minutes. I then began a monthly tradition of creating at least one charcuterie board, each time adding a different type of ingredient. In May it was a batch of fresh cupcakes, while in June I placed a whole Oreo fresh cream cake in the middle. The amount of time I have spent making a charcuterie board has shown me that not only are they made for aesthetic pleasure and taste, but they are also a way for people to bond over their shared snacks and make every penny I have spent on ingredients worth it. When eating cheese boards, I noticed myself commenting on the different cheeses’ tastes and recommending combinations of crackers and cheese for others to try. Conversations naturally striked and friendships were made all with just one bite of cheese.

Vodka POP POP BY MACKENZIE CHILDS

PHOTO: Maria DiGiovanni

Pop. Soda. Coke. As someone who was born in the Midwest, lived in the South, and has parents from the Northeast, I use all three of these rivaling and region-specific names interchangeably. However, pop has the potential to mean more than just a fizzy drink; it’s what is cool and trendy. One (alcoholic) fizzy drink in particular has become increasingly trendy and popular. Made ubiquitous by White Claw, hard seltzer now has endless brands and flavor choices. Thankfully, they are now just as likely to make an appearance at a party as beer. Refreshing, fizzy, and subtly-flavored, hard seltzer is reminiscent of the classic vodka soda. As a classic, vodka soda is rigid, without any room for experimentation: it is one part vodka, two parts soda water, and a splash of lime. I developed the vodka pop to pay homage to hard seltzer (my party drink of choice), vodka soda (my standard order at a bar), and the pop versus soda debate. Inspired by the various hard seltzer flavor choices, I decided to play with an orange flavor instead of lime, the traditional vodka soda flavor. I did, however, maintain the light and refreshing aspects of a vodka soda. As

pop and soda both refer to a fizzy beverage, the vodka pop had to be effervescent. I accomplished the orange flavor, fizz, and refreshment through a one-to-one ratio of Jarritos Mandarin flavor soda/ pop and sparkling water. This combination was delicious, but had one-note sweetness and lacked depth of flavor. I wanted something sophisticated that could become my signature cocktail. Thus, I added a dash of orange bitters, which perfectly tied this beverage together to create a refreshing, yet complex, cocktail.

INGREDIENTS

1 part vodka 1 part club sparkling water 1 part Jarritos Mandarin Flavor Soda Dash of orange bitters Orange wedge or peel, for garnish Fill a glass with ice. Add vodka and top with club soda, Jarritos, and bitters. Stir to combine. Cheers and garnish with an

THE REVIVAL OF ANCIENT FERMENTATION By Mika Ulmet

“Whether we like it or not, our lives are completely dependent on our relationship with beneficial bacteria and yeast”

Have you ever dubiously eyed the leftover avocado sitting on your counter and wondered if it’s safe to eat—even though you know its brown flesh is a sign of oxidation, not spoilage? With conflicting messaging from the Food and Drug Administration about shelf-life, sell-by, and expiration dates, it’s hard to get a grasp of what’s safe to eat and what will land you in the hospital with a bout of botulism. The truth is, we live in a society that routes perfectly edible food products directly from the refrigerator to the trash can. No wonder the United States faces such a tremendous food waste problem! The issue of food waste is deep-rooted in this country, one reason being that there is a pervasive fear of bacteria. Historically, this makes sense. After a botulism outbreak in the mid-1900s caused the death of hundreds, the US government established food safety regulations to prevent foodborne illness outbreaks. To this day, the mentality of eradicating harmful bacteria like E. coli and Salmonella to protect our health has become ubiquitous in our industrialized food system. Food processing companies have championed the use of chemical preservatives to increase the shelf life of our food. And now we’re in the middle of a raging pandemic. As we try our best to keep ourselves and our communities safe from COVID-19, we’ve established a new cultural norm, one where we socially distance, wear masks, and apply hand sanitizer like we do sunscreen. These practices are essential if we want to curb the transmission of the coronavirus. However, there is no doubt that we are also developing into a society with an underlying phobia of germs. One reason why this fear persists might be because the general public lacks awareness and understanding of the difference between harmful and beneficial bacteria. As such, many do not recognize the ways that some bacteria can enhance our immunity and keep us healthy. Instead of arming ourselves with bleach in one hand and hand sanitizer in the other, we need to understand what role microbes play in supporting our physiological function. Rather than labeling bacteria as our enemies, we should recognize that cultivating healthy and diverse microbial communities is in fact essential for our survival. Certain strains of probiotics such as Lactobacillus play critical roles to protect our health, including aiding digestion, making nutrients more bioavailable for absorption, supporting our immune function, and enhancing the flavor of our food. Whether we like it or not, our lives are completely dependent on our relationship with beneficial bacteria and yeast. And like ours, their communities are diverse and resilient in the face of adversity.

Like many others, I fell into last year’s fermentation craze, using it as a coping mechanism to survive 2020. I had thought of adopting a furry friend from the local animal shelter, but then I was bitten by a different type of pet: the fermentation bug. Since then, I have welcomed bacteria and yeast into my life. I nurtured a SCOBY—an acronym for “symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast.” You might have heard of its ability to convert black tea into that trendy, tart, effervescent drink we all know as kombucha. I also lovingly took care of a sourdough starter, and dabbled in capturing yeasts from fruit and raw honey to make mead. Watching the inner dynamics between bacteria and yeast blossom is absolutely fascinating. Just like changing water into wine, bacteria and yeast perform miracles—converting sweet honey into alcoholic mead, plain milk into creamy yogurt, and fresh cabbage into tangy sauerkraut. It’s pure alchemy. Bubbly, frothy, yeasty magic. The secrets of fermentation remain a mystery, but I like to think we’re on the brink of an awakening, a revival toward appreciating what our ancestors have done to survive over thousands of years. Today, food microbiologists have made progressive strides in trying to understand microbial communities and their associations within certain food products. They have even sequenced the entire genome of microbial communities in foods such as bread, beer and kimchi. Known as the oldest method of food preservation, fermentation dates back to the beginning of agriculture. Ancient kingdoms across Africa, Asia, and Europe have built their empires fueled on ferments, harnessing the power of microbes to convert grapes and grains into tradable commodities. Now these foods are filtering back into the mainstream, modern-day, pop culture channels of the western world. Think craft beers, fair trade coffee, and marinated tempeh burgers. They’ve all gone through the fermentation process. But have you heard of kvass, an old eastern European drink made from stale, rye bread that is mixed with water, sugar and yeast and left to ferment for a few days? How about Nepal’s indigenous food, gundruk— tangy, sun-dried, fermented radish greens? Or Injera, a soft, spongy Ethiopian sourdough flatbread that is a perfect vessel to spoon slow-cooked, spiced lentils into your mouth? There are so many ancient fermented foods in the world, dishes upon dishes, all deliciously endless choices. I suspect ferments will make an even bigger comeback as the superfoods of the future. Be on the lookout, because just like Dalgona Coffee and Cloud Bread, fermentation is going to go viral.

“Just like changing water into wine, bacteria and yeast perform miracles”

PHOTOS: HANNAH ROSENBERG

Buy Buy U UA A Drank Drank Toxic - Britney

Abby Reing

Surfin’ USA - The Beach Boys

½ oz Green apple schnapps 1 ½ oz Vodka ¼ oz Lemon Cherry garnish

1.5 oz Rum 1/4 c Coconut milk 1 c frozen pineapple 2 oz Butterfly tea syrup

Shake liquids on ice, strain, garnish.

Blend all ingredients, garnish with pineapple slice.

Halo - Beyonce

Dancing in the Moonlight - King Harvest It’s a supernatural delight!

Champagne Small scoop of lemon sorbet Gold sugar (garnish for rim)

1 oz Butterfly pea simple syrup 1 oz lime juice 2 oz vodka 1 egg white Shake 15 seconds, then 30 seconds w ice, strain.

Have you ever had friends over and the closest thing to a cocktail you could serve was a shot of vodka? Well now it’s time to up your game. Crème has got you covered, with these impressive pop-inspired cocktails paired with a playlist of some of the most iconic songs of all time. Bottoms up!

California Gurls - Katy Perry

9 to 5 - Dolly Parton

⅓ oz Grenadine ⅓ oz Kahlua ⅓ oz Baileys Whipped cream garnish

1 shot of espresso 1.5 tsp sugar 1 oz dark rum ⅓ oz kahlua ⅓ oz baileys Cream

Pour the grenadine first. Place a spoon upside down into the glass, so the tip is just submerged in the grenadine. Pour the Kahlua. Adjust the spoon, and repeat with Baileys. Garnish with whipped cream.

Cheap Thrills - Sia

Whip espresso and sugar, then shake in with remaining ingredients, (optional) drizzle glass with chocolate.

You don’t need dollar bills to have fun tonight with this cheap drink!

This “cup of ambition” goes out to the 9 to 5 (AM) cocktail loungers!

1 part Beer (typically a lager) 1 part Lemonade PHOTOS: EMILY LAM

#AppleTahiniBakedOats By Johanna Keigler I’ve always been a fan of oatmeal, but this spring the #BakedOats TikTok trend spiced up my normal routine of stove-cooked oats. When my morning oats come out of the oven like a mini cake, goldenbrown on top and steamy on the inside, I’m starting my day off with a treat. These tahini baked oats are super easy and use ingredients you probably have stocked in your pantry already. As winter turns to spring and then summer, try swapping out apples for berries or other seasonal fruits! PHOTO: Johanna Keigler

Ingredients:

Instructions:

Baked Oats: ½ cup + 2 Tbsp oats ⅓ cup applesauce ¼ cup plant milk 1 Tbsp sunflower butter 2 Tbsp tahini 1 Tsp honey 1 Tsp baking powder ½ tsp cinnamon ½ tsp vanilla extract ¼ tsp nutmeg Pinch of salt ½ medium apple, diced + 3 slices to top 2 Tbsp golden raisins 1-2 Tbsp walnuts, lightly chopped

1. Blend all the ingredients besides the baking powder, apple, raisins, walnuts, and 1 Tbsp oats until smooth.

Tahini-honey drizzle: 1 Tbsp Tahini 2 tsp honey 1 tsp water

2. Add the baking powder and pulse until just incorporated. 3. Pour batter into a ramekin or mini loaf pan and stir in the oats, apple chunks, raisins and walnuts. 4. Top with apple slices and bake at 375℉ (190)℃ for 20-22 minutes or until the oats are lightly golden and puffed-up on top. To kick your oats up a notch, whisk together tahini, honey, and water with a fork and drizzle over your baked oats!

By Mariana Meriles

The Existential Horror of Popcorn at the Movies

Oily hands and the smell of butter — nothing’s more quintessential to the movie going experience than a drenched bag of popcorn. And that includes the movies themselves. There’s just something about the red and white stripes, the salty crunch, the sharing with friends that makes getting popcorn at the movies so indulging, so necessary.

And yet, it’s the absolute worst. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve eaten my more-than-fair share of popcorn at the theaters, and something tends to feel off when I don’t. There’s a sort of indulgence to it, an excuse to pack in a ridiculous amount of calories and enjoy every second of it. But that doesn’t mean it’s all fun and butter — eating popcorn at the movies may make the movie going experience better, but it somehow simultaneously makes it worse. Consider the sound effects: assuming my friends and I haven’t already inhaled the bucket during the commercials, popcorn is practically intrusive — the sounds of everyone munching on the kernels, the shuffling of passing around the bucket, the whispershouts from across the aisle to “stop hogging the bucket, Mariana!” — it’s undeniably distracting. But hey, what would a movie be without a soundtrack? Still, popcorn seems to be an unavoidable mess. There’s a sense of horror-film-like doom right before the lights turn on at the end of the movie to reveal the utter mess my friends and I have left behind. Panning over the unpopped kernels, the uneaten pieces, and the drizzle of oil that stretches across the aisle, I feel like I owe theater janitors more apologies than I’m capable of making.

Yet the mess, in a way, is almost comforting — after all, the kernels that remain in my teeth and nails for the next week and a half always serve as a comforting reminder of the experience. Zooming in on the logistics of the thing, though, it’s hard for me to justify the large bucket of oil my friends and I never fail to splurge on. Movie tickets aren’t exactly cheap, and doubling that price doesn’t exactly leave my wallet feeling particularly happy with me — even if my stomach would have to disagree. So maybe it’s technically best to avoid the popcorn. It’s impractical, it’s distracting, and if my cholesterol had a say in the matter, I probably wouldn’t give into the temptation. But going to the movies doesn’t have to be practical — in all honesty, it rarely is. The theater is a chance to relax, to enjoy time with friends, and to indulge in yourself (and your taste buds). There’s no way around it: popcorn at the movies is essential to the experience. So the next time I’m able to visit the movie theaters, I know I won’t be thinking about the existential horrors popcorn induces. Honestly, I’ll probably be too busy pumping butter.

TRADER TRADER JOE’S: JOE’S: A A SNACK SNACK REVIEW REVIEW By Hannah Rosenberg

Everything but the Bagel seasoning. Scandinavian Swimmers. The world’s best crunchy almond butter. Trader Joe’s, a national supermarket chain known for its friendly employees, colorful labels, and unique snacks and frozen foods, has birthed some of the Internet’s most popular food products and trends. Not many supermarkets have fans willing to travel tens of miles to purchase everything from “Trader O’s,” a cereal reminiscent of Cheerios, to weekly grocery staples. The store’s national popularity has turned local, as its new location in Ithaca has invited college students to try out its sought-after products. After sifting through social media posts and pop-culture focused Trader Joe’s articles, and scanning the shelves of Trader Joe’s, I landed on a handful of popular products that I will review for their price, flavor, snack purposes, and whether they hold up to their reputation. A note of discretion: because I live in a dorm on West Campus, confined to the unlimited meal plan, I purchased primarily snack foods and items that I thought I would enjoy (read: lots of chocolate). At Trader Joe’s, I lingered around the frozen dessert aisle, home to mountains of chocolate-covered products that hover on a shelf above the ice creams and frozen pies. Time escaped me as I read label after “chocolate-covered” label, and I left the Californiaoriginated grocery store with two bags of products that a kid would probably receive on Halloween. So, in honor of the growing tower of chocolate products that now lie in a bucket (just like Halloween) in my dorm, let the reviewing begin!

4/10 4/10

1. TJ’s Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups $4.29 for 16 oz

7/10 7/10

I haven’t had a peanut butter cup in years, so I was excited to try these. Numerous articles and Twitter users have raved about these candies, and a Today story declared these one of the “absolute best candies at Trader Joe’s.” They come in a rectangular clear container, and each confection has a ridged wrapper similar to Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. While I have not measured them, the peanut butter cups seem slightly bigger than the mini Halloween Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. As I began peeling back the wrapper from the chocolate, I was transported back to breezy Halloween nights as a kid when I would unravel the gold foil of the tiny, orange-labeled peanut butter cups while trick-or-treating. Unlike the popular brand, the candy did not have a strong or sweet aroma; rather, they had a faint dark chocolate smell. The coating snapped as I bit into the confection, a welcoming texture. In the center, the thin, sweetened peanut butter layer had a similar taste to that of Reese’s, but without all of the mystery ingredients. Although I bought the dark chocolate cups, chocolate coating was still cloying, especially paired with the sugary nut filling. The chocolate layer also felt too thick in comparison to the sparse peanut butter center. Overall, I enjoyed the nostalgia-inducing effects of this product, and if you are a fan of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, I would recommend giving these a shot. However, if you are like me and prefer less-sweet desserts, I would skip. SNACK PURPOSE: These are perfect for an after-meal dessert, anytime snack, 12:00 am study motivator, or even for breakfast. Don’t let anyone tell you when you can eat chocolate.

2. Brownie Crisp $2.99 for a five ounce bag This was my first time trying a baked good “crisp.” The craggly, rectangular, chocolate chunk pieces look like someone took the sharp edges of brownies, toasted them, and flattened them, or perhaps, a thin layer of over-baked brownies that turned crispy. While they taste like chocolate, to call them brownies is a stretch. They are tooth-breaking hard, and lack a rich cocoa flavor. SNACK PURPOSE: If you are craving a brownie but something more on-the-go.

3. Truffle Brownie Mix, made into cookies $2.99 to make an 8x8 pan of brownies Here’s the thing. I am the wrong candidate to review a brownie mix. Since a fateful day in fourth grade when I purchased the February 2011 chocolate edition of Food Network Magazine, I have made the same “Fudgy Brownie” recipe that the magazine features in its signature “50” recipe pamphlet every time I have needed or wanted to make brownies. I love baking, mixing, combining, and creating a product from scratch to share with others. And I am not knocking boxed mixes––they are convenient, many really do just have the dry ingredients in them, and not everyone enjoys baking. But I did not grow up using them, and I am a strong advocate for Team Homemade. But, while scanning Trader Joe’s baking aisle, a box that said “Truffle Brownies” screamed my name and promptly jumped into my cart. The back of the box had a recipe for chewy chocolate chip cookies––rich, fudgy cookies, loaded with chocolate chips—that were made with the mix’s contents, melted butter, and two eggs. I made these, as I had a memory lapse and forgot that I had an eight by eight baking dish. The cookies surpassed my expectations, and I bet the brownies would as well.

9/10 9/10

SNACK PURPOSE: Whenever you crave a brownie (for me, that is most hours of the day).

6/10 6/10

4. Trader Joe’s Organic Completely Cacao Chocolate Chips $2.99, 14 ounces

I like dark chocolate. Bars and chips with fruity, acidic notes, with a touch of sugar. At home, I often compete with my dad to see who can tolerate the highest percentage of chocolate, the proportion of the bar’s weight that comes from cocoa mass––cocoa liquor and cocoa butter––as compared to other ingredients, like sugar, flavors, and emulsifiers. I enjoy 80% and 85% bars, so I thought I would challenge myself to 100%, only-cocoa mass chips. These tiny, falt, discs do have a deep chocolate flavor, but their bitterness overpowers the cocoa. SNACK PURPOSE: I would melt these and mix them with sugar in recipes that call for melted chocolate. They also add a chocolate flavor melted on oatmeal, mixed with yogurt and ice cream, or eaten with nuts.

PHOTOS: HANNAH ROSENBERG

5. Chile Spiced Mango $2.49 for an eight oz. bag

3/10 3/10

I have seen these in many Trader Joe’s hauls on Instagram (I have a weird Explore page), and people have touted them as the ideal sweet-spicy snack. Maybe my hopes of having a tropical-inspired snack in the depths of winter in Ithaca were too high. The positive: the dried mango is juicy and sweet. The negatives: The dried mango did not taste like mango, or really anything, except sugar, and the chile coating tasted like heaps of cayenne pepper was sprinkled on a mushy, sweetened, surface. But if you are looking for a kick of dried pepper flakes to wake you up, this is the snack for you. SNACK PURPOSE: That late afternoon slump.

10/10 10/10

6. Everything but the Bagel Nut Duo (Almonds and Cashews) $2.49 for an eight oz. bag

6/10 6/10

Garlicky, vinegary, a hint of black pepper. Trader Joe’s acclaimed “Everything but the Bagel Seasoning” marries roasted mixed nuts, providing shoppers with a new way to consume the spice blend beyond avocado toast. While I am a victim of sprinkling the seasoning atop mashed avocados, I did not think the nuts’ coating tasted like the spice blend. The nuts had an overwhelming garlic flavor. If I had bought the non-existent “Everything but the Garlic Clove” nuts, I would have enjoyed them. But if you are expecting the snack to taste like the adored spice blend, you will be left searching for an everything bagel. SNACK PURPOSE: Eat out of the bag, mix with some popcorn, or have them as a pre-dinner appetizer like you are vacationing in Italy and popping only the finest Marcona almonds in your mouth. You deserve it.

7. Peanut Butter Pretzels, Salted $2.49 for a one pound bag A delicate, crunchy exterior, sprinkled with coarse salt. Lightly sweetened peanut butter filling. Together, these components form the perfect salty-sweet, nutty snack for any peanutbutter pretzel lover. Trader Joe’s, these are perfect. Sometimes when the hour mark strikes during a 75-minute Zoom class, I turn off my camera, shuffle over to my snack bin, grab a few of these peanut butter carb-y nuggets, and retreat to my desk, the motivation to push through virtual school fatigue. SNACK PURPOSE: Eat them as they are for a snack, crush on top of ice cream, or mix them with chocolate chips for the ultimate snack combo.

While I was not able to sample all of the thousands of Trader Joe’s products that fill social media posts and pop-culture articles, the seven items I did review are a sample of nationally, and personally, beloved foods. The product that reigned the ultimate worth and taste for its price was the Peanut Butter Pretzels, Salted- sweet, savory, and ideal for any snacking moment. For its price, the Truffle Brownie Mix was a great find and a quick-to-make dessert for any college

student. Everyone has different snack preferences, and some may lean away from the chocolate realm, although I recommend at least browsing the chocolate snack selection for an escape from the stresses of life. I hope you get a chance to try out some Trader Joe’s products and decide which items deserve their national, and your personal, recognition.

Lacto-Fermented Hot Sauce

Thai-Inspired Green Hot Sauce

By Justin Samover Ingredients

½ lb. Fresno chilis 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced Kosher salt 2 tsp. white vinegar 1 tbsp. + 1 tsp. sugar 2 tbsp. vegetable or canola oil Makes 1 cup.

Roasting the chilis:

Preheat oven to 500°F (260°C). Set half the chilis on a foil-lined baking sheet and roast on an upper rack, turning occasionally until deeply charred on all sides. Set aside to cool.

Fermentation:

Removing and discarding the stems, slice both the roasted and raw peppers into 1/8-inch rings. Place an empty 1-quart jar on a kitchen scale and tare. Add sliced peppers and garlic, then cover with enough water to completely submerge. Take note of the combined weight of the peppers, garlic, and water in grams. Place a sheet of plastic wrap on the surface of the liquid to keep everything submerged. Close the jar, and let sit for 5-7 days at room temperature, away from direct sunlight. The fermentation is complete when the brine has become slightly cloudy in appearance, there are small bubbles around the edges of the pepper slices, and the mixture has a slightly funky, yeasty scent.

Ingredients

½ lb. green Serrano peppers 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced 1 1-inch piece ginger, thinly sliced 1 3-inch stalk lemongrass 1 3-inch strip lime zest Kosher salt 2 tsp. white vinegar 1 tsp. brown sugar 1 tsp. soy sauce 2 tbsp. cilantro leaves, tightly packed 2 tbsp vegetable or canola oil 1 medium shallot, peeled and roughly chopped

Assembly

Follow the recipe described above, making the following changes:

Fermentation:

Ferment the lemongrass, ginger, and lime zest with the garlic and chilis. Make sure to include them in the weight used to calculate the necessary amount of salt.

Making the Sauce:

Discard the lemongrass and lime zest before blending. Add all remaining ingredients including 5 tablespoons of brine. Omit the additional salt. Fermented Thai hot sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. Pairs well with stir fries, curries, roasted vegetables, and grilled meats.

Making the Sauce:

Once fermentation is complete, strain the solids, making sure to reserve the brine in a separate container. Add the fermented peppers and garlic to the jar of a blender along with the vinegar, sugar, 5 tablespoons of brine, and an additional 1.5 tsp of kosher salt. Blend until smooth, while slowly streaming in oil to emulsify. Fermented hot sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. Pairs well with anything that would benefit from a touch of heat and garlic, including stir fries, roasted vegetables, fried chicken, pizza, etc.

HOT! 25

PHOTO: HANNAH ROSENBERG

SOURDOUGH POPOVERS By Briana Naylor Ingredients

1 cup (227 grams) milk, room temperature 3 large eggs, room temperature ½ cup (113 grams) sourdough discard 1 cup (120 grams) all purpose flour ½ tsp salt 1 tsp sugar 4 tbsp butter, melted

Popovers are best eaten hot, so don’t make these ahead! However, the batter can be made and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before using. If you do this, let the batter warm up to room temperature before baking; your popovers will rise better. Pop them right out of the oven and straight into your mouths! 26

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Drizzle about half a tablespoon of melted butter in 8 cups of a muffin pan, spacing out the buttered cups around the muffin pan (leaving empty muffin cups will help heat to circulate more evenly and improve the rise of the popovers). Place the pan in the oven while you are making the batter.

Ice C

Whisk together milk, eggs, salt, sugar, and sourdough discard. Slowly add the flour while whisking to create a smooth batter. Alternately, add all ingredients to a blender and blend just until smooth, or use an immersion blender. Carefully remove the hot muffin pan from the oven and fill the buttered muffin cups around ¾ full. Return to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350°F (177°C) and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes. The popovers should be puffy and golden brown when they are done.

PHOTO: Emily Lam

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened ¾ cups granulated sugar 1 ½ tablespoons of crushed loose leaf earl grey (3 tea bags) ½ teaspoon salt 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour 1 quart of vanilla ice cream 1 cup of freeze dried raspberries 1. In a large bowl beat the butter and sugar until creamed together. Add the earl grey tea and salt, mix until combined. 2. Gradually add in the flour mixing until no lumps or flour pockets remain. Using a spatula or your hands, work the dough into a uniform ball and roll out into a log, about 1 ½ - 2 inches. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour or until fully chilled.

Earl Grey and Raspberry Ice Cream Sandwiches

By Jonah Gershon

Let’s call it an elevated ice cream sandwich. Vanilla ice cream sandwiched between two earl grey shortbread cookies rolled in crushed freeze dried raspberries. The herbal flavors of begarmont mixed with POPs of color and texture from the raspberries take me back to laying on the grass and looking up at the sky on a warm summer’s day. With only a few ingredients these ice cream sandwiches come together fast and if you are wondering, “Where can I get freeze dried raspberries?”, I always get mine from Trader Joes!

3. Preheat the oven to 350oF and place two baking sheets with parchment paper. Cut the log of dough into ¼ inch slices and place on the baking sheets about 1” apart from one another. Bake the cookies for 14 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway. The cookies should look set on the top and begin to brown on the bottom. 4. Let the cookies cool fully for 30-45 minutes. Take the pint of ice cream out of the freezer and let defrost for 10 minutes until slightly softened. Place the freeze dried raspberries in a small bowl and crush into small pieces (for better presentation, sift out the fine powder from the raspberry crumbs), set aside. 5. Once the cookies have cooled, take one cookie and place it face down. Scoop a generous scoop of ice cream onto the cookie and then top with another cookie. Press the sandwich together to secure the cookies and run a knife around the edge to smooth the ice cream out. 6. Roll the ice cream sandwiches in the crushed freeze dried raspberries and place in the freezer on a baking sheet until ice cream is set again about 30 minutes. All there is left to do is enjoy!

Cream Ice Cre 27

Elio’s Italian Peach Cookies By Maria DiGiovanni As Timothée Chalamet first rose in relevance in 2017, a friend urged me to watch Call Me By Your Name. Watch it, I did—and it broke me. For the ensuing two weeks, thoughts of Elio, Oliver, and their impossible love consumed my mind. I still cannot put into words just what was so moving about the story, but I have not been the same since. Much of the enchantment arises from the romance’s idyllicism: somewhere in Northern Italy, Elio and Oliver fall in love amid swims at dawn, ice creams on the piazza, poolside conversations, and dinner drudgeries. In both the film and novel, this idyllicism is often communicated through the motif of fruit. Lush fruit trees fill the sun-washed gardens of the Perlman’s villa, creating a scenery of radiant sublimity. More notably, fruit expresses Elio’s growing attraction to Oliver. As Elio observes Oliver pick apricots off a tree, the nature of his desire resembles that of the fruit—sweet, enticing, and in bloom. And, of course, there is that infamous “peach scene.” Throughout that 1983 summer, the love Elio

i ar M O: OT

aD iG iov an n

feels for Oliver ripens like the fruit trees, tempting and plentiful, that bask in the heat of the Italian sun. To honor Call Me By Your Name and the motif of fruit, I present a recipe for Italian peach cookies.

A light-hearted take on a heart-wrenching love story, this recipe features jam pressed between two cookie halves, rolled in sugar and garnished with a mint leaf. Perfect for snacking, holidays, or perhaps a Call Me By Your Name book club, you can swap the jam for cream filling or choose between fruit juices and liqueurs for decoration. While baking these cookies, I additionally recommend listening to the movie’s soundtrack—just try not to cry when “Visions of Gideon” plays. By emulating a ripe Italian peach, it is my hope that the dessert arouses the senses of not only Elio, but anyone who enjoys it.

Cookies:

3 eggs 2 cups sugar 1 cup vegetable oil 1 tsp. vanilla extract 4 tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. salt 1 cup whole milk 6 cups all-purpose flour

Decoration:

Peach liqueur, syrup, or juice, other fruit juice, or water for dipping Red and yellow food coloring Granulated sugar Mint leaves

Filling:

Apricot jam, peach jam, or pastry cream

Instructions: 1. Preheat oven to 350° F (176° C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 2. Place eggs and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat until light and frothy. 3. Add the oil and beat until creamy, then mix in the milk and vanilla extract. 4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients and beat until just combined. 5. Roll batter into 1½-inch balls and place on baking sheets. 6. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until bottoms are lightly browned. 7. Make sure the tops don’t crack! Let cool before the next step. 8. Using a sharp knife, cut out a circle on the flat side of the cookie to create a space for the filling. Do not cut completely through the cookie. 9. Break up the centers removed from the cookie and combine with the jam to form a sticky filling. 10. Scoop the filling into the cookie and press together two cookies of similar sizes, with the flat sides facing each other. 11. The filling should allow them to hold. Clean off any excess filling that oozes from the seams. 12. In two separate bowls, pour the dipping liquid of choice, and color one yellow and one red. 13. Fill another bowl with granulated sugar for rolling the cookies. 14. Dip one part of the cookies in the red liquid, then dip the other part in the yellow liquid. 15. Lightly blot the cookies and roll in the sugar. 16. Let dry on a sheet of wax paper, and garnish each cookie by placing a mint leaf in the seam.

By Connie Le

Media Munchies

When Anton Ego raised his fork, ladened with thinly sliced vegetables roasted with garlic and herbs, he comforted not only himself, but also the world. From the day the movie was released, the ionic dish from Pixar’s Ratatouille was guaranteed a spot in the food hall of fame. A simple farm-to-table dish first made by peasants in the French Provencal region is now as recognizable as spaghetti and meatballs. Movies can have a great influence in what we choose to eat; if we see our favorite characters thoroughly (or not) enjoying a certain dish, then we may be more inclined to try it.

I am the type of person who sees a dish on the big screen and immediately wants to taste it. The idea of sharing that moment with the characters in movies and television shows makes me feel more connected to their storyline. I, too, could feel how they felt. I first experienced one of these moments when I watched Ratatouille as a child. In one distinct moment, Remi explains the complexities and intricacies of taste and flavor pairings by having his not-as-attuned brother Emile try strawberry and cheese together. For Remi, each separate component has its own personalities, but together, the duo elicits a vibrant firework display. Emile, on the other hand, struggles to have the same experience, yet he attempts to understand Remi’s perspective out of love for his brother. As a child staring up at the screen, I felt like Emile - I had never tried such distinct foods together, and I started to wonder if, and what, I was missing out on. This revelation was not only felt by me; millions of watchers around the world were fascinated by this iconic scene and continue to be by others like it. In fact, not only does Ratatouille display the excitement of experimenting with food, but it also encourages people to get into the kitchen and try making ratatouille for themselves, embodying the very words of Gusteau: “Anyone can cook!”

Although Ratatouille serves as a brilliant stepping stone for newcomers into the world of food, there have been several pieces of media dedicated to telling the stories of cooks and chefs who put everything out on the line for their passion for cooking. For instance, Julie

and Julia retells the journey of Julie Powell, a young woman who was determined to cook every recipe in the first cookbook written by Julia Child, perhaps one of the most famous and beloved American cooking personalities of the 20th century. Julie most certainly served to inspire readers of her blog and watchers of the comedy-drama to go big and attempt cooking challenges that may seem impossible but would bring them satisfaction and exhibit their passion. Yet the comedy-drama Chef consistently takes the top spot as my favorite “based on a true story” movie. The story stars Jon Favreau as a chef who becomes fed up with the creative constraints of working in a prestigious restaurant and quits his steady job to achieve his life goal and open a cubano food truck, which he does with his son and a fellow chef. Between shots of beautifully sizzling sandwiches is the most simple but touching narrative of a father teaching his son about his life passion - cooking meals that were inspired by his own experiences. I resonated with this heartwarming storyline more than anything else in the movie, and it portrayed an important message to its watchers incredibly well: that cooking can be an incredible bonding experience for all. While watching Chef, I remember salivating and dreaming of taking a bite of Favreau’s perfect cubano. Although I didn’t have the chance to make my own at the time, I felt thrilled one day as I strolled through the Ithaca Farmers Market and came across La Paladar, a Cuban-cuisine booth. For just four dollars, I picked up a cubano, full of flavour and goodness. The aroma of roasted pork and ham woven with the sweetness and acidity of the mustard instantly whisked me to Favreau’s truck. I could hear the sizzle of the buttered Cuban bread on the press as Favreau and his son rushed around me, fulfilling order after order of heaven on a plate. After savoring every bite, I doubled down and promised myself that I would one day make my own. What serves as the biggest inspiration to me is that the Chef plotline is loosely based on the life experiences of Roy Choi, a professional and world renowned chef credited with popularizing the American gourmet food truck

phenomenon. Chef Choi sharpened his culinary expertise by working in five-star restaurants, but soon quit in 2008 to start his first food truck called Kogi, which specializes in Korean-Mexico barbeque fusion dishes. Although Kogi started out as just one truck in Venice, CA, it quickly became a “viral hotspot” as the new food trend in town. Kogi has now become a five-truck business with one brick and mortar location that has served and reached millions of fans around the world. To me, Choi’s incredible journey, dramatized in Favreau’s own fashion through Chef, represents the ultimate representation of achieving one’s biggest dreams. He most definitely serves as one of my biggest inspirations to try to cook new dishes, because even if they don’t turn out well the first time, the learning experience is priceless. I am not the only person who connects with dishes on the big screen. In fact, with the advent of social media platforms like YouTube, thousands have turned this challenge into their full time job. Andrew Rea was a visual effects artist who started recreating some of the most famous and interesting foods from his favorite TV shows and posting them on YouTube. His first official recreation starred burgers from Parks and Recreation, but his breakout moment came from

making “The Moistmaker,” a poignant Thanksgivingleftover sandwich from Friends. From then on, Rea’s subscribers and channel activity skyrocketed, and after deciding to commit to his passion for food, Rea quit his visual effects job to work on his YouTube show and culinary brand full-time. The brand’s name? You probably already know it - it’s the Babish Culinary Universe, formally known as Binging with Babish. Rea’s self-taught cinematography has brought him to over 8.5 million subscribers on YouTube, a website that features recipes from his show and basic cooking skill tutorials, and a cookbook dedicated to recreating some of the most famous pop culture dishes. The cover of his self-titled book features none other than the dish that made Anton Ego swoon - a stunningly plated slice of ratatouille. Rea’s burst into fame shows the immense power of food in movies and shows: people want to make them, and people want to watch other people cook and eat them, too. Food in the media is no longer a prop served to the characters; instead, it has flourished into a culture that millions of people indulge in and take insight from to further their own cooking imagination.

“Food in the media is no longer a prop served to the characters; instead, it has flourished into a culture that millions of people

PULP FICTION’S FIVE-DOLLAR

STRAWBERRY STRAWBERRY MILKSHAKE MILKSHAKE By Trin Kitisoontornpong

“$5 shake….You don’t put bourbon in it or nothin’?” Asked Vincent’s (John Travolta). “No…” Responded the server. Honestly, I would be pretty shocked by the expensive (in 1994 standard) $5 strawberry shake too … especially when it does not have any liquor in it. Pulp Fiction by Quentin Tarantino is a dark comedy composed of disjointed stories that are seemingly irrelevant to each other. The only string that links these stories together is the connection between characters. But if there was one thing that all these crime stories shared, it would be food. From “royale with cheese” to poptarts to gourmet coffee, every single climax of these stories is triggered by food. It wouldn’t be far-fetched to say that Pulp Fiction is a set of stories about food. Now, let’s take a look at this deliciously cold and ridiculously pricey milkshake. In this recipe, I am going to recreate that $5 strawberry shake… with bourbon in it of course.

Ingredients

2 cup (280 grams) of strawberry ice cream* ** ¾ cup of whole milk 1 oz of bourbon 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract Maraschino cherry (for garnish) * Ice cream brands with high-fat content and dense texture (as opposed to airy and fluffy) are preferable for the best texture. I used Häagen-Dazs strawberry ice cream for this recipe but brands such as Jeni’s will also work. ** One scoop of ice cream is 1/2 cup. Four scoops are equivalent to 2 cups.

Putting It Together

Place the ice cream, milk, bourbon, and vanilla into a blender. Pulse until the mixture looks relatively smooth and homogenized. Pour into a mason jar and garnish with Maraschino cherry

CrazyShake Version

If you want to knock your socks off and try a modern take on this classic strawberry milkshake, then look no further from CrazyShake. A brainchild of Michelin-starred chef Joe Isidori, CrazyShake is your classic milkshake with an amalgamation of toppings that will put you in a permanent food coma. Top the milkshake off with a huge dollop of thick whipped cream and a liberal drizzle of chocolate syrup. These will be the “foundation” or the “glue” for your toppings. Be creative with your flavors! Add sprinkles, cookies, and maybe a few donuts if you can fit them on top of the whipped cream.

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Make sure that the ice cream is properly frozen, but also not too frozen to the point of being very difficult to scoop. Don’t blend too long. While you want a smooth milkshake, prolonged blending will quickly melt the shakes.