Volume IV Issue 2
edible summer issue May 2014
table of contents
Health
Dear Readers,
Why Juice? by Nicole Velez
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Welcome to Edible’s Junior Issue! As we are quickly approaching the end of the year, we know that all anyone can think about is summer! We wanted to send everyone off on their summer vacations with new ways to try summer foods, great recipes, and restaurants. After working hard all year, we hope you can relax at a fun picnic, eat cupcakes and ice cream, and enjoy yourself at a barbeque.
Why Go Organic? by Nicole Velez
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We hope that everyone will have a great vacation filled with cooking and amazing summer foods! If you are interested in writing for Edible, please let us know! We are really excited about this issue and are looking forward to making more.
#Foodstagram by Sophie Maltby
Thank you to all of our inspiring seniors and Edible editors Catherine Engelmann, Sophie Dizengoff, Jenny Heon, and Anushka Gupta. We will miss you all so much!
Who Knew an ATM Could Be So Sweet? by Ada (Cui) Zhou, Chichi Ikwuazom, Noa Hankin and Grace Guo
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How Ordering Food Online Changes the Way We Eat by Karina Hooda
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Thank you! Your editors, Sara Hirade, Emily Kramer, Jillian Lowey, and Lindsay Zelson
Science & Technology P. 8
Reviews
Junior editors: Sara Hirade Emily Kramer Jillian Lowey Lindsay Zelson Faculty advisor: Adam Casdin
Contributing writers: Tali Benchimol Kalli Feinberg Sophia Feldman Azure Gao Allison Gelman Grace Guo Noa Hankin
Karina Hooda Chibuzo Ikwuazom Joanna Kuang Sadie Lye Sophie Maltby Nicole Velez Ada Zhou Sarah Zeng
Best of the Summer Food Crawl by Joanna Kuang and Azure Gao
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Popsicle Crawl by Sophia Feldman
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Sprinkles Ice Cream by Kalissa Feinberg and Tali Benchimol
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Culture The Big Apple BBQ Block Party by Allison Gelman Frozen Yogurt vs Ice Cream by Sarah Zeng
P. 17 P. 18
How To
The Five Steps to a Perfect Picnic by Sadie Lye
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Get Nicole Velez’s Take on Different Summer Foods
P. 22 all photos were taken from flickr.com
Health
Health
Why Juice?By Nicole Velez
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he stigma behind juicing is that it is just a trend, one that will be gone within a few months. However, that does not have to be true. I want to discuss the different benefits of making juicing apart of your everyday life. There are many important nutritional values of juicing, however there are also things to be careful about while beginning your juicing journey. “Oh you’re juicing, so this is your new diet?” is a phrase often tossed around. Juicing alone cannot be one’s diet. It can be a part of a person’s daily food intake, but not a supplement for meals. How you make your juice and what you put in it is very important. Enjoy this breakdown of juicing and some valuable tips to start living a healthier life. 4
The pros of juicing greatly outweigh its cons. There are two main types of juicing: fruit juicing and vegetable juicing. Mixing fruits and vegetables is the optimal type of juice. The first pro of juicing is that the juices allow individuals to consume healthier amounts of vegetables in a more efficient manner. Almost every physician recommends a daily intake of six to eight servings of fruits and vegetables. Very few people have the time or desire to prepare and eat six servings. Juicing is an easy way
to guarantee that you reach your daily target of fruit and vegetable consumption. Juicing is very easy and can be done with a simple blender. You can put in as many vegetables and fruits as you wish into the blender. Drinking the juice is even easier. Most people will drink juice anyways through out the day, and juicing provides people with the opportunity to drink the necessary amounts of nutrition from fruits and veggies. The benefits of juicing are endless but this next one is very important.
“Juicing is an easy way to guarentee that you reach your daily target of fruit and vegetable consumption.” Edible
Juicing helps individuals absorb all the nutrients from the vegetables and fruits. Most people who eat fast food often develop poor digestive systems. Impaired digestive systems have trouble absorbing the nutrients from fruits and vegetables in their raw form, and instead push the food straight through the body. Juicing pre-digests the fruits and vegetables for you. The liquid form makes it easier for your body to absorb the nutrients before passing it on to the large intestine. The last pro is that, because you are able to consume more fruits and vegetables in each juice, you are able to boost your immune system and increase your energy. These benefits come from the fruits and vegetables themselves; however, juicing allows people to have higher concentrations of these nutrients. The more fruits and vegetables consumed, the better your immune system becomes and the more energy you have. While fruit is very healthy, it is more beneficial to add a greater amount of vegetables than fruits in your juice. While juicing does have many pros, it is equally as important to be aware of its setbacks. You can create juices just by using a juicer or a blender. One con of using a juicer is that you eliminate the large source of fiber. The skin and the pulp of fruits and veggies house the majority of the vitamins and minerals, and if these parts are discarded, the most beneficial portions of
the produce are thrown out. Making juice using a juicer can defeat the purpose of juicing entirely. However, there is still a way to juice and receive the nutrients that you want! If you use a high-end blender you can keep all of the skin and pulp and create a juice while maintaining the pros discussed above. A second con is fruit juicing. It is great that individuals get all of the fruits in, however if the juice has too many fruits then it will also have a high level of calories and sugar. The bulk of your juice should come from veggies. Just because your juice is green does not mean it won’t taste amazing! So again, try to avoid making pure fruit smoothies. The more veggies you add the better. The cons of juicing are quite limited and avoidable but here is a valuable one to know. Juicing is not a supplement for a meal, yet people tend to believe it is. Do not think that just because you have a juice for breakfast you are going to lose weight. Veggie and fruit juices
Summer Issue
are not replacements for a meal. They are meant to go along with a meal as a drink providing additional nutrients. Many people are under the impression that a cup of juice can carry the weight of a meal, however this is not true. If you cut your calories too low because you are just drinking juices, your metabolism may slow down. Then, once you start eating solid foods again, you will likely put on weight in the form of fat cells. Some additional tips when it comes to juicing: Use a blender! Doing so will allow you to get the optimal amount of nutrients out of the fruits and veggies. Pick organic fruits and vegetables. Since you will be taking in the skin of some fruits, it is best to get organic fruits and vegetables, which have a lower amount of pesticides. When picking vegetables try to use kale and celery. Both have a tremendous amount of nutrients and other benefits. Juicing, when done correctly, can drastically improve your health.
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Health
Health
Why Go Organic? Top Five Reasons Nicole Velez
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e live in an era in which there is a need to distinguish between the different ways foods are grown and produced. Decades ago, there were few differences in the cultivation of crops and types of meat produced. Now, pesticides are overused and Americans consume genetically
to accelerate the rate of development.
during a time when the government put a huge emphasis on biotechnology. Since then, the term “organic” has been used much more to distinguish between food taken directly from is trying to produce cheaper food nature and food created using faster than ever before. Companies chemicals in labs. Despite popular and farms no longer want to wait for belief, distinguishing organic food from genetically engineered food is 6
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actually quite simple. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the only organization that can certify foods as organic. Organic is a labeling term for food or other agricultural products that have been produced according to the USDA organic regulations. The USDA National Organic Program states that “organic operations must maintain or enhance soil and water quality while also conserving wetlands, woodlands, and wildlife. Synthetic fertilizers,
diation and genetic engineering produced foods have boosts in their may not be used.” There is also a nutritional quality. Plants nurtured by raised on conventional farms live in difference between organic and soil on organic farms produce crops crowded, stressful conditions that are natural foods. Food companies may that contain higher levels of important detrimental to the animal’s health, use the label “natural” without any antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins. increase its drug dependency, and take regulations. away any chance Now there of carrying out are many natural behaviors. reasons to However, the go organic National Organic but here are Program (NOP) just the most rule, states that important ones. organically raised The number of animals must pesticides that have access to conventional the outdoors, (non-organic) including pastures famers apply and ample space to to their behave naturally. crops ranges The healthier the from two to livestock, the twelve. The healthier the meat, residue from milk, and other the synthetic dairy products are. pesticides Organic food helps lingers on fruits preserve local crop and vegetables. varieties for future Research has generations. Today shown that 50% of all food there are clear eaten worldwide links between comes from four different plant species h e a l t h and three animal problems, species. Small such as organic farms A D H A , often preserve a u t i s m , put a huge emphasis on biotechnology.” heirloom and rare obesity and seed varieties to several forms of cancer, and pesticides. Organic farmers use healthy soil to diversify our food choices. Our world Another reason to go organic is to cultivate their crops. Genetically avoid pesticides. Food cannot be engineered food has been processed in a way that decreases the nutritional the better choice is that it just tastes are used. Organic food guarantees that value in order to be produced quicker better! New research proves that your chances for having one of those and in larger quantities. some organic produce is often lower health problems will not increase The health of the animals that in nitrates and higher in antioxidants just because of what you are eating. are raised for their milk and meat than conventional food. Let the The next reason is that organically is at risk on non-organic farms. A organic feasting begin!
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Science & Technology
Science & Technology
#FOODSTAGRAM A New Focus in Photography
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veryday, more than sixty million photos are posted on Instagram, a popular social networking app where users can post pictures. Of these sixty million, a large number are of food. While some people have “regular” Instagrams where they sometimes 8
Sophie Maltby post pictures of food, others have “food Instagrams,” or “food instas” for short. There are hundreds of thousands of food Instagrams, ranging from ones with only a few followers to ones with more than a million followers. When someone starts a food Instagram, they use certain “hashtags”
Edible
to try and gain followers. These hashtags are often for the sole purpose of gaining followers through publicity. For example, using #ilyfoodgram and tagging @ilyfoodgram allows for your picture of food to be viewed by the account, and if they like they ‘reinsta’ it, and the attention the account
receives can contribute to a gain in number of followers, Other hashtags include: #foodinsta, #foodstagram, #foodgram, etc. There are many websites that have blocks of hashtags such as these that people often use to gain more likes on the food pictures. Some “foodstagramers” seem to spend more time snapping photos of their food than eating it, but they may have good reason for it. A study recently published in a journal of psychological science suggests that posting an image of a dish to Instagram before digging in may make it taste better. Researchers from the University of Minnesota and the Harvard Business School found that “rituals enhance the enjoyment of consumption because of the greater involvement in the experience that they prompt.” In one experiment, half of the 52 total participants were asked to perform a ritual before eating a candy bar. First, without unwrapping it, they had to break it in half. Then they were told to unwrap half of the bar, eat it, and do the same with the other half. The remaining participants were not given special instructions. The participants who engaged in ritualistic behaviors found the chocolate to be more flavorful, valuable, and deserving of “behavioral savoring.” They didn’t, however, enjoy the chocolate as much when they watched others engage in the same behaviors. However, the trend of “foodstagramming” has bothered some restaurants to the point where they have prohibited diners from snapping photos of their meals. But Dr. Valerie Taylor, chief of psychiatry at Women’s College Hospital at the
University of Toronto, argues that obsessively documenting one’s meals could be a signal of a larger dieting problem. “I see clients for whom food has become problematic, and they struggle to go out and not have food be the key element of all social interaction: what they eat, when they ate, when they are going to eat again,” Taylor told The Huffington Post. Taylor spoke at the Canadian Obesity Summit in Vancouver about eating disorders and food’s role in our culture. While Taylor admitted that sharing photos of food on social media is relatively common, she said that in some cases it could come at the exclusion of everything else. “The concern becomes when all they do is send pictures of food,” Taylor told the Huffington Post. “We take pictures of things that are important to us, and for some people, the food itself becomes central and the rest -– the venue, the company, et cetera -- is background.” While Taylor argues that producing such images may signal an unhealthy preoccupation with food, others have linked the consumption of food photography to eating issues and weight gain. Television host Mehmet Oz did a segment on his show, “Dr. Oz,” in October arguing that “food porn” was making society fatter. Oz
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was referring to people who viewed glossy photographs, such as those in magazines and on blogs. On the other hand, Gail Simmons from the Food & Wine Magazine said food photography is nothing new; her employer has been doing it for decades. The fact is, while food Instagrams are growing in popularity, the obsession is going to have a different effect on different people. Uploading pictures of food is fine in moderation, but there can be adverse effects in some cases when Instagram users become obsessed and cannot go through a meal without uploading a picture. 9
Science & Technology
Science & Technology
Who Knew an ATM Could Be So Sweet? By Ada (Cui) Zhou ‘16 , Chichi Ikwuazom ‘16, Noa Hankin ‘16, and Grace Guo ‘16
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prinkles ATM, located at 780 Lexington Ave, New York, NY, between 60th and 61th Street, is the perfect destination for a craving at any time of the day. It is easily accessible from the 4, 5, 6, N, Q, R and F trains. This location is one of only six locations in the country. Sprinkles ATM is a 24-hour cupcake dispenser for everyone to enjoy. The machine holds up to 760 cupcakes boxes at a time, and offers 20 different cupcake varieties. Their flavors range from the classics such as red velvet, vanilla, and chocolate, to more exotic flavors such as strawberry, chocolate marshmallow, and chai latte. They even have gluten free options as well. The cupcakes are $4.25, but be sure to bring your credit card because the ATM does not accept cash. You can only order a maximum of four cupcakes for one purchase but don’t worry, because one cupcake is quite filling. The ATM is a very popular attraction so the line may be long at times, but the cupcakes are definitely worth the wait. The
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ordering process is simple and quick so the line moves fairly quickly. All you need to do is walk up to the machine, press the “Touch to begin” icon and choose the cupcake flavor and the quantity that you want. When you finish choosing all the cupcakes that you want, just swipe your credit or debit card. The machine will begin processing your order. The ATM takes about 20-60 seconds depending on the quantity that you order. The cupcakes come in cute, small brown boxes that are perfect for carrying around especially if you want to save your cupcake for later. The bakery itself is open about twelve hours a day, but the ATM is great because it’s open after-hours. The employees are at the store baking roundthe-clock so the cupcakes have that great straight from the oven taste. The cupcakes are fresh as well, since workers stock up the machine several times a day. Despite the delicious aroma that greets you as you open the box, the cupcakes can be a bit oily. Even so, every flavor is exquisite
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in taste. The icing is on the sweet side so if you have a sweet tooth, this is the perfect for you. The red velvet cupcakes are extremely popular due to their savory cream cheese frosting, and their artistic contrast that they create against the deep red color of the cupcake. The Sprinkles vanilla cupcake stands out from the other standard vanilla cupcakes in other places of the city. The vanilla cake had the subtle sweetness that paired with the sweet frosting. Every part of the cupcake is a pure white down to the cute mini sprinkles that are generously placed onto the frosting. Another tasty flavor is the vanilla milk chocolate cupcake that is a blend of the contrasting flavors of chocolate cream cheese and vanilla cake. These cupcakes are evenly coated with chocolate sprinkles. Those who enjoy chocolate but are looking for something that isn’t too rich will enjoy this. Next time you are in the area, look for the ATM’s distinct bright pink color!
How Ordering Food Online Changes the Way We Eat
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rdering in food may seem like the easiest and cheapest way to put off cooking or going out, but it is not always the best option. Although you may think that having takeout food rather than a home cooked meal for just one night will have no impact on the way we eat and see food, the reality is that it can alter our habits and perceptions. More people are ordering food online as it has become easier. Everyone can access these sites through apps on their phones and on their computers. It seems like a small difference, but getting food delivered through an online service instead of calling a restaurant makes it difficult to imagine going back to the days of dialing. In recent years, many companies offering these services have grown rapidly in popularity, creating more efficient ways to serve their
By Karina Hooda ‘16 couch-bound clientele. But how do these new innovations in technology change the world of food? According to Domino’s 40% of the chain’s sales come from orders through computers, tablets and smartphones. Now that online ordering is easier than ever, more people are doing it more often. When we think of delivered foods, we usually picture unhealthy foods: Americanized Chinese food, pizza, sushi, and more. Also, ordering in means you do not even have to leave your couch to get food and a little bit of exercise. Instead of cooking healthier meals for themselves, which tend to be healthier and less expensive, consumers are ordering in. Delivered food also leads to impulse purchases because when people call, they often have a set list of food ready to go. The entire online menu is available on the
Edible
screen and you easily can add multiple side dishes with a simple click. Ordering can also change our expectations of food. When we get used to having different, higher quality food at restaurants in the comfort of our own home more frequently, our home cooked meals become an undesired burden and less appealing Despite the drawbacks of delivered food, there are some benefits that outweigh the costs. Though not as customary as ordering in pizza, healthier substitutions can be made while ordering. However, the healthiest option is food you make yourself, where you know the ingredients and can customize it to your own taste. So give ordering in a rest and cook something yourself!
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Reviews
Reviews
Best of the Summer It’s finally May; the weather is getting warmer and spring is here, meaning summer is just around the corner as well. What better way to celebrate than a food crawl? After many hours of research and debate, we narrowed our long list of NYC’s best summer foods down to five spots and spent an afternoon eating our way across the city. Here’s where we went:
Key Lime Pie at Little Pie Company 424 W 43rd St New York, NY 10036
The most classic example of a summer food, besides ice cream, is key lime pie. We decided to try out one of the best in the city from a bakery that specializes in pies. Although the pie was on the expensive side, the graham cracker crust was unbelievably crunchy and left us wanting more. The center was creamy, tart, and when eaten with the crust, perfection. The $8 we spent this 5-inch pie was worth every penny. The crust was baked for just the right amount and the lime flavor was unlike anything we had ever tasted before. We would definitely recommend their pies for any dessert-lover who would like to try a flawless take on a summer staple.
Chicken over Rice at The Halal Guys 6th Ave & W 53rd St New York, NY 10019
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Although Halal trucks are ubiquitous, we found this one on Yelp with over 4,000 reviews, nearly all of them insisting that this one was a must-try, so we knew it was something special. We placed our order for chicken over rice as soon as we arrived. Two men were cooking; one was heating pita and meat, and the other put the orders together. They quickly filled our order and even went above and beyond by giving us a portion of beef simply because they could tell we were so excited. The finished product contained a bed of orange rice, iceberg lettuce, shredded chicken and beef, several slices of pita, and their famous white sauce. We ran across the street to the public plaza and dug in. The warm pita was extremely soft and tasted delicious on its own. The meat was fresh and flavorful, and the rice was a perfect complement. We also loved the lettuce, which provided a nice crisp contrast to the rest of the plate. At one point we actually ran back over and requested more white sauce, which they happily gave. That sauce, as thousands of people have said, is unbelievable. It looks like ranch but tastes salty and tangy at the same time and made the meat taste even better.
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Food Crawl Joanna Kuang ‘17 and Azure Gao ‘17 travel around New York City in search of the best summer snacks. Donut Ice Cream Sandwich at Holey Cream 796 9th Ave New York, NY 10019
Holey Cream, a small donut and ice cream parlor in midtown, has recently gained attention from the media as one of the best places in NYC for frozen treats, especially for their donut ice cream sandwich. We decided to finally see what all the fuss was about. We ordered a scoop each of the Long Island raspberry rhapsody ice cream, java Guatemala, and deep Belgian chocolate inside a hot fudge dipped donut with M&M’s and mini chocolate chips on top. The ice cream, toppings, and frosting choices were endless; we ended up spending the majority of the time figuring out what to order. Their exclusive housemade ice cream was smooth and creamy and went perfectly with the donut, which was warm, fluffy, and dripping with hot fudge. Our only complaint was that after a while, the chocolate frosting completely froze from the cold ice cream. Aside from that, this donut ice cream sandwich was rich, decadent, and satisfying.
Green tea Shaved Ice at Tous Les Jours 31 West 32nd Street New York, NY 10021
We finished our crawl with more dessert at Tous Les Jours, a Frenchinspired Korean bakery in K-Town. We ordered a green tea bingsu, also known as green tea shaved ice. It came in a large bowl, with a bed of green tea-infused shaved ice and topped with a variety of freshly diced fruit, red bean, mochi (little pieces of sweet sticky rice balls), and a scoop of green tea ice cream. After our heavy donut ice cream sandwich and key lime pie, this was a nice, refreshing alternative. The bingsu was not overly sweet and very addicting. The ice cream was perfect and had an authentic green tea flavor, and the mochi provided a unique chewy texture. We loved all the fruit, which included mango, strawberry, kiwi, and pineapple. Eaten with the ice and red bean, it was a cooling, light dessert, perfect for a summer day. We didn’t end up finishing a lot of the ice because we were too full, but if you went after a normal meal or just as a snack, the shaved ice would definitely be a great treat.
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Reviews
Reviews
Sophia Feldman ‘15 Finds the Summer’s Sweetest Treats on Her
Popsi cl e C r aw l Popbar The High Line at West 15th Street 5 Carmine St, New York, NY 10014
Popbar is its own delicacy shop dedicated to making some of the best popsicles in NYC. Popbar is a small room that is brightened up by the multicolored popsicles behind a glass showcase. I got the hazelnut popsicle, a light sandy brown color, half covered in a thin crisp layer of chocolate and the other half layered in crunchy pieces of hazelnut. At first the Popsicle was a little too cold on my teeth but as it warmed up, it became more sweet and flavorful. The popsicle tasted just like a frozen Ferrero Rocher truffle! I also tried the banana popsicle, which comes with a complimentary layer of chocolate. After I had managed to eat away all the chocolate, a solid sweet banana flavor came through. I honestly cannot get over the hazelnut Popsicle, and I think it’s mandatory to try it if you go down to the Popbar!
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People’s Pops 425 W 15th St, New York, NY 10011 The famous People’s Pops is a popsicle franchise that has many locations and many unique flavors. The People’s Pops I went to was located inside Chelsea Market, right next to the fragrant doughnut stall (which you should also try. I mean, you are going to be right there, so why not?) I tried the hibiscus rhubarb popsicle. It tasted just like a strawberry rhubarb pie! The popsicle itself is a natural fruity maroon color, unlike the neon popsicles often found in the supermarket. I also tried the vanillacorn popsicle has a pleasant creamy yellow color and tastes exactly like creamed corn. People’s Pops prides itself in fresh and unique ingredients. The popsicles here were really refreshing and clean.
La Newyorkina The High Line at West 17th Street
La Newyorkina is a Mexican popsicle cart that sells “Paletas” (Spanish for ice pop) and it is truly numero uno when it comes to popsicles! Not only does it have the scenic view on the high line, but also the most flavorful popsicles. The first popsicle I tried was a deep orange colored mango popsicle. It was aromatic and smelled like a fresh, in season mango. To spice it up, I added Tajin powder. Tajin is a Mexican seasoning made of chili powder, salt, and lime. It is often used to sprinkle on fruit, but at the La Newyorkina costumers may add it to their popsicles for an extra kick! The Tajin added a salty, spicy lime-ness to it, making the Mango Popsicle unique. Next, I tried the chocolate popsicle. It tasted just like frozen Mexican hot chocolate. It had a deep chocolaty taste with a hint of spicy cinnamon. This Mexican popsicle cart is a one of a kind popsicle experience!
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Reviews
Culture
Allison Gelman (‘16) racks up the details of the
The Big Apple BBQ Block Party Sprinkles Ice Cream
Kalissa Feinberg ‘17 and Tali Benchimol ’17
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ou’ve heard your friends talk about it. You’ve seen the pictures on Facebook and Instagram. But now, it’s time for you to get a behind the scenes take of what is really going on at this spectacular new Upper East Side treat shop. On May 2nd, we took the trip to 61st street and Lexington, the location of the one and only New York City Sprinkles Ice Cream shop. Upon entering the modern and colorful eatery, we were handed a card with the ice cream flavors and the cupcakes available for the day. We immediately began to hyperventilate at the sight of an overwhelming number of choices presented on this tiny white sheet. We expected the store’s ice cream flavors to include the basics such as chocolate, vanilla, strawberry and coffee, but not “Cap’n Crunch,” “Red Velvet,” or “Salty Caramel.” Our excitement might have clouded our judgment: we impulsively ordered everything on the menu (or at least much of it). We took it upon ourselves to sample two of the famous “Sprinkles Sundaes” and one “Sprinkles Sandwich.” The “Sprinkles Sundae” is comprised of a full cupcake cut horizontally with a scoop of ice cream planted in the middle of it. Our first order of a “Sprinkles Sundae” consisted of a s’mores cupcake with vanilla ice cream inside. The cupcake was unmatched by any other s’mores
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cupcake we’ve ever had. It begins with a crust of graham cracker crumbs along the bottom of a Belgian dark chocolate cake filled with a bittersweet chocolate ganache. To top this production off is a toasted marshmallow fluff frosting. Unfortunately, this cupcake is not available year-round; it’s run ended May 8. Our second “Sprinkles Sundae” was a milk chocolate cupcake with a delicious scoop of salty caramel ice cream inside.
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For the “Sprinkles Sandwich,” which consists of two cupcake bottoms with a scoop of ice cream wedged between them, we decided to order red velvet cupcake bottoms with “Cap’n Crunch” ice cream. The “Cap’n Crunch” is a sweet, vanilla ice cream with pieces of caramel-coated Cap’n Crunch cereal. We found both the “Sprinkles Sundaes” and the “Sprinkles Sandwich” to be exceptional. The ice cream really adds an exciting twist to the classic cupcake formula. For lovers of the ice cream cake or just plain ice cream, Sprinkles Ice Cream is a must-visit. The truth is that Sprinkles is no newcomer to the ice cream scene. It’s been selling ice cream to its patrons of the Beverly Hill store for over two years now and also has ice cream locations in Newport Beach, Atlanta, Las Vegas, and Dallas. It’s about time this hip joint came to New York City! Our verdict? We would probably give it 6 stars out of 5 so you understand just how life altering and monumentally amazing our experience was. Between the indulgence of the succulent food and the funky environment, we had a blast. We are absolutely sure that you too could, not just enjoy, but fall in LOVE with Sprinkles Ice Cream. So, quick, take the Lexington Avenue bus today and make your way to the fabulous shop!
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ooking for something fun to do after finals are over? Check out restaurateur Danny Meyer’s annual Big Apple Barbeque Block Party on Saturday June 7th and Sunday the 8th (11am-6pm) where you can taste some of America’s best barbeque. Every year for one weekend, within a mile radius of Madison Square Park, overwhelming smells of barbeque will tingle your taste buds. It’s a beautiful two days with music, special events, and lots and lots of ribs. Even better: all the proceeds of the event benefit the Madison Square Park Conservancy. From New York City, Dinosaur Barbeque, Delaney’s Barbeque, Hill Country, and Blue Smoke will all be there, serving up some of the best barbeque our city has to offer. With twelve other pittmasters arriving from around the country, it can start to become tough to pick which places to try, as it’s likely that trying all of them isn’t an option (though is highly suggested). Here are some of the best places to try from a girl who’s a ten-year veteran of the festival: Dinosaur Barbeque: Maybe you’re not a barbeque fanatic like I, but if you’ve never had John Stage’s food then drop this magazine and get down to Harlem (or Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo, Stanford, Brooklyn, or Newark) as soon as you can. While they’re only serving up a sampling of the goodness they have to offer, it’s definitely one place that continues to be consistently delicious. 17th Street Bar and Grill: Mike Mills is
the barbeque legend, always serving up some baby back ribs with his amazing beans. The ribs are awesome, but the beans are what not to miss. When I was a young barbeque fanatic, I despised beans, but Mike Mills’ changed that for me. Pappy’s Barbeque & The Salt Lick BBQ: The Salt Lick BBQ is from Driftwood, Texas and Pappy’s Barbeque is from St. Louis, Missouri. Just some more awesome barbeque to offer. These are the must-check-outs, but I can guarantee you that you’ll enjoy any barbeque you’ll eat; bad-tasting barbeque is prohibited on the premises. Besides the barbeque, be sure to check out the awesome music playing, the seminars offered, and the free samples that sponsors are stuffing into your arms. Get to the festival earlier rather than later, as the lines can stretch long – not Cronut
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style long, but lengthy nevertheless. If you’re not in the mood to wait out any lines, feel free to buy a FastPass for $125 to cut the time between you and that pulled pork sandwich. Similar to Disney World, if you have a FastPass you get to cut the line. Personally, I find this a little bit of a waste; if you get to the fest early enough in the day you should only have to wait a short while. This is not to say that you shouldn’t invest the money in a FastPass. If you’re understandably an inpatient little foodie and have $125 to spare, knock yourself out, but if you’re used to waiting in cronut and ramen burger sized lines, you should be just fine. It’s also a strong recommendation to go on the Sunday, as it always tends to be a little less busy. Plus, you won’t be the guinea pigs on anything, as everybody will already have had a chance to try out everything for a first time before you get there. Lastly, don’t forget to say hello to all the friendly pittmasters that are traveling anywhere from five to a thousand miles to serve you up some great food. They look forward to meeting customers and love showing off all they have to offer. The Big Apple Barbeque Block Party is definitely my favorite foodie event, and it’s definitely not one to miss. If you’ve ever been to other foodie-events like Smorgasburg or Meatopia, I can guarantee you’ll enjoy this one as well, if not more.
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Culture
Culture
Frozen Yogurt vs Ice Cream Sarah Zeng
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hould I get frozen yogurt (“frozen yogurt”), or should I get ice cream? That’s one of the questions I think about often, and I’m sure lots of other people do too. Even though frozen yogurt is technically yogurt, is froyo even healthier than ice cream? I recently conducted a survey, and about 33% more people preferred ice cream over froyo. My favorite part of froyo is the toppings. Even though you can get toppings at ice cream stores like HäagenDazs, frozen yogurt places have a greater variety. While the main toppings for ice
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cream are basically sprinkles and nuts (and candy bars and cookies for some stores, like Coldstone) froyo toppings include fruit, mochi, candy bars, cookies, nuts, and cake, just to name a few. But anyway, which is healthier: ice cream or frozen yogurt? Ben and Jerry’s Chocolate Fudge Brownie is 270 calories per half cup, with 120 calories from fat, while 16 Handles’ Chocolate Love Affair is 120 calories, with 24 calories from fat for the same size. In comparison, HäagenDazs’ chocolate ice cream is 260 calories, while Red Mango’s Milk Chocolate yogurt
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is just 110 calories, with zero calories from fat. But what if you honestly don’t care about the amount of calories you’re consuming? Recently, 16 Handles released a new low-fat flavor: the Caramel Popcorn Finale. Although I’ve yet to try it, the flavor sounds pretty good. 16 Handles’ Tiramisu, Graham Cracker, Cinnamon Bun, and Salted Caramel are some of the flavors that I would definitely recommend. 16 Handles also sells large jars of their froyo. 16 Handles is self-serve, so you can basically get as much frozen yogurt as you want and make different swirl patterns.
At Pinkberry, flavors to definitely get include the original, mango, piña colada, hot chocolate, and peanut butter cup. Pinkberry recently released an “À La Mode” dessert – apple with cinnamon crumble and frozen yogurt of your choice. This would definitely be a combination worth trying over the summer. Unlike most other frozen yogurt chains, Pinkberry is served behind the counter, like an ice cream store. Red Mango is another popular provider of froyo. A few flavors I would recommend from Red Mango include Key Lime Pie and Wild Raspberry. One of the toppings I really like from there are the mango popping boba, which are sweet, juice-filled tapioca pearls. Popping boba are gaining popularity at Red Mango and other frozen yogurt hotspots, and they are definitely a topping you won’t be able to get
with ice cream. Yogurtland is another amazing selfserve frozen yogurt stop, though it is less well known than the others. Their flavors worth trying there include Tangerine Tango Tart, Taro, Guava Sorbet, Dragon Passion Tart, and Maple Cookie. Yogurtland has two stores on the Upper West Side, and one on Upper East. Although frozen yogurt is amazing, ice cream is different and delicious in its own way. Baskin-Robbins’ Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream is worth a taste, as well as Ben and Jerry’s new core flavors, which have either raspberry jam, caramel, or chocolate fudge in the center of the pint. Ben and Jerry’s ice cream truck will be offering free samples of their core flavors in July in the New York City. Popular flavors from Ben and Jerry’s include Cherry
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Garcia and Chunky Monkey. I would also recommend Edy’s Slow Churned ice cream, which you can find in jars in grocery stores. Personally, I think some ice cream flavors, especially the ones involving chocolate, cannot be replaced with froyo. Unlike frozen yogurt, ice cream is available in little jars at supermarkets and vending machines (also in our student cafeteria,) so if you’re in a hurry, you can just grab one and go. However, froyo toppings cannot be replaced with ice cream toppings either. So which one should you enjoy over the summer: ice cream or froyo? I’d recommend both, but you should try to eat at all of the different shops and sample as many different flavors as possible. Let us know what you find! Froyo run, anyone?
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How To
How To
The Five Steps to a Perfect PicH
aving a fun picnic is super fun and easy, if you follow these five steps. Going with friends, family or even on your own you are guaranteed to have a great time. So don’t be afraid of the ants, or say you cannot because you do not own a picnic basket. A picnic can be anything you want. A picnic is the perfect summer’s day activity, so pick a day call some friends and have a picnic this summer. Step 1: Choose a beautiful warm sunny day. The weather is important. A picnic in the rain is never as fun as it sounds. There are two ways to pick the perfect day. The first way is to plan a week ahead by constantly checking the weather report. The way I prefer: the second way involves waking up seeing the sun and the perfect blue
sky and deciding today is the day for your picnic. Step 2. Choosing the Location. If you want to stay in the city, you should go to a park. The obvious choice is Central Park, but Riverside Park or a smaller one closer to home are both good options. Another option is to head out of the city. You could travel Long Island or the Jersey Shore if you want a picnic at the beach. Or you could head up the Hudson Valley to Storm King, Pepsi’s Headquarters (it is a really nice park open to the public), or any number of State/National Parks. Once you arrive at your chosen location you should find either a nice field in or if you’re lucky a picnic table in the sun or shade depending on you preference. Remember a picnic table isn’t necessary.
Step 3. What to bring. A picnic basket is not required no matter how adorable they look. A cooler or even just some shopping bags will suffice. To start with a picnic blanket is very important, and if you find a picnic table this blanket can be re-purposes as a tablecloth. Bring sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses. Bring a book, and if you are going with a group of people bring various sports equipment, for example a kite. Paper plates, plastic cups, utensils, and napkins should definitely be brought. A picnic goes beyond the meals, so bring plenty of activities to do as a group. If where you are going allows music being played allowed, bring a radio.
By Sadie Lye Step 4. Food And Drinks To Bring. There are lots and lots of options of what to bring to eat. It all depends on what you like to eat. Remember to only bring foods that travel well; smashed food is never appetizing. To drink I recommend bringing plenty of water, fruit juice, lemonade or iced tea, and a fizzy drink of your choosing. Sandwiches can either be made during the picnic from a variety of ingredients or made the morning before the picnic. I recommend bringing corn chips or potato chips. Other great ideas of what to bring includes quiche, fruit that is easily prepared and already washed such as watermelon or any leftovers from your fridge. Remember to bring dessert! Cookies, pie, brownies, rice crispy treats, are all good things bring. Another option is to buy ice-cream or popsicles from where ever you are having your picnic, but if you do this make sure there is definitely somewhere to buy them. When choosing what food to bring, make sure you bring items that you and whomever you go with will like. All these ideas are just suggestions.
“Picnics are a fun and relaxing thing to do, so do not stress over the details. It will all come togeth-
Step 5. Have Fun. Picnics are a fun and relaxing thing to do, so do not stress over the details. It will all come together. The main thing to remember is to relax and have fun while enjoying delicious food and a beautiful day.
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Summer Issue
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How To
Get Nicole Velez’s Take On Different Summer Foods
Amazing Appetizer:
1 cucumber 1 can of tuna 1 cup of tomatoes ummer is just around the corner! can easily be altered to a person’s ½ cup of sliced carrots
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We are all counting down the days of school left. The smell of BBQs and the sound of ice cream trucks will soon begin. In order to combat the scorching summer heat I have gathered several recipes to quench your summer thirst and cool down your days. Just because the seasons are changing does not mean you should change your diet. There are so many healthy and filling meals that are easy to make.
liking. The preparation time for a smoothie is about ten minutes. Gather all of the listed ingredients and make sure the fruit is sliced into small pieces. First, put all of the fruits into the blender. Blend until smooth. Then add in the low-fat yogurt and again, blend until smooth. Pour the smoothie into glasses and sprinkle the nutmeg on top. The smoothie can also be made into a dessert. Pour the smoothie into popsicle molds and let them freeze for
Lastly, we have the main meal. There are a ton of versions of a pasta salad; however, I found this one
Start by boiling water for the pasta. While the water is boiling chop up the avocado, carrot, green onion, mango and red cabbage. How small you cut the ingredients depends on your preference. Once the water is boiling put in the pasta to cook for about ten minutes, or until the pasta Let’s start with the drink. is soft. Once the pasta is cooked, put Smoothies are simple to make and it into a bowl. Pour one tbsp. of the apple cider vinegar onto the pasta Summer Smoothie: and mix well. Now, put the cut up 1 cup of sliced strawberries ingredients into the bowl. Add the second tbsp. to the bowl and mix 1/2 cup of sliced banana well. The dish can be eaten warm, 1 1/2 cups plain low-fat yogurt but I recommend that the dish be 1 cup of orange slices eaten cold. After the pasta salad is made you can store it in the refrig1 cup of pineapple slices erator for one hour and then serve. 1 tbsp. of nutmeg Next is the refreshing appetizer. This recipe is another healthy and quick option. The preparation time is also about ten minutes. Start by preparing the inside of the cucumber sandwich. Dice the tomatoes and carrots. Mix the tuna with the tomatoes and carrots. Add a pinch of salt to the mixture. Cut up slices of cucumber. Place the tuna onto a slice of cucumber and cover with another slice to create a sandwich. 22
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Perfect Pasta: 1 California avocado 1 carrot 1 green onion 1 mango ¼ cup of red cabbage ½ tbsp. of sesame seeds 2 tbsp. of apple cider vinegar 8 oz. of elbows pasta
See you next year!
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