Fall 2022: The Alt Issue

penn appétit

penn appétit

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Randy Bach

MANAGING EDITOR

EDITORIAL STAFF

Emily Truong

Andie Goldmacher, Anushka Dasgupta, Brett Levy, Cathy Li, Corey Rudman, Emily Zhang, Haley Creighton, Hannah Kim, Helen Wu, Kristin Osika, Rebecca Jiang, Roger Ge, Talia Desai

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Monika Lee

DESIGN STAFF

Abbey Piatt Price, Alice Choi, Ani Nguyen Le, Christine Cheng, Cosette LaChance, Davis McCourt, Delia Rivera, Douglas Sandler, Elena Grajales, Elizabeth Xu, Emily Xiong, Hailie Goldsmith, Heather Shieh, Joyce He, Lucas Lee, Olivia Tang, Wei-An Jin, Yune Kim

PHOTO DIRECTOR

PHOTO STAFF

Daniel Shi

Ben Tausner, Christine Kang, Fiona Wu, Ilana Jacobs, Jasmine Young, Katherine Kim, Kristin Osika, Liliann Zou, Maggie Miller, Natalia Pallas, Paloma Gulick

DIGITAL CONTENT DIRECTOR

DIGITAL TEAM

Isabelle Lin

Alex Bardwell, Emily Liu, Cole Suplee, Connor Nakamura, Laya Yalamanchili, Man-Ching Fung, Mina Nair, Nakyung Lee, Priya Agarwal, Sarah DiPietra, Sophie Meinen, Talia Desai

CULINARY DIRECTOR

Zain Salloum

CULINARY TEAM

Anh Ngo, Annie Wang, Anya Arora, Ashrit Challa, Ben Tausner, Brigette Fuentes, Corrine Yuan, Eddie Kiev, Eesha Bhavesh Balar, Gloria Cheng, Helen Yeung, Henry Thomas McDaniel, Jad Abouchalache, Jasmine Weiss, Jason Gao, Joey Wu, Kadee Lui, Kaya Patidar, Liam Umbs, Medha Bhupen Patel, Melody Cheng, Michelle Zhang, Peyton Ronkin, Randy Bach, Ron Batra, Tate Park, Zoe Millstein

MARKETING DIRECTOR

MARKETING TEAM

Kade Shippy

Amaliya Yunusova, Anna Metzger, Emmy Keogh, I’deyah Ricketts, Isabelle Glat, Jasmine Gambhir, Katherine Kim, Kennedy Tidjani, Paloma Gulick, Redina Rapi, Rene Chen, Saskia Chermayeff

EVENTS CHAIR COMMUNICATIONS

SOCIAL IMPACT CHAIR

SOCIAL IMPACT TEAM WEBMASTER

Eitan Goodman

Sienna Chen

Qianhan Huang

Alexander Song, Esther Werbach, Sophia Lee

Vibha Makam

At three years old, hair freshly cut like Dora’s, my favorite food in the world was barbeque chicken feet. That was my order request every time my family ate dim sum, and at that young age, I didn’t care that consuming chicken feet was considered strange — I didn’t even know that people thought that.

Now, at 20, I can’t remember liking chicken feet. I don’t remember staring into the camera, mid-bite into some chicken feet, as my mom captured the photo that inspired the letter that I’m writing to you now.

And by the way, if your nose just wrinkled at the mention of chicken feet, this magazine may not be for you. Because this issue is “weird.” (Note the quotation marks.)

In this issue, we embrace “weird” and “different.” We’re big fans of candy corn, despite its quirks and rather poor reputation, and we might just convince you to try your hand at making spicy ice cream or apple pie steamed buns. We think that stinky, fermented foods deliver some of the best flavors, and we’ll even walk you through the history of these “expired” goods.

But we’re also touching on topics that might not otherwise find themselves in the spotlight, both in and outside of the food industry, such as how to make the most of your SNAP benefits, or how the ‘lunchbox moment’ can be a limiting narrative.

Overall, this issue is a celebration of unconventional food, people, and ideas. Keep reading to learn about the vast world of meatless meat, hear from Ben Puchowitz about the development of his Jewish-Asian fusion noodle bar, and discover the joy that comes with Kiki Aranita’s yarn sculptures of beloved childhood foods.

Welcome to the Alt Issue. It’s a little weird, a little quirky, and a bit unorthodox, all with a dash of satire. We’re glad to have you here.

So long, Emily Truong

BEYOND IMPOSSIBLE MEAT

KRISTIN OSIKA | OLIVIA TANG

HIDDEN IN PLAIN BITE: INSIDE PENN'S EXCLUSIVE SPEAKEASY

REBECCA JIANG | KATHERINE KIM | MONIKA LEE | DOUGLAS SANDLER

PLEASE DON'T OBNOXIOUSLY COUGH IN LECTURE (QUIZ)

HANNAH KIM | YUNE KIM

ESCARGOT? WHY NOT ESCAR-NO?

ROGER GE | ELENA GRAJALES | DELIA RIVERA

CHOOSE YOUR OWN CHICK-PATH

TALIA DESAI | ANI NGUYEN LE

FOOD, FIBER, FUN

EMILY TRUONG | JOYCE HE

FIVE QUIRKIEST RESTAURANTS IN PHILLY

ANDIE GOLDMACHER | MAGGIE MILLER | MONIKA LEE

CHEU FISHTOWN

ANDIE GOLDMACHER | RANDY BACH | LUCAS LEE

A REFRESHING ARGENTINIAN EXPERIENCE ON 45TH AND WALNUT

BRETT LEVY | RANDY BACH | HAILIE GOLDSMITH

SPICE CREAM

EMILY TRUONG | OLIVIA TANG

FANTASTIC FOODS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM

EMILY ZHANG | WEI-AN JIN

A SPITEFUL ODE TO MY YELLOW, ORANGE, AND WHITE STRIPED LOVER

HALEY CREIGHTON | KATHERINE KIM | CHRISTINE CHENG

WORTH THE WAIT?

COREY RUDMAN | KATHERINE KIM | DAVIS MCCOURT | HEATHER SHIEH

SHOP WITH SNAP

CATHY LI | NATALIA PALLAS | JOYCE HE

DON'T TRUST YOUR SENSES: EAT THE STINKY STUFF

HELEN WU | ALICE CHOI

I DON'T CARE THAT PEOPLE MADE FUN OF YOUR SCHOOL LUNCH

HANNAH KIM | DANIEL SHI | COSETTE LACHANCE

THE MENU

ALT RECIPES

NO-CHURN AVOCADO HONEYCOMB ICE CREAM

GLORIA CHENG | YUNE KIM

NOT SO CINNAMON ROLLS

KAYA PATIDAR | ANI NGUYEN LE

MUHAMMARA LEMON PASTA

ZAIN SALLOUM | COSETTE LACHANCE

APPLE PIE STEAMED BUNS

BRIGETTE FUENTES | ALICE CHOI

KABOCHA SQUASH TUMERIC TEA CAKE

ASHRIT CHALLA | WEI-AN JIN

MOCHA PIE WITH COFFEE JELLY

ASHRIT CHALLA | ALICE CHOI

PESTO ICE CREAM

ZAIN SALLOUM | CHRISTINE CHENG

BUTTER "CHICKEN" PASTA WITH RED LENTIL TOFU

KAYA PATIDAR | MONIKA LEE

Beyond Impossible Meat

DARING TO EXPLORE THE WORLD OF MEATLESS MEAT

Article by Kristin Osika

Beef Burgers

Boasting 19g of protein (comparable to a real burger!), the Impossible Burger has two main ingredients: soy protein and sunflower oil. According to the company, it is the addition of heme, an iron-containing molecule, that gives the burger its pinkish hue and meat-like flavor. Beyond Meat also manufactures a similar burger made primarily from pea protein, and Dr. Praeger’s makes a “perfect burger,” my personal favorite.

Steaks

Beyond Meat makes the perfect vegan steak tips to recreate Korean BBQ or garlic and parmesan beef. Key ingredients include wheat gluten, faba bean protein, and canola oil.

Beef Jerky

Bonus! Beyond Meat also recreated this awesome snack using mung bean protein, brown sugar, and gluten free oat fiber. Another brand, Moku, makes “jerky” from king oyster mushrooms — and it’s delicious!

Chicken

Chicken Breast

While many meat substitutes have a long ingredient list and high saturated fat content, the brand Daring prides itself on making chicken from just five ingredients: water, soy protein concentrate, sunflower oil, salt, and spices.

Chicken Nuggets

A plethora of companies are trying their hand at vegan nugs, from meat giant Tyson to stores like Whole Foods to independent brands like Jack and Annie’s. Whole Foods brand nuggets are extremely juicy and reminiscent of traditional nuggets, and another all-around crispy favorite are Impossible Foods’ nuggets.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Meat alternatives have even found their way into pantry staples: Gardein makes a chick’n noodl’ soup, which is perfect for when you are under the weather. It even boasts an impressive 13g of protein per can.

Turkey

Turkey Roast

Even vegetarians can enjoy Thanksgiving “turkey” with Quorn’s meatless substitute: the brand makes its products from mycoprotein, an ingredient it grows from scratch (woah!). Vegans beware: Quorn’s turkey roast does contain egg and milk.

Turkey Burger

Dr. Praeger’s makes a wide variety of mouth-watering veggie burgers, but their “Perfect Turk’y Burger” might be one of the best. Purees of sweet potato, butternut squash puree, and carrots combined with pea protein give this burger a rich flavor, and it boasts 20g of vegan protein and 6g of fiber.

Pork

Sausage

You would never guess that Hilary’s apple maple breakfast sausage isn’t real meat, and if you are looking for links instead of patties, Field Roast may have the widest variety of flavors. Beyond Meat sausage links are perhaps the most easily available, and a fantastic staple for any sausage-based recipe. Trader Joe’s Soy Chorizo is a go-to if you are looking for something with a bit of kick.

Pulled Pork

Ready for a twist? One of the most popular substitutes for this barbecue favorite is made by multiple brands from jackfruit, a stringy fruit from the same family as figs that originates in South Asia. Find it in most produce sections next to the tofu and seitan.

Illustrations by Olivia Tang

HIDDEN IN PLAIN BITE: INSIDE PENN'S EXCLUSIVE Speakeasy

ARTICLE BY REBECCA JIANG

Another fall in full swing at the University of Pennsylvania. As I sit on my couch scrolling through Instagram stories, my screen begins to flip through pictures of perfectly plated pasta dishes, edamame dumplings with a neatly placed location stamp on the top right — “Buddakan” — and all too familiar videos of the table display with the glare of the iPhone flashlight. It’s that time of year again. Philadelphia Restaurant Week.

Eager Penn students flock downtown to sample the city’s iconic fare and defend their self-proclaimed titles as “foodies.” But what many don’t know is that there are numerous hidden Restaurant Week spots right on Penn’s campus. The board of the Center City District has partnered with Penn to launch restaurant week menus that only students have access to at their premier, speakeasy-style restaurants. To top it off, their prices are reduced from the regular $40 pre-fixed amount that commoners must pay at other locations to a mere $17!

One lies right at the corner of 38th and

PHOTOS BY KATHERINE KIM

Locust Walk. Just walk into the large white building across from Kelly Writers’ House and you enter a puzzling lobby that at first, looks like an Amazon package pick up facility. But there’s actually a secret restaurant upstairs! Getting in requires a subtle signal to one of the receptionists below each staircase — a wink and a tap of a PennCard. Upon their approval, you can then ascend the stairs to find a gorgeous well-lit seating area with tables for any mood — round tables with a floor-to-ceiling view of the University City skyline, elevated booths that transport you to a quintessential New York City 24-hour diner, and even bar seating for those that prefer to enjoy their meal alone. But what really stands out about this venue is the food. They have a rotating menu featuring delights that are sure to top the Beli leaderboards. Where else can you find premium cuts of blackened tilapia slowroasted for 24 hours under a special lamp? Just wait until you nestle those filets next to the salad bar’s wilted mixed greens and

shredded cheddar, thoughtfully aged in the finest plastic bins from fall 2021. If you’re feeling adventurous, guests can ladle the soup du jour from mystery vats in the corner of the room. Or for a fancy touch, they offer water with notes of pineapple pulp that almost, almost tastes like Dom Pérignon.

Of course, this unique gastronomical experience would garner uncontrollable crowds if it was released to the public. To keep it a secret amongst the ones who know its true value, Penn has hired ambassadors scattered across the student body to purposefully downgrade the restaurant’s quality and spread negative word of mouth around campus. Some key phrases they frequently use to refer to it include “horrible dining plan”, “causes food poisoning”, and “I once saw a mouse run across the floor.” Don’t let these remarks fool you. They’re purely there to gatekeep a once-in-a-lifetime dining experience that you won’t want to miss!

*Include some sort of disclaimer that this is satirical so Penn doesn’t come for me

PLEASE - DON’T - COUGH - INLECTURE QUIZ

ARTICLE BY HANNAH KIM

illustrations by YUNE KIM

At the time that this article is being written, Penn is in the height of midterm season. Pret is packed, Van Pelt grows in number of students present past midnight, and the bags under students’ eyes are more prominent than the designer ones some people use as backpacks. What more could add to the stress of a student juggling all the major assignments their professors somehow coordinated to drop at the same time?

Sickness.

Speaking from someone who got COVID the day before classes started, took the full ten days to recover, then got knocked out with the flu less than two weeks later, I have gotten more acquainted with my room the past first month than I would like. This quiz is for anyone who also was miserable and surrounded by tissues and blankets during their first weeks on campus (more than one answer allowed).

THE QUIZ

1. What is the best food to eat when you have a fever or chills?

You likely have no appetite. Boohoo, you have to remember to eat without hunger pangs. Yeah, time perception is difficult if you’re just in your room, but look up in the little corner of your phone when watching Tiktoks in bed and check the time to have meals.

a. Warm plain foods

b. Spicy hot cheetos from grommons

c. $10 tiny soup from Pret

d. Orange.

2. Should you drink lots of water?

This is like the free one point you get on midterms for writing your name and Penn ID on every page.

a. True

b. False

3. Follow up to question 2: where or how can you get drinkable water on campus for free?

Disclaimer: Penn Appétit does not condone stealing.

a. Water bottle filling stations around campus

b. Any of the Houston Market drink c. sections

c. Brita

d. Bio Pond gunk

4. Best type of tea to drink when afflicted with a sore throat?

I had a sore throat for three weeks straight this semester so take my expert advice on this one.

a. Oolong

b. Anything honey based

c. Green

d. Earl grey

5. Which seasoning should you have handy when you have a sore throat?

Don’t show these answer choices to Niall’s chicken.

a. Salt

b. Cumin

c. Red pepper powder

d. Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel seasoning

6. Why is chicken noodle soup good for sickness?

Ignore the sodium warning when getting Panera’s…

a. Tastes good

b. Protein, warm broth, and veggies

c. It’s not good for sickness

d. I wish Pret sold that

ANSWERS

1. Answer: a, c, d. the Pret soup might be a little too overpriced; just go to Acme and stock up on instant soup or mac and cheese. As for oranges, there’s actually no real evidence that eating them will make you feel better or help get rid of your infection faster but either way fresh fruit doesn’t hurt!

2. Answer: true. Please hydrate. Like

more than two water bottles a day and for sure more when you’re sick.

3. Answer: a, c. Those water bottle stations are a lifesaver. As for choice B, I personally have no comment. Britas are cool, just don’t fill one with vodka because of that Tik Tok trend because it ruins the filter permanently. Choice d is a joke. I hope you got that.

4. Answer: b. Well, technically it is all of them because any tea or warm drink will feel like God himself is caressing your neck when you have a sore throat. Honey is the best, but any tea that you can scrounge from the dining halls (or PAACH) is better than nothing.

5. Answer: a. Kind of a trick question… salt is good to have because gargling with salt water helps relieve sore throats. Don’t just like, eat salt.

6. Answer: b. A is also true, and I stand by D. Chicken noodle soup has both meat and meat broth, both of which are great for helping boost your immune system and energy. Not to mention it tastes good.

RESULTS

If you got 0-2 answers right: How have you been surviving at this school. Are you okay? Genuinely asking.

If you got 3-4 answers right: Hurrah, you can mildly take care of yourself! Don’t get frat flu again.

If you got 5-6 answers right: So you’ve been sick a lot is what I’m gathering. My condolences.

ESCARGOT?

WHY NOT ESCAR-NO?

Article by Roger Ge

Illustrations by Elena Grajales

EEveryone has their go-to comfort food—something predictable, familiar, and perhaps conventional. On the other end of the spectrum, though, are foods that may come off as weird, distasteful, or perhaps even inedible. For many in the U.S., or those otherwise acquainted with a “North American” culinary tradition, these “stranger” foods may often entail insects, offal (animal innards), and even blood.

One food that for some may fall into this unfamiliar territory is the escargot—French for “snail.” As an average escargot enjoyer, it is hard for me to find them undelectable. But thinking back to my first time trying them, this common sentiment is not lost on me. It took me minutes of deliberation just to close my eyes and take a leap of faith. Indeed, a 1950s New York Times article describes a “fear complex” surrounding the ingestion of snails. On how to overcome this fear, the article urges readers to simply go for it. Edible snails are not just any odd snail snatched from whatever branch or leaf it happens to be nestled on; snails used in escargot are farmed through a process called heliciculture and go through formal steps of hygiene to end up on your plate.

Of course, part of the “fear” surrounding snails derives from the fact that it is, in fact, a snail—a

slimy slug with a shell, or worse, an agricultural pest. No less, having to quite literally use special tongs and forks to pry the snail out from its shell just to eat it adds little to its palatability for most, I’d imagine. These drawbacks are all in spite of the fact that the snail is actually quite nutritious, being a good source of protein, iron, calcium, and vitamin A, while having low-fat content. Although, this should all be taken with a grain of salt since the buttery way of preparing escargot devests it of most health benefits.

Considering all the barriers to eating snails then begs the question: why is one of the first images conjured by the word “escargot” a fine dining establishment perhaps somewhere in Paris, France? The French way of preparing and enjoying snails is commonly associated with and even accepted as an expected facet of any restaurant serving haute cuisine. Rather than besmirching the façade of some Michelin-starred restaurant with rumors of serving wretched snails, escargot has a comfortable and established slot reserved on their menus. However, the French escargot is not the only way of preparing and enjoying snails; regional variations exist and are practiced in other parts of Europe, Africa, and Asia.

With records of its ingestion tracing back some 30,000 years, snails fluctuated between being a

delicacy, described as an “elite food” in Roman times, to being relegated as a crude and desperate food for survival in harsh times. If history proves anything, the honor of being a “delicacy” is not rooted in any concrete, objective criteria. Like other aspects of culture, food gains and loses prestige depending on who prepares it and who eats it. The escargot is just one example that hints at the flimsy foundation behind what constitutes haute cuisine today. As much as I personally enjoy escargot, I cannot help but wonder why often the first association incited by “escargot” is one of sophistication, but other foods—such as fried insects—using ingredients just as provoking receive less fanfare and recognition.

Escargot represents the proof that any food can be “fancy” if society deems it to be; there is no correct way of eating, nor is there some impartial standard to what constitutes good food. With European cuisine often being at the forefront of what is considered “elite” and many other culinary traditions dismissed as mere runners-up, escargot asks us to reconsider why we reject certain foods and elevate others when they may fundamentally be the same. For now, though, it appears that escargot will remain a unique standout on the fancy menus of fine dining.

ChOOsE yOUR OwN Ch IC k-P AT h Ch IC k-P AT h

ARTICLE by T ALIA D E s AI

ILLU

s TRATIONs by ANI N g U y EN L E

The other day, as my friends and I were all chatting and making dinner, we opened our hallway-closet turned pantry and started calling out random ingredients we had in there. “Potatoes, Everything But the Bagel seasoning (of course), chickpeas —.” At that moment, my friend exclaimed, “You know, one time I made chickpea patties and they were so good!” I added, “You know, one time I made chickpea patties and they were so good!” I added, “No way! I love making crispy chickpeas.”

That got me thinking: chickpeas are one of the most versatile foods. A seemingly quiet, small food, people probably wouldn’t perceive this item as holding so much power in recipes, but in reality, you can transform this one ingredient into countless meals. It’s a great alternative to meat if you are vegetarian and a great food on its own if you just want something yummy. ChickPLEASE play this choose your own adventure

TExTURE - TAsTE

MEAL

UN-MAshED/whOLE or MAshED ChICkPEAs ?

Do you prefer swEET or savORy ?

sMOOTh or CRIsPy ?

Sweet is a swift choice! Swap out your regular all purpose flour for chickpea flour and make some cookies, brownies, cakes, and anything else you can think of. Chickpea flour brownies are so decadent, so I highly recommend. You could also try some edible chickpea cookie dough!

UN MAshED/ whOLE

So you like the texture of chickpeas? Me too! It’s the perfect bite without being too mushy or soft. Whether you want a more flavorful vibe or you are just adding in chickpeas for the texture, all of these meals are too good.

First up there’s roasted chickpea flatbread — one of my favorites — which only takes about 30 minutes in total. Toast up some pita, roast some chickpeas with paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, and whatever else you want to add, and chop up a few veggies (I love tomato and lettuce). Then just spread a thin layer of tzatziki, yogurt, or hummus on the pita and add the chickpeas and veggies and enjoy!

Next up is Chana Masala, a dish that will surely warm your soul. At home I call this Chole, but it is an Indian dish with tomatoes, onions, spices, herbs, and of course chickpeas all marinated together to form a homey curried delicacy. Third and fourth are to toss some roasted or unroasted chickpeas into your next salad and wrap. Mix and match what veggies or other items you add with the chickpeas to try different flavor profiles.

You have made it to the mashed chickpea section! I would recommend three yummy options if you don’t want the texture of whole chickpeas but do want the taste or health benefits from it.

First up is falafel. You have probably seen or ordered falafel from the Halal food trucks, but did you know it’s created with ground chickpeas? You can even try making your own by blending chickpeas, onion, parsley, garlic, and other herbs and spices together before scooping the mixture and frying or baking them. Have them in a sandwich or recreate your go-to platter from your favorite Halal food truck.

Another mashed dish you can try making is a veggie chickpea burger or fritter. Either use a masher or blend up whatever spices and herbs you like and then pan fry the chickpea burgers or fritters till they are crisp on the outside and cooked through on the inside. I usually like to eat these with a bit of tzatziki, some lettuce, tomatoes, (sometimes cucumbers), and pita bread!

Last, but certainly not least, try a blended chickpea soup! While you can definitely have soup with individual chickpeas in it, try a creamy, blended chickpea soup for a hearty, filling meal. You can even try making your own with chickpeas, garlic, olive oil, vegetable broth, onion, and spices.

sMOOTh

Chickpea is such an easy food to have in snacks.

A smooth snack is hummus! Eat with vegetables, pita, chips, and more. I love having hummus with pretzels. Within hummus there’s even more of a choose your own path you could take! You could try a lemon hummus, a spicy hummus, a garlic hummus, a chocolate hummus even… the selection is endless!

For crispy snacks, go for roasted chickpeas! Instead of adding them with ingredients to make a meal, just eat them with any variety of spices for a quick, tasty snack. There’s also snacks that come already made such as hippeas which are chickpea puffs! Just open a bag and enjoy.

Falafel Veggie burger/fritter

❒ Soup

❒ Hummus

food,fiber, fun

CHEF KIKI ARANITA CREATES YARN SCULPTURES OF CHILDHOOD SNACKS

ARTICLE BY EMILY TRUONG PHOTOS BY KIKI ARANITA

What crosses your mind when you’re out at the grocery store or gas station or nearest Wawa, scanning the snack aisle for your favorite bag of chips? The packaging, once you’ve consumed its contents, is just trash, isn’t it? Nothing too important or to pay much attention to, just something to throw away later. But to Kiki Aranita, it’s so much more.

The Philly-based fiber artist (and chef, food writer, and owner of Poi Dog) takes inspiration from food packaging — the bags, wrappers, boxes, bottles, and tins that hold our favorite snacks, sauces, and other foods — sculpting recreations of them out of yarn. If you happened to have flown in or out of Terminal B in the Philadelphia International Airport earlier this year (where her “Yarned Snacks, Sauces and Tins” series was featured in a solo exhibition), you might’ve been lucky enough to see her work in person.

A few years back, Aranita’s best friend taught her to crochet — but only how to do one stitch (the single crochet stitch, which, arguably, is one of the most versatile stitches to learn, but nonetheless, still one

stitch). Yet, her knowledge of only that one stitch hasn’t stopped her from creating her yarn sculptures: “[It’s] the only way that I know how to sculpt things.”

Toward the beginning of the pandemic, Aranita started crocheting bunnies — “like, lots and lots of bunnies.” They quickly took over her house, and she began her first series, titled “Buntheogony” — a collection of Greek gods and mythological figures in bunny form, inspired by her time in graduate school studying classics and her lifelong love of bunnies. “I know this sounds crazy,” Aranita laughs, “but it was 2020. It was, like, anything goes.”

Soon though, surrounded by brightly colored, sometimes multi-headed, sometimes slightly gory bunnies, and unable to travel or get ahold of some of her favorite snacks, Aranita shifted toward crocheting the food that she missed. “I missed a lot of food,” Aranita says. “I missed going back to my homes. You grow up with certain snacks, and you miss them, and in 2020 there was a lot of stuff you couldn’t get.”

Armed with her crochet hook and scrap bits of yarn from friends, family, and her local buy nothing group, she started creating yarned versions of the packaging of her favorite foods. Aranita’s mother was a graphic designer, and from an early age, she developed a love of packaging — the fonts, the colors, the branding. Everything about it interested her. “I think about fonts all the time,” she says. “Like, why do we look at a certain font and think, ‘Oh, wow, I love that. I identify with that’?”

Breaking down the fonts and other design elements of Spam, Maltesers, or Gin Mayo — picking apart the packaging and figuring out why and how it works — and then rendering them as fiber art fascinated her. Her yarn sculptures aren’t quite replications, though. “To me, these are 3D objects,” Aranita explains. “Sometimes I’ll get a little playful, like whenever there’s an animal on the packaging, I’ll try to make it cuter, and I’ll try to make it jump out a little bit more, only because that makes me happy.”

She found her niche here, in sculpting packaging (bottles, bags, tins, and cans) and snacks — things that have meaning, but that we often overlook. “I feel very at home making snacks,” Aranita says. “I’m sort of obsessed with childhood snacks. And not just my own childhood snacks — other people’s as well.”

Aranita grew up in Hong Kong, over 8,000 miles from my hometown of Houston,

Texas, yet there’s still so many food items in her series that were also part of my childhood — strawberry Pocky, Mochiko rice flour, Takis, even Squid brand fish sauce (though my family usually preferred the Three Crabs brand).

“Isn’t that wild?” she says when I mention that connection. “That’s why I’m so committed and interested in making these things. First of all, they’re cute and cuddly. But second of all, you’re from Houston. I grew up in Hong Kong. These are wildly different worlds, but you see something from my childhood, and you’re like, ‘Hey, that’s my childhood too.’”

There’s something so striking about her work. The nostalgia of childhood foods taking on a new life plays a factor, but the yarn sculptures are also, as Aranita puts it, unexpected. Crochet, embroidery, and fiber art in general is so often seen as a ‘grandma’ craft. When we think of sculpture, we picture

it draws you in to think about what’s going on.”

With Aranita’s art, there’s also this idea of preventing waste, of using what you have and creating something substantial from something that might otherwise be overlooked. The packaging that holds so many of our favorite snacks is meant to be thrown away. There’s no intention of longevity or even of reuse, but through fiber art, through sculpture, Aranita can give a bit more life and purpose to, and almost immortalize, what we deem trash.

ceramic. We don’t expect to see disposable food packaging outside of a grocery store or kitchen, nor do we expect to see something made of yarn as art. And: “The fiber art is cuddly,” Aranita says. “It’s cute. I think people look down on cute, sometimes. But ‘cute’ can be a really powerful message.”

She shows me a photo she took in Hong Kong of a tram painted with a cartoonish boar. It’s an official, government campaign to tell the public to not feed wild animals. But the illustrated animals aren’t scary, they’re adorable. “I’m just fascinated by this idea that ‘cute’ can convey messages,” she explains. “‘Cute’ can jump over barriers and really make people do things, in a non-threatening way.” And that’s just what she does with her art — each work is a cute representation of something you already know and love: “The cuteness draws you in, but then

“When I look at food, on the one hand, I’m like, all right. How can this connect us in terms of experiences? But also, how do we think about packaging as something more than trash? How do I take other people’s leftover yarn and turn it into something that makes people happy?” Aranita wonders. “This is all made from bits and pieces that people didn’t want, and it’s interesting, but also the limiting factor really pushes me and challenges me to make stuff — make something out of nothing.”

Plus, she adds, smiling: “You can hug it!”

“THE FIBER ART IS CUDDLY. IT’S CUTE. I THINK PEOPLE LOOK DOWN ON CUTE, SOMETIMES. BUT ‘CUTE’ CAN BE A REALLY POWERFUL MESSAGE.”

Solo Exhibition at Philadelphia International Airport, December 2021 - June 2022

Photo Credit: PHL Airport

FIVE QUIRKIEST RESTAURANTS IN PHILLY

Article

The theme of our magazine this fall is out-ofthe-box, unorthodox, and unconventional, and I can’t think of a food scene that embodies these characteristics more than Philly’s. We’re all foodies here, but I fancy myself a bit of a Philly restaurant connoisseur. My limited free time is spent researching new restaurants and trying them out myself. Now that I’ve asked you to trust me, here is my list of the top five quirkiest restaurant concepts in Philadelphia, some of which I’ve tried and the others I’m dying to try:

by Andie Goldmacher

Photos by Maggie Miller

1. Cheu Fishtown

Brisket ramen. Rabbi roll. Everything salmon handrolls. Draft whisky highballs. Everything about this restaurant is quirky in a cool way. Cheu is a noodle bar focusing on Japanese-inspired soups and small plates with a Jewish flare. Located inside an old firehouse, the exposed brick, lanterns hanging from the ceiling, and cat figurines hiding in random corners create a casual yet fun and exciting atmosphere. Everything is meant to be family-style, so come with a group and sample as many dishes as you can! The brisket ramen, rabbi roll, spicy tuna rice crackers, and land + sea roll are not to be missed. I’ve already been twice and can’t wait to go back.

3. Juana Tamale

Chef and former Top Chef contestant Jennifer Zavala, famous for her tamale pop-ups, recently opened a permanent home in South Philly that quickly became a foodie hotspot. The vibes are loud in the best way, from the bright walls to the crooked picture frames to the neon counter and chairs. The staff is super friendly, and the highlight here is the birria ramen, featuring noodles in a spicy red birria broth with a beef and cheese taco for dipping. However, you can’t go wrong with any taco or tamale on her ever-changing menu.

2. Bar Bombón

For the vegans reading this, this one’s for you! Located in Rittenhouse just steps away from the square, Bar Bombón turns classic Puerto Rican recipes into plantbased, healthier meals. All dishes are made with plantbased ingredients and all proteins come from non-GMO soy and organic grains, but Bar Bombón still stays true to classic Latin cooking by making all of their tortillas inhouse. This is a super popular spot for a margarita-filled happy hour, a casual dinner, or a nice long lunch to catch up with your friends. If someone wants to take me for chips and guac this weekend, I’m available!

4. Abe Fisher

This well-known Midtown Village spot puts a modern and experimental twist on traditional Jewish food from different cultures around the world to highlight the cultural exchange within cuisine. The space looks like an upscale ‘70s diner, with diner-style stools at the bar, leather booths, and checkered floors, with a modern twist from the dark lighting and high factory-like ceilings. The menu features everything from borscht tartare to latke fries to rye-crusted cod, but Abe Fisher’s most known for their heavenly Montreal smoked short ribs, which they sometimes run out of if you don’t call ahead. They also have special menus for the Jewish holidays, so I know where I’m getting catering from for my next Hanukkah party.

5. Middle Child Clubhouse

Everything about this newer Fishtown spot is the definition of fun and versatile. An offshoot of the famous Midtown Village sandwich shop, this modern-day diner and bar offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For breakfast you can get anything from chocolate french toast to an egg sandwich with the fluffiest mound of scrambled eggs and cheddar cheese. Clubhouse serves Middle Child’s famous Shopsin and Surfer clubs at lunch, and a robust dinner menu of small plates, clubhouse classics and their now famous cheeseburger. They serve creative drinks all day, from blueberry spritzes to seawater margaritas. Come in the morning for a life-changing breakfast sandwich and stay until the evening for a crowded dining room with blasting music and bar games like pool. There are even pictures of Beyoncé and Princess Diana in Eagles gear!

CHEU FISHTOWN

You may have read my article about the five quirkiest restaurants in Philly, but I wanted to give you a real sample of one of them: a personal favorite, Cheu Fishtown. I had the pleasure of interviewing owner and head chef Ben Puchowitz about his inspiration behind his Jewish-Asian fusion concept, how the menu is constructed, and how the restaurant got its start and expanded from South Philly to Fishtown.

Article by Andie Goldmacher Photos by Randy Bach

CHEU&A

Q: What was your biggest inspiration behind Cheu, and specifically what inspired the Jewish-Asian fusion elements?

A: We opened the first iteration of Cheu on 10th and Spruce. During that time, I was inspired by Anthony Bourdain, as well as the other Asian-fusion restaurants going on at the time, like Momofuku and Mission Chinese in San Francisco. Asian-fusion was a trendy restaurant concept at the time, and I was obsessed with eating noodles. I’m a big noodle person; I ate noodles almost every day at that point, and I’m a big fan of Asian food in general. Before Cheu, I was the head chef of Madison, a fine dining BYOB in Rittenhouse, which served a weekly five-course tasting menu that changed themes every week but skewed towards Asian-inspired themes. One

of my best friends who worked in marketing at Qdoba was working to start a business at the time, and proposed opening a restaurant together. As far as the Jewish elements of the menu, I’m Jewish. T, and the winter before the opening of Cheu, I ate at Mission Chinese for the first time. They had a special on the menu of matzo ball chicken ramen. I thought I could tweak this; I knew it worked as a soup since my grandma used to make matzo ball soup with little egg noodles, so I wanted to have a soup with a matzo ball in it. This dish sparked a lot of interest from the public.

Q: What was the process of creating the menu? Did you have to try a lot of different dishes before settling on the ones currently on the menu?

A: Cheu Fishtown is like a sequel to our first restaurant, with a lot of improvements. Cheu Fishtown has a lot more space and a bigger kitchen that can fit more people on the line. We took the main menu items from the original Cheu and expanded on those. We

Jewish-Asian Fusion

expanded some of the sections of the menu; we only had one dumpling at the original Cheu, but the menu for Cheu Fishtown has two to three. We have set classics from the original, but also riffed on new stuff. We didn’t have buns at the original Cheu, but now we have steamed pac-man buns on the menu. I like to have a structure and format for the menu, then plug in as needed. The menu always consists of something vegetarians would like that will get changed throughout the seasons, and a rice bowl dish whose toppings change for seasonal purposes. The menu changes three to four times a year, but the main core items never really change.

Q: What is the process for getting the fresh fish and other ingredients?

A: We don’t do a ton of fish, but the three main fresh fish we get in are tuna, hamachi, and salmon. We also get scallops and crab. We’ve learned from making mistakes over the years ordering-wise with different brands and purveyors. We use optimal purveyors; we use

True World for tuna, salmon and hamachi. Samuel’s is another fish company we use in tandem with True World that also delivers good products. We order produce from Baldor, which specializes in using local farms, and the system is almost like ordering from Amazon. It shows you where the food comes from in each case of produce you get.

Q: How did you guys choose the awesome firehouse that Cheu is in?

A: We have a relationship with a commercial real estate brokerage, and they send us emails and texts when they find a new, interesting space. We were looking for a new space at the time, and we got a text or

per restaurant, and about 50 between the streetery and the patio. The two restaurants in one have 110 seats, whereas Cheu on 10th had 24.

Q: What is your favorite dish on Cheu’s menu?

A: It always changes, but I had dinner at Cheu two nights ago, and I had the Loco Moco, which is a play on a Hawaiian rice bowl dish, but not an authentic version of it because we changed the elements. It has short grain rice on the bottom, a miso chicken gravy, which is a bolognese-y type sauce, and kimchi and a fried egg on top. It’s a homey, warming rice bowl dish that fills you up nicely.

email that they found a place in Fishtown, so we went and looked at it. There wasn’t much on Frankford Avenue at that point, but since we opened, everything has opened past us. There was no City Fitness, or wine bar, or Suraya. It was a good time for us to get in because rent prices were pretty cheap at that point compared to now. Now rent prices are almost double what we paid. The best part about Fishtown are all the large warehouses; there aren’t too many large restaurants in South Philly, but Fishtown is basically all warehouses and big buildings, so once rents started going up, all the warehouses and retail that lived there for the ability to drive in trucks and park and the cheap rent moved out, and restaurant concepts moved in, so it’s an awesome area to be in.

Q: How much bigger is Cheu Fishtown than the original Cheu?

When we opened in 2017, we had 35 seats, then we opened up the patio seating, which added another 25 seats. Now we have Nunu next door, which we combined with Cheu, and a streetery. There are 30 seats

BEN PUCHOWITZ

owner + head chef, Cheu Fishtown

New Classics

Sequel

EXPERIENCE ON 45TH & WALNUT

Article by Brett Levy

Photos by Randy Bach

Nestled on the corner of 45th and Walnut Street lives Jezabel’s cafe, an authentic Northwestern Argentinian hub of culture and exceptional homemade meals. This homey setting is a living and breathing community which opens its arms to welcome visitors from all over. There is no better starting point in learning about the familial influences within Jezabel’s cafe than with Jezabel herself.

Jezabel has been serving up empanadas, chimichurri sauce, and lentejas made from high-quality ingredients for years. She comes from Palpala, Jujuy, in NW Argentina and arrived in Philadelphia to go to school at the University of Pennsylvania. She took pride in her studies, as she focused on hotel management, tourism, and sustainability which proved to be essential for her future business endeavors. Her café works around the clock to serve up fresh breakfast, lunch, and dinner in an open kitchen, and even offers a studio to make and sell home goods to customers. You can eat a creamy torta de ricotta and buy an Argentinian-inspired straw chair at the same time. Who wouldn’t say yes to that?

The array of empanadas are mouthwatering to even just think about. The creamy napolitana empanada is crisply toasted with ham, cheese, and tomato nestled inside and could make a grown-man cry. Complementing that with traditional chimichurri sauce, highlighted by a node of flamy red vinegar, is an essential one-two punch to knock your taste buds off your feet. Anyone who has a sweet tooth (or who is on an anything-goes diet) should pay attention to this next part: say hello to Alfajores de Maizena, a shortbread cookie sandwich filled with dulce de leche and rolled in shredded coconut. A silky, buttery cloud of sugar clad in coconut flakes is the perfect way to end a meal at Jezabel’s as it encapsulates the sweet

and pure nature of her story and café. Working in an environmentaly and socially sustainable environment is a major pillar of Jezabel’s café. The most intriguing and special part of her café’s experience is the “If My Grandma Were to Cook for You” guest chef series. Conceived in 2019, this series consists of a guest chef cooking lunch and dinners inspired by their grandmother. Jezebel’s Café is decked out with handmade tabletops, and white walls, both distinct qualities which were present in her own grandmother’s house.

The guest chef series is an alternative way of showcasing some of her favorite chefs’ inspirations. The focus on familial influences and culture shines through in this unique dining experience which people from all the area should make a point of going to. Jezebel has produced a platform for chefs to cook something different than what they normally do for a living, commercially. Jezabel places the spatula, whisk, and knife into her guest chefs’ hands. Their ancestors wield it and teach us their influences from the past.

Article by Emily Truong

Illustrations by Olivia Tang

Spicy ice cream. That’s right.

Hey, hey — stop making that judgy face. Don’t turn the page. Spicy heat and sweet ice cream are a match made in heaven. Star crossed lovers. Soulmates. Pick your favorite cliché. They’re all true.

It sounds off-putting, I know. Why would you want to combine some mouth-burning, eye-watering, sinus-wrecking flavor with something as pure, creamy, and refreshing as ice cream? Somehow, though, adding spice to classically sweet ice cream only brings out the best of each.

If you want a more scientific answer, dairy ice cream — and just cold foods in general — are perfect pairings for spicy heat. The rumors

Hot Honey

My personal favorite spicy ice cream combo. The subtle, floral sweetness of honey already adds so much to your typical creamy vanilla ice cream, but chili-infused honey tops that off with a slightly delayed, tingly, back-ofyour-mouth heat sensation.

Tajín

If you like putting Tajín on fruit, why not try it on top of some fruity frozen treat? The mild chili, lime, and salt seasoning adds another level of flavor to something already amazing. Tajín and mango sorbet, anyone?

are true: cow’s milk is one of the best drinks to reach for when eating spicy foods. Milk contains a specific protein called casein that helps break down capsaicin (the stuff that makes spicy things taste spicy). The sugar and fat found in ice cream also helps our bodies handle spice. Even if you have a poor spice tolerance, you might still be able to enjoy spicy ice cream — as soon as you start feeling the tingly burn from the spice, the cold of the ice cream begins to soothe your tastebuds.

But if all that science talk just makes your brain melt, I’ll put it this way. Spicy ice cream is pure fun. It’s different, and surprisingly delicious. (Not to mention a bit of a flex to say that you like it.) When you add something spicy to ice cream, the heat doesn’t completely mask the cold, sweet sensation, and instead, the two flavors become layered and balance each other out. As the ice cream melts on your tongue,

Mexican Hot Chocolate

It’s truly the perfect amount of heat partnered with a deep, rich chocolate ice cream base, and all you need is some ground cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne or chili powder. Jazz it up with some marshmallows, cajeta, or dulce de leche!

Cheeto’s Flamin’ Hot

Crumble some Cheetos on top of some vanilla ice cream for a bit of crunch and contrast. It’s just like adding crumbled Oreos into ice cream, only spicier!

you’re able to enjoy the sweetness of the base flavor before being hit by the heat and having the two start to mingle. It’s so addicting.

Don’t tell me you’re not intrigued by now. Spicy ice cream doesn’t have to be your new go-to treat, but it’s totally worth a try. Believe it or not, spicy ice cream is a bit difficult to find at your local grocery store (or even your local artisan ice cream shop), but it’s no matter. It’s easy to DIY, and you can make your own flavor combos and control the amount of kick you prefer.

Chili Oil

Drizzle a bit of your favorite chili oil — or even some chili crisp! — on top of your ice cream. Now imagine it with some sesame ice cream… Absolutely magical.

(Any) Hot Sauce

Got a special bottle of hot sauce lying around that you’re not quite sure what else to do with? Ditch your usual caramel or fudge sauce and try drizzling some of your favorite hot sauce onto some vanilla ice cream. Bonus points for fruit-flavored sauces like pineapple habanero.

article by Emily Zhang illustrations by Wei-An Jin

Fantastic Foods and Where to Find Them

FROM FICTIONAL CONCOCTIONS TO MYTHICAL DELICACIES, THE REALMS OF literature and media have featured countless foods that can only be found in the stories they belong in. So while our beloved characters are free to enjoy these unique foods, we are left to merely taste between the lines and through the screen.

Now if you’re on the hunt for some dishes beyond reality, here are some fantastic foods, and where to find them in our world — if possible.

01. GREEN EGGS & HAM

Do you like green eggs and ham? You can not have them, they exist not in this land! A vibrant green yolk in a sunny-side up fried egg accompanied by ham of the same shade, this wellknown dish can only be found on the pages of Dr. Seuss’s 1960 children’s book, “Green Eggs and Ham” — and in the minds of those who have read it.

If you are on the search for some real life green eggs and ham, I must unfortunately inform you that unless you are in the mood for some rotten eggs and moldy ham, the food can not be found in this realm. Now, if you are just aiming for the aesthetic, my suggestion is to add some blended spinach or pesto to the egg yolk to achieve that green egg look. As for the ham, rub some green food coloring on it or something. Not sure how you can make that naturally…

02. KRABBY PATTY

Deep into Bikini Bottom sits the restaurant Krusty Krab, home to its signature Krabby Patty — made by SpongeBob SquarePants himself! Oh, but you fancy yourself a real taste? Unfortunately, the veggie burger patty’s recipe is kept top secret, and little is known about the secret sauce that makes it so unexpectedly appetizing.

To create the Krabby Patty, you will need a sesame bun, tomato, onion, condiments, and the secret Krabby Patty and sauce. Sure, you can use a regular old veggie burger patty, but it’s not the same. No one knows what’s in the secret patty and sauce. You’ll never taste it. Move on. There you have it — a fake Krabby Patty in the form of a regular old burger.

04.

BUTTERBEER

Butterbeer In the wizarding world of Harry Potter, there’s no concoction as tasty as a glass of butterbeer. A slightly alcoholic drink with a creamy and bubbly taste, butterbeer is made out of butterscotch, beer or rum, sugar, and water. Furthermore, the magical drink can be served both hot and cold.

If this were Harry Potter’s world, butterbeer can be found at select locations in Hogsmeade, and at the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley. In the real world, your best bet is going to Universal Studios. Well, if you really wanted to make it yourself, I suppose you could — mix in some vanilla ice cream, cream soda and top it with butterscotch ice cream and whipped cream. A sweet overload if you ask me…

03. RATATOUILLE

Ratatouille made by a rat… Remy the rat, to be exact. A traditional French dish, ratatouille is a french stew consisting of a variety of vegetables, typically eggplant, bell peppers, tomatoes, onions and garlic. Ratatouille. What an interesting movie title for the 2007 Pixar animation featuring a rat making ratatouille by holding on the hairs of our main character — ironically named Linguini.

Lucky for you, ratatouille is a real dish — something to look out for on your travels if you want. Ratatouille made by Remi is a different story. If you really want to eat ratatouille made by a literal rat — first of all, ew — I suggest that you turn to Penn’s BE Labs. Perhaps they can find a way to control rat movement through

05.

EVERLASTING GOBSTOPPER

Everlasting Gobstopper A product of Willy Wonka’s ingenuity and creativity, the everlasting gobstopper changes flavor and color when sucked on, yet never gets smaller. Rumor has it that an Oompa Loompa has been sucking on one for over a year! This delicious jawbreaker is undoubtedly a popular candy treat among children in Roald Dahl’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”

As a matter of fact, children around the world can enjoy the everlasting gobstopper just like those in the book and movie adaptations. The candy is now sold by Nestlé, who acquired the Willy Wonka Candy Company that originally sold it. Here’s a side note though — the real-life everlasting gobstopper is nowhere near

Although we remain in the real world, the foods of our wild est and most magical imaginations exist somewhere out there. As we divulge in the last pages of a book or binge the last scenes of a movie, these fantastic foods come alive, in our very own minds… It’s just a matter of where to find them!

A Spiteful Ode To My Yellow, Orange, and WhiteStriped Lover

Oh candy corn, oh candy corn, There are so many nauseating problems with you But there are also oh so many reasons Why I adore your sickly sweetness, too.

—Spiteful Lover of Candy Corn, Haley Creighton

ARTICLE By Haley Creighton

Photo by Katherine Kim

Illustrations by Christine Cheng

Candy corn.

You are perhaps the most controversial candy in existence, aside from Almond Joys and Mounds, which people only like if they are elderly or if they hit their head when they were younger. People want to kiss you, or they want to kill you.

As for me, I love and hate you. Hate is a strong word, I take that back — I love and am a very tasteful critic of your flaws.

Candy corn, you are so weird. In a single sentence, you are a food-coloring-soaked triangle of wax that tastes like dried-up fondant. You don’t sound super appetizing, and to a lot of people, you aren’t. Sometimes, you’re not appetizing even to me, a devotee! Absurd, isn’t it? But the thing is, that simple description simply can’t capture all you are, with your hordes of flaws and your hidden merits.

Your flaws — they are many. And I mean it. You make people want to barf after eating just three pieces, each the size of a wicked witch’s fingernail and just as yellowed. You turn tongues a concerning shade of pink even though you’re orange, yellow, and white. Your chemical food coloring destroys any nutrients you might have otherwise had, so you’re basically sweet poison, and the gelatin in you is made from the tendons, ligaments, and bones of I don’t even know what animals, which I just found out two weeks ago and am still adamantly refusing to process.

On top of all of this, your hard outer coating apparently comes from bright red lac bugs, so you are essentially a capsule of decomposing matter. A shell

encasing bones and tendons and sugar and poison — delicious! Every day, I wonder whether I should ever even think of purchasing another bag of you from Acme again. It becomes harder to return to you every day.

However, as humans, we tend to focus first on the negatives. It is not fair to only shine light on what is nasty and gross and sus (very, very sus) about you, without examining your beautiful qualities as well. Or, as they say, I’m sure you have

rehabilitation can solve. And we can’t forget the way your appearance heralds the coming of fall: as soon as you appear at CVS, the air begins to chill, Halloween decorations appear pasted in storefront windows, and everyone, as if under some strange collective spell, begins to complain that pumpkin spice lattes are basic. You simply have that magic that calls forth the changing of seasons. When I see you, I think of apple picking and haunted hayrides, of sitting on a scratchy rectangle of hay back on a Massachusetts farm, clutching a bag of you protectively in my fist while my sisters stuff you furiously in their mouths next to me. You are the food that connects my sisters and I together. You carry the sweetest memories for me. (Get it, sweet See what I did there? All right, I’ll stop).

a good personality, so I can get past your looks.

Take your intriguing, sensual texture. Some call it “chalk-like”; I call it “somewhere-vaguelybetween-chewy-and-crumbly”, perfect for sinking teeth into. It’s comforting in some way, cutting through the lines between orange and yellow and white, just so satisfying when you get it exactly right. Then there’s your boldly sweet taste: too strong for people who can’t hold their sugar, but just right for me, someone with a raging sweet tooth and a dangerously soaring sugar tolerance that has landed me in a severe sugar addiction no

In all, composing this ode to you has both increased my ardent adoration for your sugary inner beauty and heightened my (somewhat) reluctant disgust. But, as they say, there is a fine line between love and hate. I truly love you, candy corn, for all the magical memories and dangerous sugar highs you bring me; and I feel like violently vomiting each time I think about what you are and what I am willingly consuming.

With Passion and Disgust, Your Spiteful Lover, Haley

“I truly love you, candy corn, for all the magical memories and dangerous sugar highs you bring me; and I feel like violently vomiting each time I think about what you are and what I am willingly consuming.”

WORTH THE WAIT?

Article by Corey Rudman

Photos by Katherine Kim

Asmell begins wafting toward your nose as you pull the fridge door open. Your eyes begin to water as you grab the various fruit, vegetable, meat product, or drink that has begun the process of turning. Whether it may be covered in fuzzy white or yellow mold, has lumps of curtled culture suspended in the bottle, or has turned a color that is far from optimal, you move quickly to the trash with the item in hand and throw it away without a second thought.

We become frustrated with ourselves for not having consumed the various foods quicker, before it passes its fated expiration date. However, almost in a hypocritical way, when going grocery shopping there are a plethora of foods where we look for food way past its expiration date. From cheese, to wine, to fermented foods, to dry aged meats, the longer the food has sat and, almost lacking a better word, expired, the more desirable and expensive the food becomes. This article will dive into the world of “expired” foods and the mysterious way time changes the taste and monetary values of goods.

The lore of fermentation and aging dates all the way back to 7000 BCE, when it is said that a woman was banished by the king of Persia. In a distraught state she attempted to take her own life by drinking liquid from a barrel of expired grapes that was deemed poisonous. However, instead of death, she experienced intoxication. Similarly, there are other wives’ tales about the creation of other matured foods, such as the legend of the invention of blue cheese, which goes as such: a French shepherd in the 1600s became distracted by a beautiful woman, and in chasing after her he left his lunch of bread and cheese behind. Upon returning to the cave months later he discovered the cheese had become moldy with penicillium roqueforti, a fungi that is found in many “expired” foods, and thus blue cheese found its origins. While amusing and seemingly ridiculous in nature, these tales tell of the origins of an important

invention to the world of food: aging

While all these stories begin with food being left or forgotten and, often by chance, being eaten after months just for the brave taste tester to discover the food tastes better than it did before, what’s left behind are stories of chance, the process behind aging foods is in fact a real science. Using the two examples as mentioned before, cheese and wine, there are intense, molecular changes that cause for the food to become an amazing delicacy. For cheese, it has to do with the enzymes and microbes inside the milk culture that break down the milk fats and proteins into a complex mix of fatty and amino acids, while for wine it has to do with the tannins in the wine undergoing polymerization, which binds them into long chains, which causes them to lose their ability to bind with other compounds.

The question now arises: Why are some things aged longer than others? The answer is very simple. Some foods have longer shelf lives than others and can endure and remain “fresh” for longer than others. When comparing something like blue cheese to steak, within the realm of aging, sometimes longer isn’t better. Traditionally, blue cheese is only aged for around two to three months, while most white or red wines you see in the grocery store are aged for around one to two years. That being said, when it comes to beef, there is quite a bit of controversy over how long a “good” steak needs to be aged for. A food writer at Vogue conducted an experiment in which they called 100 of the best steakhouses in the United States, and discovered that of those 100, only three of them were aging their steaks over two weeks. However, in many of the top steakhouses and restaurants in Europe, the minimum they will age their steaks is 55 days. While this may seem the difference between a few weeks, and thus a little amount of time, with meat, and especially with expensive cuts of steak such as a ribeye or filet mignon, the difference of

a day can turn a beautifully aged steak into a rancid piece of meat. When it comes to the aging process, it is very subjective to the person who is aging the meat, with all of them having a specific time to age the good, with some even having it down to the minute and second, and thus the question posed above must be understood as one that is very subject to change as you move from one master ager to another.

Finally, one may ask: How can one attribute a monetary price or value to these goods? Often, the longer something sits the more expensive it becomes. This can most easily be attributed to the fact that more resources were put into it: it had to sit for X amount of days, months, or years taking up space that could have been filled with something else, it needs to be maintained constantly, it needs to constantly be observed my specialists who ensure it is aging correctly and safely, etc. When a luxury wine company, for example, decides to age a new barrel of grapes, they are making a huge investment of five, ten, twenty, even fifty years, with the idea that it will sell then. That is why many of the cheeses, steaks, wines, and other aged goods you see in the store are at most aged for five years. Something with that big a risk is not something most companies are willing or financially able to do. That is why the prices of the extremely aged goods are so high. Companies willing to take this gamble have invested countless time, money, energy, and other resources to create a product, and this reflects very heavily in the price on the label.

While these “expired” goods came from simple origins of conidncdece, they have become luxury goods that are extremely sought after. In thinking about this, maybe, backwards way of looking at aged goods, one can learn a lot about the history of this industry —how long these foods are allowed to sit, and the monetary connotations that have become associated with these goods.

Article by Cathy Li

Photos by Natalia Pallas

A comprehensive guide to the ust ran out of dining dollars? No problem. Close Postmates, delete it even.

SNAP SHOP WITH Supplemental

Who is eligible for SNAP?

Put simply, SNAP offers up to $250 a month of grocery assistance redeemable through EBT ACCESS Card. To apply, I recommend accessing the form through COMPASS, the application on Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services webpage (though you can also apply through mail and in person, more information on the website). The criteria stated is the following:

“The student is eligible to participate in work study as determined by their school. Under regular SNAP rules:

Only students who participate in work study are eligible. But, since many of these jobs are not available now, students must simply be eligible for work study,

JSNAP, otherwise known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, is available in Pennsylvania to help eligible students obtain more nutritious diets from grocery stores and supermarkets. Eligible students can do so with Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) ACCESS Card for food purchases.

As a student attending Penn under financial aid and scholarships, I am eligible for SNAP. Yet I only found out this year that this program offered groceries and food assistance to college students. The application process was even less intuitive, so here is a comprehensive guide to help any students curious about receiving benefits under SNAP.

The student has an expected family contribution (EFC) of $0 in the current academic year. (Your EFC can be found on your student aid report.) Note: students receiving the maximum Pell grant have an EFC of $0.”

There are small exceptions to what is listed above, so it is suggested to contact the department for any questions to determine eligibility.

Nutrition Assistance Program

What does SNAP cover?

SNAP benefits can be redeemed in store through ACCESS card if the item fits within these categories:

1. Vegetables or fruits

2. Dairy products

3. Meat, poultry, or fish

4. Breads or cereals.

Note that SNAP benefits are very specific to food that can constitute as a meal, hence their goal of feeding more nutritious meals to those who are SNAP-eligible. This means that most instant foods and pre-prepared or pre-cooked foods are off the table. Most importantly, I recommend stocking up on some non-perishables, or food with a longer shelf date. Luckily, pasta, rice and tortillas are eligible for SNAP, and are quick to make into a meal when you are in a time crunch. Another fascinating tidbit: Target, Walmart and adjacent stores also are EBT-eligible for benefits.

What I wish I knew before applying

If you are a student struggling with food insecurity, or are interested in looking at SNAP, I would highly recommend you begin the process as soon as possible. In addition, as a backup, food banks like Feeding America’s Philabundance in Philadelphia could be a helpful resource. If you or if you know someone in which food is a concern, I would recommend utilizing campus resources to make sure they don’t go hungry.

Snail mail. If you live on campus, you know that receiving paper mail is the most cumbersome thing in the world — the time frame from Residential Services receiving the mail, sorting it, and then sending that notification email to you can be quite the process. My strongest word of advice is to apply to SNAP online to quicken processing times. I would be extra diligent with emailing the Mail and Package Room services in your residence, especially if your mailing addrexss is different from your living address. For example, I live in Gregory, and the fact that all my mail was getting sent and resent and then resorted to Harnwell makes the process even more infuriating. It is a good rule of thumb to watch out for your mail regardless, but I would have a keen eye on your mail especially if you are in a dire situation. Get ahead of the curve: the bureaucratic work within Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Resources can take a while. While I was eventually deemed eligible for benefits, there was a letter mailed to me prior stating I wasn’t eligible for expedited benefits, which was quite

confusing when I received my final information packet determining my eligibility. Eventually, what you should receive is a large packet with the front sheeter being information needed to check your application status online for your benefits, given that you are deemed eligible to receive them. Then, you can proceed knowing your benefits can be processed to an EBT card, which hopefully should be mailed to you.

The process from my end was quite frustrating, but I am fortunate enough to be in a place where I can sit and sort through the paperwork. Other students struggling with food insecurity do not always have that privilege unfortunately.

Lastly, before you research the recipes you can cook now with your purchased groceries (SNAP also has a website in which nutritious and easy meal recipes are available) keep in mind that the mailed EBT card will also take a while to arrive. Unless you are considered eligible for expedited benefits (in which you can receive your benefits around 7 business days) the typical wait type is no later than 30 days after completing your online application.

Don’t Trust Your Senses: Eat the Stinky Stuff

ARTICLE By Helen Wu

Pleasant, in. Stinky, out. That’s how most people tend to think about things that have an obvious scent, whether it’s romantic partners, laundry detergent, or food.

Given this obvious rule of life, stinky food presents a clear conundrum. Your nose tells you it’s smelly, so you walk towards the garbage can…but NO! It’s not rotten, you fool. Shove it in your mouth instead. Your taste buds, gut microbiome, and the whole Penn Appétit editorial team will thank you.

Why shy away from glorious foodstuffs like kimchi, stinky tofu, blue cheese, or natto? To let you in a little secret, they’re not spoiled, they’re F-E-R-M-E-N-T-E-D. It’s the culinary universe’s way of letting food chill out for long periods of time in controlled environments, in order to produce FLAVORRRRR.

Illustrations by Alice choi

Oh, but it’s smelly? Oh, it might be spoiled? Let’s dig a little deeper into the science for you, you little pragmatist.

Many stinky foods are fermented, meaning that they undergo chemical reactions that lead to the release of odorous gas (I know, I sound really smart right now).

That sounds like rotting, TBH. Well, you’re actually wrong. Some fermented foods, such as sauerkraut and kimchi, are produced in anaerobic environments, making it impossible for them to rot. This is because microbes require oxygen to decompose organic matter. Have you ever taken a STEM class?!!

I still can’t stand the smell! Just eat it, goddamnit! Your brain perceives the aroma molecules from stinky foods differently when you ingest them rather than sniff them. Although smelling some stinky blue cheese might disgust you, the same

molecules consumed produce a pleasant taste sensation when reabsorbed through the back of your nose, in a process known as backwards smelling.

I wish I could describe the raucous delight of holding a freshly fried piece of stinky tofu up to your nose, catching a whiff of the sour fermented tinge that opens your sinuses, then unabashedly sinking your canines into the crispy flesh of the tofu. In the immediate seconds after the bite, your mild skepticism transforms into a relenting satisfaction as you’re rightfully rewarded by a delicious umami and savory flavor that only stinky fermented tofu can impart. Unlike regular tofu which needs marinades and seasonings to become delectable, the flavor is inherent in this one. Imagine– why else would stinky tofu in Taiwan or durian in Southeast Asia have such massive cult followings???

Stinky foods are also better for you. No, I am not lying to prank you into trying natto. Fermented foods contain a lot of probiotics, which promote better gut health, thus making you happier, thus allowing you to live a fuller life by developing better relationships and getting better grades. It’s a game changer. The fermentation process also makes food easier to digest by breaking down some starches and sugars, as well as increasing the availability of nutrients present in the ingredients. Et voilà! And trust me, your gut will thank you.

Some might say that stinky food is an acquired taste, and they’re not wrong. But if you will open your mind to trying stinky food, it can offer you pure deliciousness, better health, and only slightly compromised breath.

“

In the immediate seconds after the bite, your mild skepticism transforms into a relenting satisfaction...

MADE FUN I DON’T CARE THAT PEOPLE of

SCHOOL your LUNCH

Article by Hannah Kim

Photo by Daniel Shi

As children of immigrants, the main and easiest way to stay connected to the culture of the mother country is food. There are always memories associated with specific spices and dishes, and the phrase “homecooked meal” does not just stand for the warmth of home, but the reconnection to our culture, both in the large scale as an ethnicity and also how our family interprets that culture in the U.S. So I understand why being made fun of for what your mom packed you for lunch in elementary and middle school is such a changing experience for many. This isn’t just food, it’s a representation of family and love.

But to reiterate the title, I don’t care. Okay, there’s some hyperbole in there. There is a lot to be said about growing up as a person of color who is second generation (or first, or one and a half) immigrant, but that’s exactly it. We as a community need to stop bringing this incident up every time we discuss racism or xenophobia we’ve faced. It was effective 10 years ago when Asian American representation was starting to grow, but now, in a world that is growing to accept

more and more cuisines, in a world where the discourse regarding the Asian American — or any immigrant — experience is much, much more nuanced, there also needs to be change in our points.

experience. The same way Asian representation in entertainment becomes shoehorned in stereotypes and even attempts to address racism that do not hold the deepness we know exists, using this example only makes racism seem shallow. Using simple examples like these make it seem like racism is an issue that can easily be recognized and stopped, when usually the case is not.

In the year 2022, racism is not a concept that’s said in hushed voices anymore. The community that listens and cares about the immigrant experience knows what it is and how nuanced it can be. So why are we still bringing up blatant examples like being made fun of at lunch? Yes, it is an example and I will not deny that. Whatever you felt and what happened is valid and absolutely should not be normalized, but this is not the only

As someone who grew up in a predominately white town in the Northeast, the racism that has consequence is not eight year olds making fun of my lunch. The real racism lies in less tangible explanations and examples, the feeling of always needing to do twice as much, the expectations that lie constant on your back, the remarks that aren’t racist per se, but “other” you either way. We need to move on from obvious examples. We know. They know. Kids being more tolerant of different foods does not eliminate how deep racism and stereotypes can run.

I beg. Your cuisine does not exist so you can avoid going in depth about the real realities of racism. Please stop using your food, your lunch, as the core for examples of racism just because it is the easiest to discuss.

The real racism lies in less tangible explanations and examples, the feeling of always needing to do twice as much, the expectations that lie constant on your back, the remarks that aren’t racist per se, but “other” you either way.

ALT RECIPES

RECIPE BY GLORIA CHENG

ILLUSTRATIONS BY YUNE KIM

prep time: 30 minutes

wait time: 4 hours - overnight

•

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 large and ripe avocado

Honeycomb

Nata jelly

INGREDIENTS: RECIPE:

Peel, deseed, and mash the avocado into a purée.

Combine the mashed avocado and sweetened condensed in a mixing bowl. In another large mixing bowl, whip cold heavy cream until stiff peaks form.

Gently fold the avocado-condensed mixture into the whipped cream.

Crumble honeycomb and fold it into the mixture.

Pour mixture into an air-tight container and wrap in plastic.

Freeze for at least 4 hours or until solid.

Serve with nata jelly.

yIELD: 12 buns

PREP TIME: 30 minutes

COOk TIME: 30 minutes

wAIT TIME: 7 hours

FOR ThE DOUgh:

• ½cupwholemilk

• ½cupwater

• 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)

• 2tbspsugar

• 4tbspunsaltedbutter,melted

• 1largeeggyolk

• 2¾cupsallpurposeflour

• 1tspsalt

FOR ThE FILLINg:

• 5slicesbacon

• 2tbspallpurposeflour

FOR ThE FILLINg:

1. Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until browned and crisp

2. Transfer bacon to small bowl and crumble into small pieces

3. Leave 1 tbsp bacon fat in the skillet and whisk in the flour, cooking until light brown (about 1 minute), whisking constantly

4. Slowly whisk in the milk and continue whisking until thickened

5. Transfer to medium bowl, add egg yolk, parmesan cheese, bacon crumbs, ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper and stir to combine

FOR ThE DOUgh:

1. Warm the milk and water over low heat until reaches 100 degrees F

• 1largeeggyolk

• 1cupshreddedorthinlysliced parmesancheese

• ½tspSalt

• ½tspgroundblackpepper

• 2tbspunsaltedbutter,softened

TOPPINg:

• 2tbspgratedparmesan

• ¼cupmaplesyrup

and remove from heat

2. Sprinkle yeast over milk, stir gently and set aside until foamy

3. Whisk in butter and egg yolk

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. Make a well in the center and stir in yeast mixture until a sticky dough forms

5. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth

6. Place dough in greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about 1-1 ½ hours)

7. Turn dough onto surface and knead to release air

8. Place dough back in bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight

9. Turn dough out onto floured

surface and roll into a 10x18 rectangle

10. Spread filling evenly over the dough and roll the dough up into a tight roll

11. Cut rolls every 1 ½ inches and place buns into buttered 9x13 baking pan 1 inch apart

12. Cover the buns with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about 1 ½ hours to 2 hours)

13. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and remove plastic wrap. Bake the buns until golden brown; about 25 to 30 minutes. Let the buns cool for 10 minutes

1. Evenly pour maple syrup over the buns and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese

RECIPE by kaya PATIDAR ILLUsTRATIONs by ANI NgUyEN LE

RECIPE BY ZAIN SALLOUM ILLUSTRATIONS BY COSETTE LACHANCE

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Total time: 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 16 oz pasta of choice

• 5 oz roasted red peppers

• 1 cup walnuts

• 1/2 tsp cumin

• 1/2 salt

• 1 lemon, juiced and zested

• Pomegranate seeds for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Put a large pot of water to boil and add a generous amount of salt.

2. In a food processor, add the rest of the ingredients together until the walnuts are fully broken down, and the mixture looks smooth and glossy.

3. Toss the pasta into the boiling water, and cook according to package directions.

4. Drain the pasta, and add the lemon zest while the pasta is still hot to stimulate the release of oils.

5. Add the muhammara “sauce” and toss to coat the pasta.

6. Add pomegranate seeds as a final garnish, and serve!

Apple Pie Steamed Buns

Recipe by Brigette Fuentes

Illustrations by Alice Choi

Ingredients

For the buns:

• 180 g all purpose flour

• 1 tsp instant yeast

• 30 g sugar

• 1 tsp cooking oil

• ½ tsp salt

• 100 ml milk

For the apple pie filling:

• 3 apples

• ¼ cup sugar

• 2 tbsp water

• 2 tbsp butter

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1 tbsp cornstarch

DirectiOns

For the apple pie filling:

1. Chop apples into small cubes

2. Melt butter on low heat and add cinnamon

3. Add the chopped apples, sugar, and water into the pan

4. Cover with lid and stir every 3 minutes until apples are soft

5. Combine cornstarch and water in a separate bowl and slowly add into the pan

6. Stir until filling is thickened and apples are soft

7. Let cool

For the buns:

1. Combine flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in a bowl

2. Add in the oil and milk

3. Mix until somewhat combined and let rest for 15 minutes

4. Knead the dough until smooth (if the dough is too tough to knead, allow it to rest for a few minutes and then come back to knead)

5. Divide the dough into 6 portions

6. Cover and let the dough rest for 15 minutes

Adding the filling:

1. Use your thumb to press into the dough and widen the center to make space for the filling

2. Place a generous amount of the apple pie filling into the center of the dough, and pinch together the edges at the top to close the bun

Yield: 6 steamed buns

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Wait time: 1.5 hour

Proofing the buns:

1. Let the buns proof in a warm place for 1 hour (or as long as needed to increase by 50%)

Steaming the buns:

1. Steam the buns on medium heat for 10-15 minutes

2. Turn off the heat and let the buns cool for 5 minutes (keep the lid on to prevent wrinkling)

INGREDIENTS:

Ingredients for Tea Cake Ingredients for Whipped Cream

• 1 cup mashed cooked kabocha squash

• 1 cup pepitas

• 1 ½ cups AP flour

• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder

• ¾ teaspoon Diamond Kosher kosher salt

• 1 ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice OR ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon and nutmeg with ¼ teaspoon ground allspice

• 2 room temperature large eggs

• 1 tablespoons maple syrup

• 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

• ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons sugar

½ cup virgin coconut oil

DIRECTIONS:

Mashed Cooked Kabocha Squash

1. Poke holes into the squash and place on a tin foil-lined baking sheet.

2. Preheat the oven to 425.

3. Roast the squash for about 90 minutes.

4. Remove from the oven and strip off the skin.

5. Use a spoon to scrape out the squash into a bowl and mash until thick but stirrable.

Lemon Whipped Cream

1. Pour whipping cream into a bowl along with the juice and the sugar.

2. Begin whisking (or, if using an electric mixer, mixing) the cream together.

3. Mix until the cream forms soft peaks, about 10 minutes.

4. Serve as dollops upon a slice of tea cake OR refrigerate until time to use.

• 2 ½ teaspoons lemon juice

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

Tea Cake

1. Line a 5” x 9” loaf tin with parchment paper, making sure that there are overhangs on the longer ends (use coconut oil to grease the sides and the bottom).

2. Preheat the oven to 350.

3. Spread the pepitas on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven for about 5 to 7 minutes, shaking them halfway through (pepitas should pop and be fragrant).

4. Mix the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, turmeric powder, salt, and spice mix) together in a large bowl.

5. Whisk together the eggs in a large bowl to break apart the whites and yolks.

6. To the whisked eggs, add the maple syrup, vanilla extract, and ¾ cups of the sugar. Mix until smooth, then slowly stream in the coconut oil.

7. Add the mashed squash and mix until as smooth as possible (a few lumps are ok).

8. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients by making a pool in the dry mix, pouring in the wet mix, and folding together.

9. Fold in the roasted pepitas.

10. Pour the batter into the lined loaf tin and sprinkle the remaining sugar on top.

11. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes (until a toothpick inserted comes out clean) and let rest for 20 more minutes after removing from the oven.

12. Use a knife to cut the tea cake from the insides of the pan and use the parchment overhangs to lift out the tea cake.

--------------- RECIPE BY ASHRIT CHALLA ILLUSTRATIONS BY WEI-AN JIN

Mocha Pie with Coffee Jelly

Recipe by Ashrit Challa

Illustration by Alice Choi

Yield: 1 9-inch pie (6 to 8 servings)

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Total time: 7 hours

INGREDIENTS

For the Coffee Jelly:

• ½ tablespoon unflavored gelatin powder

• 3 tablespoons water

• 1 cup brewed strong coffee OR 1 can Starbucks unsweetened nitro iced coffee

• 1 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar

For the Coffee Graham Cracker

Crust:

• 1 ½cups crushed graham crackers (fine crumbs)

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

• 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules

• 6 tablespoons melted butter

For the Pie Filling:

• 16 ounces cream cheese

• 2 large eggs

• ¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt

• ½ cup granulated sugar

• ¼ cup cocoa powder

DIRECTIONS

For the Coffee Jelly:

1. Combine the gelatin powder and water together in a small bowl.

2. In a saucepan over medium heat, mix together the coffee and the sugar and bring to a boil.

3. Remove from the heat and stir in the gelatin-water mixture and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes.

4. Pour the mixture into a shallow/square baking dish and refrigerate to set, for about five hours.

5. Remove from the refrigerator and cut into small cubes.

6. Store in an airtight container for up to two days to be served on top of pie.

For the Pie Crust:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and instant coffee granules until well combined.

3. Slowly stream in the melted butter and stir until the mixture is crumbly but sticks together when squeezed.

4. Press into the bottom and sides of a greased/sprayed 9-inch pie tin.

5. Bake the crust for about five minutes.

For the Tea Cake:

1. In a large-sized bowl, mix together the cream cheese, eggs, and salt until the mixture is smooth.

2. Add the sugar and continue to beat until the sugar is well incorporated and dissolved in the mixture.

3. Separate the mixture into two halves; set aside one half, and fold the cocoa powder into the other half.

4. Using two spoons, randomly add dollops of each mixture to the parbaked pie crust.

5. Use a toothpick or small knife to swirl the top of the pie filling before placing in the oven.

6. Let the pie back for about 30 to 35 minutes, just until the center has baked.

7. Remove the pie from the oven and let cool.

8. Serve each slice with a spoonful of coffee jelly cubes on top.

Pesto Ice Cream

Pesto Ice Cream

Yield: 1 quart ice cream

Prep time: 4 hours

Cook time: 60 minutes

Wait Time: 4 hours

RECIPE By Zain Salloum

IllustratION by Christine Cheng

INGREDIENTS Ingredients

Ingredients for Basil Ice Cream:

• 1 1/3 cups heavy cream

• 2/3 cup whole milk

• 4 egg yolks

• 100 g (1/2 cup) white granulated sugar

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 cup basil, washed and dried

Ingredients for Candied Pignoli Nuts:

• 1 cup pignoli nuts

• 100 g sugar

• 1/4 cup water

Candied Pignoli Nuts:

Ingredients for Parmesan Ice Cream:

• 1 1/3 cups heavy cream

• 2/3 cup whole milk

• 4 egg yolks

• 100 g (1/2 cup) white granulated sugar

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions DIRECTIONS

Parmesan Ice Cream:

1. Preheat the oven to 250°F. Mix the sugar and water in a saucepan over low heat, and stir only until the sugar dissolves. Let syrup boil until thickened, about 5 minutes. Put the nuts in a bowl, pour the syrup over, and mix.

Spread the nuts on a baking tray and bake them in the oven until the syrup has dried, about 30 minutes.

Basil Ice Cream:

Heat the milk and cream together in a saucepan over low heat.

Massage the sugar and salt with the basil to extract the basil oils.

Whisk the basil/sugar mixture together with the egg yolks until pale yellow/green.

Once the milk/cream mixture is hot, pour it over the egg yolk mixture, stirring constantly to avoid scrambling.

Blend the mixture to process the basil leaves, and strain out any solids (or leave them in!)

Cook in a saucepan over low heat until the mixture has thickened and covers the back of a spoon.

Transfer the mixture into a bowl and refrigerate until cold, about 3 hours.

Churn according to manufacturer, or freeze in the freezer, mixing the ice cream every 30 minutes to prevent ice formation.

1. Heat the milk and cream together in a saucepan over low heat.

2. Whisk the sugar and salt together with the egg yolks until pale yellow.

3. Once the milk/cream mixture is hot, pour it over the egg yolk mixture, stirring constantly to avoid scrambling.

4. Cook in a saucepan over low heat until the mixture has thickened and covers the back of a spoon.

5. Transfer the mixture into a bowl and refrigerate until cold, about 3 hours.

6. Churn according to manufacturer, or freeze in the freezer, mixing the ice cream every 30 minutes to prevent ice formation.

7. Mix in grated parmesan once the ice cream has finished churning or its initial freezing.

Final Assembly:

1. Gently fold the pignoli nuts into the basil and parmesan ice creams separately.

2. Combine both the basil and parmesan ice creams, and slightly marble them together.

3. Place the finished mixture in the freezer for 4 hours or overnight.

Butter “Chicken” Pasta with Red Lentil Tofu

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 30 hour

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Wait time: 8 hours

Recipe by Kaya Patidar

Illustration by Monika Lee

Ingredients Directions

For Red Lentil Tofu:

• 3/8 cup red lentils

• 3/4 cups boiling water

• 1/2 cup water

• 1/2 tsp salt

For Curry:

• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil

• 1 onion, diced

• 1 Tbsp ginger, finely diced

• 6 cloves garlic, sliced

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 2 tsp paprika

• 2 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tbsp garam masala

• 1.5 tsp turmeric powder

• 14 oz crushed tomatoes

• 2/3 cup water

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter

• 1 lb cooked pasta

For tofu:

• Rinse lentils under cold water and strain

• Combine ¾ cups boiling water and the lentils and let it sit for about 20 minutes until water is cooled

• Blend mixture on high speed until completely smooth, stopping to scrape the sides of the blender

• Pour the mixture into a medium saucepan and whisk in additional ½ cup of water and salt

• Whisk over medium-high heat for 6 to 8 minutes until the mixture is very thick and glossy

• Pour batter into a smart tupperware container or baking dish

• Refrigerate tofu overnight to make it very firm

• Cut tofu into desired size

For curry:

• Add oil, onions, ginger, garlic, salt and pepper to a medium sized saucepan and saute until onions have softened

• Add in the rest of the spices and stir constantly until the spices are fragrant

• Add in crushed tomatoes and water then stir to incorporate

• Let simmer for 6 minutes until sauce has reduced

• Add in heavy cream and stir until the curry has thickened and is lightly simmering

• Bring curry to a simmer for 3 minutes while stirring often

• Turn off heat, add in butter, and stir until melted

• Season to taste with salt and pepper

• Once curry has slightly cooled, blend on high for a few seconds at a time until smooth

Preparation:

• Add the tofu to the curry, making sure to coat the tofu with the sauce

• Serve over pasta

FALL2022