Eat Your Words by The Dish Wisconsin

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EAT YOUR WORDS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

facebook / the dish wisconsin instagram / @thedishwisconsin email / thedish.publications@union.wisc.edu website / thedishwisconsin.com

Paul’s Pel’meni / Photographed by Erika Aoyagi

The DISH

Eat YouR words 49

contributors

“diner”

letter from the editor

Okonmiyaki

“how to make a crab cake”

slow food for the soul

beef, potatoes, or both?

mickies dairy bar

a potato flew around my room

the piano bar

creme brulee

open past midnight

pizza and family

“spam’s carbon footprint”

“apples”

quinoa

vegan peppermint cake

the piano bar

date night

campus food shed

picnic go-to’s

last course

EAT YOUR WORDS 1

Photographers

Editor in chief Community Editor Matthew Shelver

Features Editor Andrew Madison

Online Editor Karim Nassef

Layout Directors Caitlin Geurts Kyi Phyu Khaing Dana Angeli Rodriguez

Media and Marketing Director Lauren Lamothe

Photography Director Xinyi Li

Writers

Tess Allen Lauren Anders Kaitlyn Clark Hannah Dercks Sunmi Famule Maya Fidziukiewicz Roan Haines Saya Inoue Lauren Lamothe Jaci Moseley Karim Nassef Lisa Raymond-Schmidt Kyla Rosenberg Ari Saghafi Cora Schoofs

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CO N T R I B UTO R S

Grace Miller

Erika Aoyagi Hannah Dercks Saya Inoue Kyi Phyu Khaing Lauren Lamothe Xinyi Li Jaci Moseley

Cover illustration Grace Miller

Illustrators Grace Miller Bella Robinson

Publications Committee Director Fernanda Martinez

Publications Committee Advisor Jen Farley

Wisconsin Union President Mills Botham

Publications committee mission statement “The Publications Committee celebrates and promotes reading and writing on Campus. WUD Publications aims to offer Badgers various leadership opportunities to gain experience in publishing-related fields. We provide creative outlets for UW–Madison students through our journals, lectures with established authors, mentoring program with professionals in the journalism and publishing industries, plan an awesome literary festival and more.”

letter from the editor “If food is poetry, is not poetry also food?” -Joyce Carol Oates Poetry is close to my heart. It’s what I go to to understand deep emotion, from love to grief, from apathy to anger. I’m in love with the brevity, the intentionality, the punch that a bite-sized piece of literature can pack, all while the poet makes its creation feel so effortless. It’s as though poets think in poetry, as though there’s no other way for Frost to think of a fork in a wooded path, Poe of a raven, Ginsburg of a Beat. And, in many ways, the poet mirrors the chef: they both serve the reader-eater small snippets of their point of view. The poet transforms their thoughts into feeling through poignant words, cadence, meter, punctuation, formatting. The chef transforms their culinary culture into feeling through choice of ingredients, spices, philosophy, presentation, and restaurant ambiance.

There is a dance between the reader-eater and the poet-chef: it requires work on the served to understand what feeling the server is intending. I know when I eat a springy, crisp salad filled with rainbow vegetables in a small, bright cafe with sunshine streaming in, I feel completely different than when I eat a heaping bowl of fresh-out-of-the-oven, creamy baked mac ‘n cheese from a dark, wood paneled, basement restaurant. And we have the poetry of a collaborative culinary moment to thank for that. The process of modern-day eating is itself poetry: humans need food to exist, but we have taken this basic need and collectively decided to make it as enjoyable as possible. We’ve modified our produce to be varied and tasty, we’ve embraced herbs just because they enhance the flavor of our food, we’ve created aesthetic restaurants to enjoy the eating process. In true human fashion, we’ve surpassed

our “animal” need and modern culinary culture has emerged, filled with more choice in food-feeling than we know what to do with. In this issue, we chose four poems about food and based our articles directly off of them, explicitly forging a connection between food and poetry. The poems inspired article topics and coalesced into four different themes that we’ve divided the issue into: food and ourselves, food and loved ones, food and community, and food and the environment. Feel free to sample our spread of food poetry-- “How to Make a Crab Cake” by January Gill O’Neil, “Apples” by Peter Heller, “Diner” by Louis Jenkins, and “SPAM’s Carbon Footprint” by Craig Santos Perez-- and their article pairings. A special thank you to my wonderful team at The Dish and my team at home for making this issue possible. It’s been such an honor to serve as Editor-in-Chief, and I hope you enjoy our Spring 2019 edition: Eat Your Words.

grace miller editor-in-chief

EAT YOUR WORDS 3

“How to Make a Crab Cake” Written by January Gill O’Neil Start with your own body, the small bones of the hands moving toward the inlets of the fingers. Wanting it too much invites haste. You must love what is raw and hungered for. Think of the crab cake as the ending, as you till away at the meat, digging for errant shells and jagged edges. Always, it’s a matter of guesswork but you hold it together by the simplest of ingredients, for this is how the body learns to be generous, to forgive the flaws inherited and enjoy what lies ahead. Yet you never quite know when it happens, the moment when the lumps transcend egg and breadcrumbs, the quiver of oil in a hot pan, to become unworldly: the manifold of pleasure with the sweet ache of crab still bright on your tongue.

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EAT YOUR WORDS 5 “How to Make a Crab Cake” Written“How by January Gilla Crab O’NeilCake” to Make Written by January Gill O’Neil Start with your own body, “How to Make a Crab Cake” the small bones the own handsbody,Written by January Gill O’Neil Start withofyour moving toward the inlets of the fingers. the small bones of the hands withthe your own movingStart toward inlets ofbody, the fingers. Wanting it too themuch small invites bones of haste. the hands You must love moving what toward raw invites the inlets of the fingers. Wanting it toois much haste. and hungered for.love what is raw You must Wanting it too much invites haste. and hungered for. Think of theYou crab must cake as love thewhat ending, is raw as youThink till away and athungered the meat, for. digging for of the crab cake as the ending, errant as shells jaggedatedges. you and till away the meat, digging for Thinkand of the crabedges. cake as the ending, errant shells jagged Always, it’s a as matter you till of away guesswork at the meat, digging for but you holderrant itit’s together shells and jagged edges. Always, a matter of guesswork by thebut simplest of ingredients, you hold it together matter of guesswork by the Always, simplestit’s of aingredients, for this is how butthe you body hold learns it together to be generous, to forgive thebyis flaws the inherited of learns ingredients, for this howsimplest the body to be generous, and enjoy what lies to forgive theahead. flaws inherited for what this islies how the body learns to be generous, and enjoy ahead. Yet you never toquite forgive know the flaws inherited when Yet it happens, and enjoy what lies ahead. you never quite know the moment the lumps when itwhen happens, Yet you never know the moment when thequite lumps transcend eggwhen and breadcrumbs, it happens, the quiver ofthe oil egg moment in aand hot breadcrumbs, pan, when the lumps transcend to become unworldly: the quiver of oil in a hot pan, transcend egg and breadcrumbs, to become unworldly: the manifoldthe of pleasure quiver of oil in a hot pan, with the to ache become ofpleasure crab unworldly: thesweet manifold of still bright tongue. withon theyour sweet ache of crab the manifold of pleasure still bright on your tongue. with the sweet ache of crab still bright on your tongue.

beef, potatoes, or both? “Beef, potatoes, or both?” asks a friendly face behind the counter. This basic homestyle menu provides a consistent and familiar taste that sparks comfort in any soul who encounters it. Through its simplicity, Paul’s Pel’meni stands out among all other elaborate State Street area restaurants. The simplest of ingredients come together to create an absolutely sensational dumpling, and people come together to enjoy and share its magic. When I spoke to Paul Schwoerer -- the founder of Paul’s Pel’meni -- I could not help but ask why the restaurant has served the exact same dish for so many years. “If it ain’t broke,” he said, “Don’t fix it.” A fair response. Paul was 17 years old when he was first introduced to the recipe of pel’meni. Originally, Paul sold these handmade dumplings out of an ice cream shop, which was a popular destination for visitors and seasonal fishermen who gathered into the city from the nearby dock during Alaska’s beautiful summers. At this very shop Paul was also introduced to his dumplings’ famous topping: “the works.” A few years into being in business, one fisherman observed that the dumplings served there were great, but lacked a sort of “kick.” Being a full-time

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chef from Seattle, this fisherman promised he would come back the next season with a solution--and he did. He returned the following year with the now-recognizable blend of butter, hot chili powder, curry, and vinegar, along with cilantro. To this day, his unusual yet flavorful combination crowns the homemade Russian dumplings served at Paul’s Pel’meni upon request. A side of sour cream is also included. Personally, what I enjoy most about this restaurant is that you go there knowing exactly what you will get. The ingredients are of premium, local quality, as well as the service. Paul has created an atmosphere in his restaurant where everybody is welcome. Keeping his food at a reasonable price allows individuals from all demographics to come and enjoy a quality meal in a relaxed and positive environment. Since first stepping foot into Paul’s restaurant, I find myself now often craving these little pel’meni. Maybe it’s my Polish heritage that brings out a nostalgic feeling whenever I dine there, but despite it, these dumplings travel straight to the heart of any soul. “Everybody loves dumplings!” Paul said. The people of Madison -- locals, students, visitors -- absolutely agree. Written by Maya Fidziukiewicz. Illustrated by Grace Miller.

a potato flew around my room

I’ve spent the majority of my adult life thinking of cooking as a chore. I would cook the easiest meals that took the least amount of time possible. I would ask myself two questions: would it take me less than five minutes and would it produce less than one dish to clean? If I had to cook anything that would take longer than that, I would panic at the thought of all of the time I was wasting. Why would I spend time making food when I could be writing papers, finishing a tv series or meeting up with friends? To my surprise, eating ramen and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches doesn’t exactly contribute to a holistic sense of peace and well being. My parents, professors, therapist, and many of my friends would try to convince me that eating delicious, nutritious food not only makes you feel physically great, but positively contributes to mental health. I always thought they were exaggerating the benefits of a good meal, so I continued

the first time, I realized cookspending the least amount of ing could be my meditation. time in the kitchen as possible. When I sat down to eat the It wasn’t until one day, when I meal, I felt a sense of accomwas craving garlic mashed pota- plishment and pride over what toes, that I realized what cook- I had made. The twenty mining could do for me. That day, I utes that I gave myself to sit and didn’t think I would have time enjoy the product of my work to sit down and take a breath, lifted my spirits. I was able to let alone make a whole meal. return to my studying with However, my strong desire for a full stomach, a calm mind, a heaping bowl of mashed po- and a new sense of energy. tatoes forced me to slow down and cook myself a meal. As I Since then, I have learned to was peeling the potatoes with cherish the time I spend in the a little too much enthusiasm, kitchen every day. Cooking is my thoughts went quiet. It no longer a chore, and I actualwas then that I realized I could ly feel disappointed when I’m take all of my stress from the not able to lose my mind in the day out on those little, unas- process of chopping or stirring suming root vegetables and it at least once a day. Experimentwould make me feel better! ing with different flavors and dishes has given me an outlet As I prepared the rest of my for a lot of the stress of college meal, I realized this could be and life in general. If you are a time for me to focus only struggling to slow down and on chopping carrots, peeling appreciate the present, cookpotatoes, and perfectly sea- ing can be a great way to force soning chicken. I realized that yourself to quiet your mind it was the only time in the and relax with good food. entire day, and maybe entire week, that I was able to tru- Written by Tess Allen. ly think about nothing. For Ilustrated by Grace Miller.

EAT YOUR WORDS 7

8 The DISH

Creme Bruleé for the indulgent soul directions step one

why this dish

Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Add the cream to a saucepan. Cut the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the inside into the pot. Add the bean stem to the pot as well as the salt. Stir and cook on very low heat.

On the days when I feel most overwhelmed and stressed, baking one of my favorite desserts; creme brulee is a meditative activity I look forward to. Making creme brulee is a process that requires complete attention. This process allows me to clear my mind and focus on perfecting the brulee instead of my hectic day. It’s soothing, knowing that I can bake the events of a stressful day away and indulge in the comfort of a creamy dessert.

step two While the cream mixture is cooking, separate your eggs and add just the yolk to a bowl with the sugar. Beat until the mixture turns a lighter yellow color. Set aside.

step three As the edges of the cream mixture start to boil, take the pot off the heat. Add a generous splash of the cream mixture to the beaten eggs. Whisk vigorously so the eggs don’t scramble. Once combined, add the rest of the mixture to the bowl and whisk to incorporate.

step four In a square cake pan, place two 6 oz. ramekins. Gently pour the mixture into the ramekins to the fill mark of each ramekin. Add hot water to the cake pan around the ramekins until it reaches 3/4 the height of the ramekins. Place in the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 50 minutes.

step five The crème brulee is done when the middle is slightly jiggly. Take the custard out of the pan and let sit for five minutes before covering with plastic wrap. Cut a slit at the top of the wrap and place them in the fridge. Let set for at least three hours.

step six To caramelize the top of the brulee, sprinkle a generous amount of sugar on top of the brulee and torch evenly with a flame torch. If you don’t have a flame torch turn the broiler setting on your oven to high and place the brulee under heat for 5-6 mins, until the sugar topping bubbles. Once the sugar caramelizes, place brulee back in the fridge to re-set for al least 10 mins.

prep time 10 minutes

cook time 45 to 50 minutes

total time 55 mins to 1 hour

servings 2

ingredients 1 cup heavy cream 1/2 a vanilla bean (or 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract) A pinch of salt 3 egg yolks, room temperature 1/4 cup of sugar Written by Sumni Famule. Photographed by Xinyi Li.

EAT YOUR WORDS 9

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“I was born f rom the dust of semolina flour, pulled f rom the womb with a crimson coating of marinara sauce and a mouth wide open.”

EAT YOUR WORDS 11

I was born from the dust of semolina flour, pulled from the womb with a crimson coating of marinara sauce and a mouth wide open. As a toddler I sported golden curls as tight as a fusilli noodle, never seen without remnants of tomato sauce splattered around my gabbering mouth – it was my trademark, my battle wound from a recent skirmish between my three-year-old stomach and another defeated bowl of linguini. By the time third grade hit, my after-school snack was a Trader Joe’s margarita pizza in its entirety, cut into six slices and pelted with freshly grated parmigiano reggiano. I would start with the top and work counterclockwise, savoring every bite in blissful ignorance of the words calorie and serving size – fundamental traits of any Italian.

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Food is folded into my DNA, kneaded deep within my very nature. I can’t claim to be an authentic, fresh-off-the-boat Italian – that burden was placed on my grandmother. But my stomach makes most of my decisions, and it has chosen to write about a dish I inherited from her, my per-

“I would wake up to the smell of yeast, deep and earthy “ sonal savory weakness: the glorious unification of dough, sauce, and cheese.Pizza. It’s difficult to compose a definition for such a godly creation. Pizza is the browned bubble that emerges between crust and sauce, the precarious tightrope of moz-

zarella that seems to stretch for miles, the sweet burn of molten cheese as it brands your tongue. It’s an experience, a sensation, a transcendent food memory. What makes a perfect pizza? It starts with a crust, the base layer that supports the toppings above. A flour crust, yeast risen. Alternative forms of crust, including any kind of whole wheat or cauliflower nonsense, are considered sacrilege. Crust has a purpose larger than its own bready self; it’s a vessel for other ingredients that always seem to taste a little stronger and shine a little brighter. Crust: the unspoken hero of any pizza. Anyone who scraps their crust, their pizza bones, at the end of the meal is disgracing this doughy champion. Sunday mornings I would wake up to the smell of yeast, deep and earthy,

working its magic within a fresh batch of a pizza dough. I’d watch its slow and steady rise in the stainless-steel bowl atop the living room furnace. Lisa, get your filthy nose out of my dough! I couldn’t help myself. It was a smell that tickled my nose. The smell of home. While crust may be the sacred pizza vessel, sauce is the make-or-break ingredient. Not only does sauce provide the serving of vegetables necessary for pizza to be considered a balanced meal by public schools, it also provides a crucial balance between acidity, sweetness, and spice – the powerful trifecta of the perfect sauce. It’s this balance that steers me clear of pizza bianca or any pesto variety. Yes, pizza deserves a tomato sauce, a pop of red that leaves a stain on your shirt and a tang in your mouth. After sauce comes cheese: the most superficial, overrated layer of a pizza. Sure you can admire the looks of a perfectly golden, cheesy coating or gawk at the world’s longest cheese pull, but what does cheese offer other than a refined exterior? Your average mozzarella has practically no flavor, no kick, no surprises. From the age of four to seven I dared to eat naked pizza, letting the cheese slide off of each slice and replacing it with a generous layer of crushed red pepper and parmesan. While I eventually stopped this scandalous pizza disassembly, I stand by the principle of discarding the bland, the mundane, for a good smacking of flavor and spice.

Despite my clear-cut position on cheese, I have been grappling with the toppings versus no-toppings debate for years to no avail. I typically live by the less is more policy, limiting myself to a single, flavorful addition. But every once in a while, when the pizza stars align, I find the perfect topping combination that makes me step back, loosen by belt, and reconsider my “less is more” philosophy. What is this hallowed combination that transported me to pizza nirvana? Head

to Motorinos Pizzeria in New York’s East Village to experience the pizza enlightenment. Despite your initial reaction, your inner pizza conscience will guide you towards the brussels sprout pizza. These sprouts have been sizzled with a pancetta and browned to perfection. Accompanying the sprouts is house-made fior di latte – a creamy, fresh mozzarella that forced me to apologize to cheese for years of hostility – and a healthy drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. The good, imported stuff. i’ve consumed more pizza in my two de-

cades than I care to admit – some good, some bad, most forgivably mediocre – and I’d like to say I’ve learned some lessons from these countless calories. Maybe I’ve learned that achieving a balance of sweetness and spice, of aspirations and harsh practicality, is one of the greatest challenges I will face. Maybe I’ve learned that the perfectly golden exterior is not nearly as important as the flavor within, or that, as tempting as it may seem, it’s better to keep the toppings, the extra flavors and troubles, to a minimum. Of these lessons, it’s the pizza-sophical truth of the brussels sprout pie that has stuck with me. The lesson: try it. Slice off a piece of the unexpected, dare to take a bite of something original. It might taste like crap, it might change your life. You’ll never know unless you try it. I think a lot about where I came from, my heritage, the cells that have divided and multiplied to make me. They call me Lisa. It was my grandmother’s name, a piece of her that was saved and passed down to me. I never met my grandmother, never ate her pizza, never heard her stories. But I have her recipe book. And I know she is smiling with every new flavor, every new experience that I take a bite of on my quest for the delicious, the fulfilling, and the unexpected.

Written by Lisa Raymond-Schmidt. Photographed by Xinyi Li.

EAT YOUR WORDS 13

“Apples” Written by Peter Heller

So let’s speak

You love apples Say I were to hold you in my hand

like an apple

And kiss you

in bites

Under the tree And you reached up And bit back I’d laugh Ask

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in cool shadow

knowing like this

round and red on the table or

where you dropped

crunch:

Of apples

tump on the grass God dreams

swallow by swallow

Ask I’d laugh

like this

swallow by swallow

knowing

dreams

And bit back

crunch:

God

And you reached up

in cool shadow

on the grass

Under the tree

where you dropped in bites

And kiss you Say I were to hold you in my hand You love apples

on the table or

like an apple

round and red

So let’s speak

Of apples

Written by Peter Heller “Apples”

”selppA“ relleH reteP yb nettirW

kaeps s’tel oS

selppa fO

elppa na ekil

der dna dnuor

selppa evol uoY

dnah ym ni uoy dloh ot erew I yaS

setib ni

ro elbat eht no pmut

tump

deppord uoy erehw

uoy ssik dnA eert eht rednU

ssarg eht no

wodahs looc ni

pu dehcaer uoy dnA

doG

:hcnurc

kcab tib dnA

smaerd wollaws yb wollaws

gniwonk siht ekil

hgual d’I ksA

EAT YOUR WORDS 15

too good to be vegan vegan peppermint cake

ingredients 3/4 cup chopped candy canes

Cream

1/2 cup margarine (for vegan and non-gmo, â&#x20AC;&#x153;earth balance soy free buttery spreadâ&#x20AC;?) 1 cup sugar

Sift

3 cups flour 3 tsp. baking powder 3/4 tsp. salt

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The chewy Peppermint Cake was too good to be vegan. The smooth buttercream frosting paired perfectly with the moist cake filled with crunchy candy canes. It was so satisfying, so delicious that I thought my mom made a mistake. How could such a sweet treat not be filled with dairy? My brother’s girlfriend at the time had severe food allergies, so my mom took it upon herself to create a dessert that his girlfriend could actually eat and enjoy on her birthday. My mom was vegan for over twenty years--now she is a vegetarian--so she understood quite well how difficult it can be to find good treats to eat with different dietary restrictions or lifestyles. She looked through her cookbooks to find something she could make, and she stumbled upon a White Cake recipe from The Farm Vegetarian Cookbook. According to my mom, the book is not only vegetarian, but also vegan with a

hippie flair. It was just what she was searching for. My mother took the recipe, and with her baking genius, she modified the cake by adding peppermint to giveit that extra edge.

brate

life

with

one

another.

I made sure that my mom would make the cake for my birthday so I could have that same community, that same gathering that the cake created. It helped celebrate turning a year older. It’s one of the few times in the year where everything slows, and in that moment, all I can think about is how life is filled with gifts. We only need to take a moment to breathe, appreciate family and friends, and enjoy a slice of Peppermint Cake to put things into perspective. I can’t wait until June 12th for when I hear people singing to me as I blow out the candles on my Peppermint Cake for the fourth year in a row. The cake has the best memories--and I can’t wait to experience the happiness the cake brings once again.

My family gathered around my brother’s girlfriend as we sang “Happy Birthday,” the joy in our voices filling the room. The joy only increased when we all had a taste of my mother’s fabulous creation. It was fantastic. The cake wasn’t only a new dessert, but it brought about happy feelings that night. We all bonded over that cake, enjoying each bite and talking about our shared enjoyment for the dessert. This cake was the first time that girl had a birthday treat that she could actually eat without fearing she’d have an allergic reaction, and the relief and excitement it brought her was clear. And this cake brought us together, united us all in one space Written and photographed by to gather, smile, and cele- Hannah Dercks.

directions step one

Mix dry ingredients into creamed mixture alternately with 2 cups liquid (soymilk, water, flax milk, rice milk, or almond milk). Add 1 Tbsp. vanilla. Beat two minutes. Add 3/4 cup of chopped candy canes and stir. Bake in a 9 x 13” pan at 350 degree for 30 minutes.

step two

Variation: The liquid can be replaced with 2 cups soy yogurt or whey; replace baking powder with 1/2½ tsp. bakin powder and 1/2 tsp. baking soda. Bake as above.

step three

For frosting, take 1/2 a cup of margarine and 1 1/3 cup of sugar, both at room temperature, and beat. When cake is cool, apply frosting to cake. Apply crushed canes onto frosting if desired.

EAT YOUR WORDS 17

table for two

Think about some of your all time favorite memories. How many of those have been created in a food atmosphere or have had food present? Part of the reason why we love food so much is because of the experiences we associate food with. A meal doesn’t solely rely on the flavors you’re experiencing on the plate--it’s also about who you are sharing the food with. Food tells a story and it is up to us to write it. To help you plan an unforgettable night, I’ve compiled a list of my date hot spots in Madison. Whether you’re ready to indulge, want to just take in the scenery, or dive deep into conversation, these places will be perfect for anyone on a night out on the town Written and photographed by Lauren Lamothe. Illustrated by Grace Miller.

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merchant / 121 s. pinckney street / fancy level: 8/10 $$$ As a tough critic of food, it’s hard to really say when a restaurant classifies as “the favorite.” But in this instance I’m going to be bold: Merchant is the number one dinner spot in Madison. Their unique cocktail menu consists of about 250 different combinations; endless possibilities to start the date off with the proper cheers. Appetizers such as the brussel sprouts with bacon and the Ploughman’s board with entrees like Pork Pappardelle and Lamb Sliders will leave you full and happy. Their dessert menu has something for everyone: the chocolate indulgence, the fruity pastry, and the warm crumble. To top it all off, every Tuesday they have what they call a “Cheap Date Night”: $50 that includes two portions of the featured entree, a bottle of wine, and dessert. Basically, whichever route you chose, this date night will leave a lasting impression. lucille / 101 king street / fancy level: 6/10 $$

All about the ambiance--the interior truly adds to the quality of the food. Whether you’re snuggled in a brown leather booth in the loft overlooking the downstairs or tucked away at the bar, the open space with surrounding windows and a rustic feel will put you in a positive mood. With a more casual menu consisting of speciality thin-crust and deep-dish pizzas as well as make-your-own pizzas, you can bond while sharing a slice of cheesy goodness. Snacks of cheese curds, guac, and nachos create a well-rounded feast. Lucille’s specialty cocktails are also a treat. Pink Chimneys and and Unknown Pleasures are two that stand out, but they also have your trusty steeds like a Moscow Mule or an Old Fashioned. Don’t overlook the cookie skillet--the chocolate chips melt away with the crispy surrounding edges. ha long bay / 1353 williamson street / fancy level: 4/10 $ Time to venture to Willy Street for the biggest and best variety of food options for date night. After the car-wreck tragedy of 2018, Ha Long Bay is back on its feet and better than ever. The traditional Southeast Asian cuisine is sublime to get a bunch of food you love at a cheap price, split everything, and have leftovers to look forward to the next day. Items you must order: Spring Rolls or Chicken Dumplings to start , Phở Tái, Pad Thai, Red Curry, Pad See Ew, and Mango Curry. Use these as a guide--you have plenty of options as their menu is five pages long front and back. There truly is something for everyone. This laid back atmosphere with killer food is perfect for the no pressure, no expectations date. There is something about taking a block of time out of our busy college lives to sit down and really focus our attention on one individual. You not only get to explore a intimate connection but also the magic of flavor at any of these restaurants.

EAT YOUR WORDS 19

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There is no doubt that picnics are high on the list of lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s simple pleasures. Packing up a blanket and basket with treats is one of the best ways to take advantage of the warm weather we crave through the long Wisconsin winters. They are inexpensive, quick to prepare, and an opportunity to get creative with our food! If you find yourself in Madison soaking up the sun, here are the perfect spots and recipes for three different occasions: quality time with family, fun with friends, and a romantic getaway. For playlists to go with each one, check out @roanhaines on Spotify! Written by Roan Haines. Illustrated by Bella Robinson.

EAT YOUR WORDS 21

squad shenanigans These components are energizing crowd favorites that will keep the laughs going for hours. Don’t forget to bring a volleyball for some healthy competition on the sand. location James Madison Park 614 E Gorham Street food “Watermelon, Tomato, and Almond Gazpacho” from Cannelle et Vanille “Pumpkin Seed and Arugula Pesto” from Matcha and Margs “Basil Lemon Bars” from The Food in My Beard “Blueberry Cauliflower Smoothie” from The Lean Green Bean

22 The DISH

date day Date night becomes...date day? Whether this is the first time or the fiftieth that you and your special someone are going out, a romantic day at this enchanting spot can take some pressure off of dating. location Willy Street Park 1002 Williamson Street food DIY Charcuterie Board- choose meat and/or cheese, fruits, jams, pickled vegetables, mixed nuts, and hearty bread. Complete the board with these delectable recipes: “Homemade Olive Tapenade” from Culinary Hill “Inside-Out Chocolate-Covered Strawberries” from The Spruce Eats “Sparkling Pear Punch” from Tablespoon If you don’t feel like preparing food or want to expand the options for ingredients for your charcuterie board, check out the grub at Willy Street Co-op! https://www.willystreet.coop.

family festivities Perfect for a wholesome day with the family, these elements will make everyone feel like a kid at heart, no matter their age. These recipes are perfect for sneaking in fruits and veggies, too! location Henry Vilas Park 702 S Randall Avenue Check out the zoo after your picnic with free admission seven days a week! food “Garlicky Kale Recipe from Whole Foods” from Eating Bird Food “Butternut Squash Apple Soup with Sage Parmesan Croutons” from Country Living “No Bake PB & J Energy Bites” from Minimalist Baker “Fresh Mint Ginger Lemonade” from A Beautiful Plate

EAT YOUR WORDS 23

24 The DISH

EAT YOUR WORDS 25

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dinerâ&#x20AC;? Written by Louis Jenkins The time has come to say goodbye, our plates empty except for our greasy napkins. Comrades, you on my left, balding, middle-aged guy with a ponytail, and you, Lefty, there on my right, though we barely spoke I feel our kinship. You were steadfast in passing the ketchup, the salt and pepper, no man could ask for better companions. Lunch is over, the cheeseburger and fries, the Denver sandwich, the counter nearly empty. Now we must go our separate ways. Not a fond embrace, but perhaps a hearty handshake. No? Well then, farewell. It is unlikely I'll pass this way again. Unlikely we will all meet again on this earth, to sit together beneath the neon and fluorescent calmly sipping our coffee, like the sages sipping their tea underneath the willow, sitting quietly, saying nothing.

26 The DISH

“Diner” Written by Louis Jenkins The time has come to say goodbye, our plates empty except for our greasy napkins. Comrades, you on my left, balding, middle-aged guy with a ponytail, and you, Lefty, there on my right, though we barely spoke I feel our kinship. You were steadfast in passing the ketchup, the salt and pepper, no man could ask for better companions. Lunch is over, the cheeseburger and fries, the Denver sandwich, the counter nearly empty. Now we must go our separate ways. Not a fond embrace, but perhaps a hearty handshake. No? Well then, farewell. It “Diner” is unlikely I'll pass this way again. Unlikely we will all meet again Written by Louis Jenkins on this earth, to sit together beneath the neon and fluorescent calmly sipping our coffee, like the sages has sipping The time come their to sayteagoodbye, our plates empty except underneath the willow, sitting for quietly, saying nothing. our greasy napkins. Comrades, you on my left, balding, middle-aged guy with a ponytail, and you, Lefty, there on my right, though we barely spoke I feel our kinship. You were steadfast in passing the ketchup, the salt and pepper, no man could ask for better companions. Lunch is over, the cheeseburger and fries, the Denver sandwich, the counter nearly empty. Now we must go our separate ways. Not a fond embrace, but perhaps a hearty handshake. No? Well then, farewell. It is unlikely I'll pass this way again. Unlikely we will all meet again on this earth, to sit together beneath the neon and fluorescent calmly sipping our coffee, like the sages sipping their tea underneath the willow, sitting quietly, saying nothing.

EAT YOUR WORDS 27

28 The DISH

There was a family running a small restaurant 50 years ago. There was a father, a mother, a 3 year old, and a 5 years old living in a small room in the back of the restaurant together. It would be crowded with construction laborers filling their stomach with donburi (丼ぶり)1 in busy lunchtime. This is the story of my father’s childhood in postwar Japan: a rapidly modernizing country where poverty and innovation existed side by side. They would serve Japanese home cooking that people used to eat more often: grilled fish with white rice. More and more people are eating Western food nowadays, but they were considered a luxury then. While the parents were busy working, the kids were eating dishes their parents cooked and took back to them from the restaurant, which they ate together while watching TV. His father was a professional cook and made his kids lunch box every day for 8 years. He started his business from scratch with his wife after leaving behind his parents. He was a skillful man working dawn to dusk preparing and cooking, while his wife served their customers and shouted the orders to her

husband. “Everyday was a battle.” The kids could not spend much quality time with their parents because of their business with the restaurant. However, once a month, his parents closed the restaurant earlier than usual and had a dinner night, where they shared the table to eat together. His parents would always cook Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き); a Japanese pancake with cabbage and thin sliced pork. They would cut it into quarters to share. He and his family had never done something like traveling, but he did not care as long as there was a day of Okonomiyaki every month. As a kid, all he wanted was time with his family. The sound of the grilled meat, the smoke coming from the pancake, the smell telling him it was almost ready. They shared every moment of patience and excitement. His mother would give them as much as they wanted. The food of the table was how the family connected to each other. He still respects his parents as being hard working and resilient. That is why he did not feel lonely with his brother even though their parents could not afford time for them. He grew

up in an environment where food, family work has been always tightened together. That makes him acquire the sense of connection with my family through food today from making lunch box to cooking dinner. Japan has been changed over 50 years into a country with material abundance. The restaurant was closed a long time ago, and my grandfather passed away. There are not eateries or restaurants made with barracks like my grandparents ran anymore. It seems that the view on food has changed to see food as consumption rather than an experience. The food of the table creates memories and shared joy. That is how I learned to connect with my family and its memory. My father cooked lunch box just like my grandfather for my family. He certainly succeeded something that his father had given, and it will live through our bonds. ------------------------------------1 Donburi (丼ぶり) is a Japanese fast food dish which is served with rice with oversized rice bowl and fish, meat or vegetables are over the rice. Written by Saya Inoue. Illustrated by Bella Robinson.

EAT YOUR WORDS 29

slow food,

fast connections

If you’re looking to enjoy a wholesome meal on the cheap and enjoy the sunny side of humanity simultaneously, your answer may lie in the basement of a nearby Methodist church. Slow Food Madison, located in the basement of United Methodist church, is the largest and most active university-based chapter of Slow Food, an international organization with over 150 chapters in the United States. The organization grants the Madison area community the opportunity for a low cost, home-cooked meal made with fresh and local ingredients, all the while allowing for relationships to blossom at large, communal tabtles. Naturally, Slow Food prides itself on fostering community in Madison. Dr. Jennifer Gaddis, a member of Slow-Food Madison’s advisory board, said the organization makes a difference in the community through their outreach projects in South Madison and in UW-Madison dorms, their purchases of local food at the farmers market and Willy Street Coop, and their many collaborations with UW-Madison student orgs and diverse local restaurants for Family Dinner Night and Cafe. “Slow Food creates a space for students to learn from and with each other about a wide range of issues spanning food justice and food

30 The DISH

culture,” Dr. Gaddis said. “They bring people together over food.” A first-time diner walking into Slow Food finds soon enough that this is not your average dining space. People who you’ve never met before will sit next to you and share a conversation as well as a meal, bringing two strangers closer together. This opportunity gives the potential to foster new friendships, which is something that is unique to Slow Food Slow Food also makes a considerable effort to ensure their dining room is an inclusive space by offering a Pay-it forward program. This affords community members the opportunity to make donations towards providing meals for those less fortunate. Slow Food also highlights their acceptance of diversity by providing gluten free, vegan, vegetarian and dairy free options for all of their meals. Their team of chefs and interns are all very welcoming and make sure everyone enjoys a healthy, happy meal. Whether you are interested in volunteering and cooking the meal or sitting down for a family style dinner, Slow Food is always accommodating. Written by Kaitlyn Clark. Photographed by Saya Inoue.

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32 The DISH

BREAKFAST FOR BADGERS BREAKFAST FOR BADGERS BREAKFAST FOR BADGERS

If you want to step back in time to 1946, Mickie’s Dairy Bar is the place to be. Stepping off Monroe Street, I was instantly welcomed by a community of students and local families sitting around communal tables, stirring up conversation while trying to take on the massive portions Mickie’s offers with the typical midwestern love and pride. As I sat in the leather seats and engaged in people-watching, I noticed that the majority of the customers were “regulars” and who had been ordering the same thing time and time again; the same exact meal since the time they were students here at UW-Madison. Folks that come to Mickie’s take breakfast seriously: they walk right to the register and without a second of hesitation, they know their order like the back of their hand. The day I was there, one of these people happened to be Mrs. Holtzen, who approached me with her cream-colored, knitted sweater, a Bucky pin attached, and gave me a friendly midwestern “well hello there!”

Mr. and Mrs. Holtzen have been eating here at Mickie’s Dairy Bar from when they attended UW-Madison as students back in the late 50s. After conversing with them for a few moments to let their meal cool off, and just enough time to spread their jam on pieces of white toast, they mentioned to me that Mickie’s is a Madison time capsule and just about everything has stayed the same, as it should be. “Mickie’s was the place to be for anyone who had an appetite.” Mr Holtzen said, “athletes, nerds, greeks, everyone came for one thing and one thing only...well, two things: to support the fighting Badgers and for a big meal.” He said this with a wide smile on his face and his fist clenched -so proud of his Wisconsin roots, reminiscing about his glory days. After hearing stories about them bringing their two sons to Mickie’s for Saturday breakfast when they were kids, to now bringing their four grandchildren here, it became clear that tradition never fades away -- and that’s how Wisconsin likes it.

She knew from the second I Written by Lauren Anders. had walked in the door that I Photographed by Kyi Phyu was a newbie, and she was right. Khaing.

EAT YOUR WORDS 35

The scene at the Ivory Room Piano Bar resembles a verse from a Billy Joel song. Standing on State Street and looking through the bar’s entrance, one only sees a long corridor, lit by artificial fluorescent lights. Once you make your way to the main area, however, the atmosphere takes a turn for the groovier. Spotlights shine on the main stage, which features two pianos, positioned opposite each other like two pieces of a puzzle. Next to the stage are a dozen or so small tables, occupied by enthused guests all within earshot of that night’s performer, evident by the popular song requests they shout out for the pianist to consider. Making your way around the corner, you’re met with the bar, featuring a few solitary tables away from the main crowd, for guests who want a bit more privacy. The night I went, most of the main tables were occupied by two separate groups: a bachelorette party and a birthday party. The pianist on stage appeased the screaming crowds’ demands that he play Bohemian Rhapsody, and the two distinct groups joined in unison for the operatic pre-climax of the song. Nearer to the bar there sat an older scholarly-looking gentleman sipping a rail drink, his attention split between the crowd’s “Mama Mias” and an apparently very captivating article on his phone. As I sat there, I was impressed at how the Ivory Room Piano Bar showcased its versatility, namely in the way it catered to such different crowds at the same time. The variety in ways people enjoy the performances is what makes this venue great, and this niche it fulfills for so many different people could be the reason that it has survived/thrived for 13 years on State Street, a location known for being a revolving door for bars, restaurants, and shops. The Ivory Room Piano Bar has done well to provide the gift of music, atmosphere, food and drink, and to let it be enjoyed in so many different ways. I foresee that for as long as people get a dopamine rush from hearing the classics, whether they shout back the lyrics from right next to the stage, or quietly behind a glass from afar, the Ivory Room Piano Bar will continue to be a staple of the downtown Madison area. Written by Karim Nassef. Photographed by Erika Aoyagi.

34 The DISH

nine o’ cl

lock on a saturday

EAT YOUR WORDS 35

open past midnight It’s half past one in the morning and I’m reading the quote by the American journalist Hunter S. Thompson on the wall of Short Stack Eatery on West Johnson Street. The part that sticks out to me the most is “anybody with a terminally jangled lifestyle needs at least one psychic anchor every twenty-four hours; and mine is breakfast.” Being a twenty-one year old, I can relate to having my life being perpetually chaotic. Part of that lifestyle is my fault and I often find myself asking myself, “Do I need to be doing this?” My answer is usually, “No, but it feels good.” And Short Stack at one in the morning is one of those things that always feels good. By having a great spot to eat great food, it can function as an anchor in our jangled lives. Short Stack is a modern diner, serving sweet and savory breakfast options all day and a mysterious blind special every day that you’re not allowed to ask about. I always opt for the breakfast potatoes with a generous amount of melted cheese and grilled onions on top, with a short stack of chocolate chip pancakes on the side. My Short Stack partners-in-crime always get the Pulled Pork and Cheesy Grits and the Corned Beef hash. More often than not someone has to defend their plate from someone else’s wandering fork accompanied by “let me just get a bite!” The saying “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” rings true for me. I advocate that breakfast is the meal of the day that reigns supreme over any other meal. Before you try

36 The DISH

to argue, ask yourself why do most open-late restaurants only serve breakfast all hours of the day? Because you can put a breakfast twist on anything and pancakes can give anyone the down home feeling of Sunday morning watching Cartoon Network. When it’s one in the morning and it’s been a tough week, there’s a specific comfort in being able to enjoy quality breakfast food. It’s the “we’ll be alright” type of comfort. If breakfast is supposed to symbolize a fresh start in the morning, why not have breakfast any time of the day that you need to reset? That’s where Short Stack delivers. The windows surrounding the restaurant frame a muted scene on a late night where I can enjoy watching people running up and down state street. And while it’s not crazy packed at this time of night, the ebb and flow of the people drifting through have an unspoken understanding; Short Stack is a safe place. Safe not just in the sense that you will always get a quality meal but also a place where people can enjoy themselves. The turquoise interior is warm and light, contrasted by the dark wooden booths, tall tables and stools. The bar is centered in the middle of the space which provides more seating and immerses all of the diners together and an open kitchen in the back allows diners to feel more included in the food experience. It may not be the biggest space, but it’s the kind of diner that holds its own. It was never meant to be big, and by being so small it creates an opportunity for intimacy that IHOP and Denny’s could never provide. While chain late night diners are a

sweet point of nostalgia for late-nights in high school, Short Stack is on a different level of late-night comfort. The quote on the wall about an anchor in a terminally jangled lifestyle, I can relate deeply to that. As college students, our lives are perpetually jangled. These four years seem to be a time of chaos and growth, and any kind of anchor during this time is something special that we should cling to. Being able to make memories with friends is one of those anchors. They might not seem to be significant moments, but there are times when the small moments are the ones that mean the most. Eating with your closest friends at a late-night diner is definitely one of those small things that can end up meaning so much when looking back years later. Short Stack is my automatic go-to when things get rough, if me or one of my friends is going through a tough time. The soft hum in the background of the grill sizzling, casual and comforting tunes, smiling people, and the incredibly eclectic collection of postcards and notes under the glass panes on tables. I took me almost three years to realize the value and effect of the collection. Beyond the semi-retro nostalgic aesthetic, they are all mementos of times passed of people attempting to connect with others. And when us diners sit down to eat, we see all the attempts to close physical distances with words and pictures, and maybe that’s an effort by the Short Stack staff to remind us to connect while we’re all still together. Written by Ari Saghafi. Photographed by Xinyi Li.

EAT YOUR WORDS 37

“SPAM’s Carbon Footprint” Written by Craig Santos Perez Guam is considered the SPAM® capital of the world. On average, each Chamorro consumes 16 tins of SPAM® each year, which is more per capita than any country in the world. Headline: Guam Struggles to Find Its Roots From Beneath Growing Piles of SPAM® . Guam, Hawaii, and Saipan have the only McDonald’s restaurants that feature SPAM® on the menu. I went to the “World’s Largest K-Mart” in Guam and I was amazed at the SPAM® display…it was like a whole “Wall of SPAM® .” SPAM® has a place not only in the stomachs of Guam’s people, but in our hearts as well. Here SPAM® is considered a gourmet luxury and is often presented as a gift at birthdays, weddings, and funerals. Hormel even made a Hot and Spicy SPAM® especially formulated for Guam with Tabasco already added to it! A culinary legacy of American troops stationed in the Pacific during World War Two, the GIs noticed how much the people of Guam loved SPAM® , so they started to jokingly call it “Chamorro Steak.” Not coincidentally, SPAM® is also popular in Hawaii, the Philippines, Okinawa, and Saipan, all places with a history of a U.S. military presence. In fact, SPAM® may have been responsible for Hitler’s defeat. The Allies would not have won WWII without SPAM® . Plus, it’s processed so I guess we can keep it forever right? Wow, I haven’t seen this much SPAM® ® since I lived on Guam and the car dealership there started offering 50lb bags of rice and cases of SPAM® wwith every purchase. The end result can be found in the newspaper’s obituary pages. In 2004, Public Health reported that heart disease was the leading cause of death on Guam, representing 33.7% of deaths. You can rub the entire block of SPAM® , along with the accompanying delicious gelatinous goo, onto wood furniture. The oils from the SPAM® moisturize the wood and give the furniture a nice luster. Plus, you’ll have enough left over to polish some of your neighbors’ furniture. You’ll be like Santa Claus meets Mr. Clean. How did I miss hearing about the “In Honor of Guam’s Liberation” SPAM® ! I thought I had collected them all! But as I got older and tried to be “healthier” (whatever that means, haha), SPAM® faded from my consciousness. Then I met my future wife, who is Hawaiian, and SPAM® became part of my life again. Maybe the economic downturn will help people truly appreciate SPAM® instead of loathing it. SPAM® doesn’t have to be unhealthy. I eat SPAM® on a regular basis and I’m not dead yet. Just switch to SPAM® Lite. In the devastating wake of Typhoon Omar, SPAM® arrived. Hormel Foods donated 40,000 cases of the belly-filling foodstuff to the Salvation Army’s disaster relief effort. That’s about six million SPAM® burgers! Despite rumors, SPAM® is NOT made of such odds and ends as hooves, ears, brains, native people, or whole baby pigs. SPAM® is for realz made of pork shoulder, ham, salt, water, sugar, and sodium nitrate, if you can belief it. The name itself stands for Specially Processed Army Meat, Salted Pork And More, Super Pink Artificial Meat, Squirrel Possum And Mouse, or Some People Are Missing. My uncle is the reigning Guam SPAM® king. He won the last SPAM® cook-off with his Spicy SPAM® meatballs. I will never forget the two-pound SPAM® bust of George Washington he made for Liberation Day, toasted crispy on the outside with raw egg yolk in the hollow center. The kids loved it! Only a fool would start a company in Guam that provides SPAM® protection. We don’t want to be protected from SPAM® ® bots. For Xmas, I bought a SPAM® snow-globe featuring a can of SPAM® sitting on an island; turn it over and a typhoon swirls madly, unable to unseat SPAM® from its place of honor. I have a souvenir can I bought after seeing Monty Python’s SPAM® ®ALOT on Broadway. It cost me $10 and is the most expensive SPAM® I’ve ever bought. I will never eat it.

38 The DISH

a gourmet luxury and is often presented as a gift at birthdays, weddings, and funerals. Hormel even made a Hot and Spicy SPAM® especially formula for Guam with Tabasco already added to it! A culinary legacy of American troops stationed in the Pacific during World War Two, the GIs noticed h much the people of Guam loved SPAM®, so they started to jokingly call it “Chamorro Steak.” Not coincidentally, SPAM® is also popular in Hawaii, Philippines, Okinawa, and Saipan, all places with a history of a U.S. military presence. In fact, SPAM® may have been responsible for Hitler’s defeat. T Allies would not have won WWII without SPAM®. Plus, it’s processed so I guess we can keep it forever right? Wow, I haven’t seen this much SPA since I lived on Guam and the car dealership there started offering 50lb bags of rice and cases of SPAM® with every purchase. The end result can found in the newspaper’s obituary pages. In 2004, Public Health reported that heart disease was the leading cause of death on Guam, representing 33.7% deaths. You can rub the entire block of SPAM®, along with the accompanying delicious gelatinous goo, onto wood furniture. The oils from the SPA moisturize the wood and give the furniture a nice luster. Plus, you’ll have enough left over to polish some of your neighbors’ furniture. You’ll be Santa Claus meets Mr. Clean. How did I miss hearing about the “In Honor of Guam’s Liberation” SPAM®! I thought I had collected them all! But as I older and tried to be “healthier” (whatever that means, haha), SPAM® faded from my consciousness. Then I met my future wife, who is Hawaiian, SPAM® became part of my life again. Maybe the economic downturn will help people truly appreciate SPAM® instead of loathing it. SPAM® doe have to be unhealthy. I eat SPAM® on a regular basis and I’m not dead yet. Just switch to SPAM® Lite. In the devastating wake of Typhoon Om SPAM® arrived. Hormel Foods donated 40,000 cases of the belly-filling foodstuff to the Salvation Army’s disaster relief effort. That’s about six mil SPAM®burgers! Despite rumors, SPAM® is NOT made of such odds and ends as hooves, ears, brains, native people, or whole baby pigs. SPAM® is realz made of pork shoulder, ham, salt, water, sugar, and sodium nitrate, if you can belief it. The name itself stands for Specially Processed Army M Salted Pork And More, Super Pink Artificial Meat, Squirrel Possum And Mouse, or Some People Are Missing. My uncle is the reigning Guam SPA king. He won the last SPAM® cook-off with his Spicy SPAM® meatballs. I will never forget the two-pound SPAM® bust of George Washington made for Liberation Day, toasted crispy on the outside with raw egg yolk in the hollow center. The kids loved it! Only a fool would start a comp in Guam that provides SPAM® protection. We don’t want to be protected from SPAM® bots. For Xmas, I bought a SPAM® snow-globe featurin can of SPAM® sitting on an island; turn it over and a typhoon swirls madly, unable to unseat SPAM® from its place of honor. I have a souvenir c bought after seeing Monty Python’s SPAM®ALOT on Broadway. It cost me $10 and is the most expensive SPAM® I’ve ever bought. I will never ea bought after seeing Monty Python’s SPAM®ALOT on Broadway. It cost me $10 and is the most expensive SPAM® I’ve ever bought. I will never ea Guam is considered the SPAM® capital of the world. On average, each Chamorro consumes 16 tins of SPAM® each year, which is more per capita t any country in the world. Headline: Guam Struggles to Find Its Roots From Beneath Growing Piles of SPAM®. Guam, Hawaii, and Saipan have the o McDonald’s restaurants that feature SPAM® on the menu. I went to the “World’s Largest K-Mart” in Guam and I was amazed at the SPAM® displa was like a whole “Wall of SPAM®.” SPAM® has a place not only in the stomachs of Guam’s people, but in our hearts as well. Here SPAM® is conside a gourmet luxury and is often presented as a gift at birthdays, weddings, and funerals. Hormel even made a Hot and Spicy SPAM® especially formula for Guam with Tabasco already added to it! A culinary legacy of American troops stationed in the Pacific during World War Two, the GIs noticed h much the people of Guam loved SPAM®, so they started to jokingly call it “Chamorro Steak.” Not coincidentally, SPAM® is also popular in Hawaii, Philippines, Okinawa, and Saipan, all places with a history of a U.S. military presence. In fact, SPAM® may have been responsible for Hitler’s defeat. T Allies would not have won WWII without SPAM®. Plus, it’s processed so I guess we can keep it forever right? Wow, I haven’t seen this much SPA since I lived on Guam and the car dealership there started offering 50lb bags of rice and cases of SPAM® with every purchase. The end result can found in the newspaper’s obituary pages. In 2004, Public Health reported that heart disease was the leading cause of death on Guam, representing 33.7% deaths. You can rub the entire block of SPAM®, along with the accompanying delicious gelatinous goo, onto wood furniture. The oils from the SPA moisturize the wood and give the furniture a nice luster. Plus, you’ll have enough left over to polish some of your neighbors’ furniture. You’ll be Santa Claus meets Mr. Clean. How did I miss hearing about the “In Honor of Guam’s Liberation” SPAM®! I thought I had collected them all! But as I older and tried to be “healthier” (whatever that means, haha), SPAM® faded from my consciousness. Then I met my future wife, who is Hawaiian, SPAM® became part of my life again. Maybe the economic downturn will help people truly appreciate SPAM® instead of loathing it. SPAM® doe have to be unhealthy. I eat SPAM® on a regular basis and I’m not dead yet. Just switch to SPAM® Lite. In the devastating wake of Typhoon Om SPAM® arrived. Hormel Foods donated 40,000 cases of the belly-filling foodstuff to the Salvation Army’s disaster relief effort. That’s about six mil SPAM®burgers! Despite rumors, SPAM® is NOT made of such odds and ends as hooves, ears, brains, native people, or whole baby pigs. SPAM® is realz made of pork shoulder, ham, salt, water, sugar, and sodium nitrate, if you can belief it. The name itself stands for Specially Processed Army M Salted Pork And More, Super Pink Artificial Meat, Squirrel Possum And Mouse, or Some People Are Missing. My uncle is the reigning Guam SPA king. He won the last SPAM® cook-off with his Spicy SPAM® meatballs. I will never forget the two-pound SPAM® bust of George Washington made for Liberation Day, toasted crispy on the outside with raw egg yolk in the hollow center. The kids loved it! Only a fool would start a comp in Guam that provides SPAM® protection. We don’t want to be protected from SPAM® bots. For Xmas, I bought a SPAM® snow-globe featurin can of SPAM® sitting on an island; turn it over and a typhoon swirls madly, unable to unseat SPAM® from its place of honor. I have a souvenir c bought after seeing Monty Python’s SPAM®ALOT on Broadway. It cost me $10 and is the most expensive SPAM® I’ve ever bought. I will never ea bought after seeing Monty Python’s SPAM®ALOT on Broadway. It cost me $10 and is the most expensive SPAM® I’ve ever bought. I will never it.Guam is considered the SPAM® capital of the world. On average, each Chamorro consumes 16 tins of SPAM® each year, which is more per capita t any country in the world. Headline: Guam Struggles to Find Its Roots From Beneath Growing Piles of SPAM®. Guam, Hawaii, and Saipan have the o McDonald’s restaurants that feature SPAM® on the menu. I went to the “World’s Largest K-Mart” in Guam and I was amazed at the SPAM® displa was like a whole “Wall of SPAM®.” SPAM® has a place not only in the stomachs of Guam’s people, but in our hearts as well. Here SPAM® is conside a gourmet luxury and is often presented as a gift at birthdays, weddings, and funerals. Hormel even made a Hot and Spicy SPAM® especially formula for Guam with Tabasco already added to it! A culinary legacy of American troops stationed in the Pacific during World War Two, the GIs noticed h much the people of Guam loved SPAM®, so they started to jokingly call it “Chamorro Steak.” Not coincidentally, SPAM® is also popular in Hawaii, Philippines, Okinawa, and Saipan, all places with a history of a U.S. military presence. In fact, SPAM® may have been responsible for Hitler’s defeat. T Allies would not have won WWII without SPAM®. Plus, it’s processed so I guess we can keep it forever right? Wow, I haven’t seen this much SPA since I lived on Guam and the car dealership there started offering 50lb bags of rice and cases of SPAM® with every purchase. The end result can found in the newspaper’s obituary pages. In 2004, Public Health reported that heart disease was the leading cause of death on Guam, representing 33.7% deaths. You can rub the entire block of SPAM®, along with the accompanying delicious gelatinous goo, onto wood furniture. The oils from the SPA moisturize the wood and give the furniture a nice luster. Plus, you’ll have enough left over to polish some of your neighbors’ furniture. You’ll be Santa Claus meets Mr. Clean. How did I miss hearing about the “In Honor of Guam’s Liberation” SPAM®! I thought I had collected them all! But as I older and tried to be “healthier” (whatever that means, haha), SPAM® faded from my consciousness. Then I met my future wife, who is Hawaiian, SPAM® became part of my life again. Maybe the economic downturn will help people truly appreciate SPAM® instead of loathing it. SPAM® doe

Guam has SPAM(R) for the same reason your local overpriced salad place has quinoa—the U.S. Sure, everyone heralds it as a superfood, and it seems like it sort of just started appearing everywhere from that trendy new restaurant to the health food aisle at your local grocery store. But do you ever wonder where it came from and why its advent was so sudden?

super destructive super food

Quinoa has been cultivated for millennia in the Americas and specifically the Andes. Its roots began in Peru and Bolivia, serving as a staple subsistence food. As their presence in the region became more permanent, Spanish conquistadors discouraged traditional quinoa production and instead mandated the cultivation of other crops. But its modern prevalence in the U.S. can be traced back to the 90s, thanks to NASA, who “discovered” it as a beneficial source of nutrition for astronauts on space missions. The two Andean countries are also the world’s largest producers of the non-grain—it is actually not a grain at all, but rather related to beets and spinach—until the quinoa boom that started in the mid-2000s turned the tables. The international palate developed a taste for quinoa, and almost as soon as Peru and Bolivia began exporting the stores of the food they had, other countries with less stake in the game, like the U.S., began producing it. Peru and Bolivia remain by far the largest producers of quinoa, as well as the largest consumers, but the difference now as compared to a few decades ago is that there are other producers and consumers in the market as well. This happened especially in the early 2010s, surrounding the United Nations’ declaration of 2013 as the “International Year of Quinoa.” The initial goal was to promote consumption of an indigenous food produced in developing communities in order to invoke positive economic change for said communities. Due to its paramount popularity, initially, prices soared. To illustrate this numerically, in 2000, one pound of qui-

40 The DISH

noa cost $0.25. At the height of its popularity, that same pound cost around $4. This price hike made it much harder for Andeans to keep purchasing the healthy local food that became instead destined for export. That, plus the changing food culture that encouraged a younger generation to prefer more processed foods, led to a rise in malnutrition. Meanwhile, in U.S. markets, the price of quinoa precludes it from being a viable option for much of the consumer base. Now that there exist more quinoa producers than ever before, and in more countries and markets, its price per pound has fallen. This seems like it would be favorable to all parties involved, but in reality it means that smaller communities that once benefited from selling quinoa crop at a high price are no longer able to compete on that larger scale. According to the Washington Post, Sergio Nunez de Arco is a native Bolivian who founded a U.S.-operated company that buys quinoa from small-scale farmers at a fair price. He recognizes, “It kind of hurts that the guys who’ve been doing this for 4,000 years aren’t even present--‘You guys are awesome, but your stuff is antiquated, so move over, a new age of quinoa is coming.’” So how do you reconcile partaking in quinoa while still protecting the livelihood of its producers? One solution in the works is classifying Bolivian quinoa with a geographical indication—tying the product to its place of origin. If it is made official, Bolivian quinoa would be afforded the same recognition as Champagne or tequila. Having a geographical indication would ensure a certain authenticity and value in the tradition of the production of the crop. The hope is that, with this special classification, quinoa would be instrumental in developing a “regional brand,” as the World Intellectual Property Organization calls it. This would aid in creating a product with higher value, creating more jobs in the region, and overall promoting economic stability and success for local farmers and the region as a whole.

a Dan y b lage . Col s f o o Sch Written by Cora

. ez igu r od iR l e g An

EAT YOUR WORDS 41

fast food for the soul

There are two types of food: food that’s good for the body, and food that’s good for the soul. Of course, we all want to feel the same love and desire for salads and apples that one might feel for french fries and cheese curds. However, sometimes that is simply impossible. Picture yourself desperately craving your favorite fast food, to the point you are willing to risk driving with the gas light on. For me, that place is Bagel Hut, a bagel store open from 4 a.m. to 4 p.m. around the corner from where I grew up in Great Neck, New York. Bagels may not be the first thing that comes to mind when one pictures fast food, but they are quick, delicious, and warm my soul. Isn’t that what fast food is all about? Bagel Hut was a nostalgic and loved place for many people in my community. “4 a.m. bagels” was even an activity in my hometown. What does that entail, you may wonder? Basically, it meant waking up at 4 a.m. or, if you were having a crazy night out on the suburbs, staying up and going to Bagel Hut right when they unlocked their doors. Behind the frosted glass doors, freshly baked bagels with cream cheese or butter awaited the serious bagel fanatics. According to The New York Times, a New York bagel is the equivalent of a quarter to more than a half loaf of bread. But will I ever stop loving and eating bagels? Absolutely not. That’s the thing about fast food, you know it’s not good for you, but when you’re eating it you don’t care. We live in a post-Super Size Me era, where we know no one is going to lose weight off McNuggets. We live

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in a time when we can Google every nutrition label or read the calorie count off the menu. Chipotle even advertises vegan burrito bowls. However, places like Taco Bell are still open and booming with business selling quesadillas until 1:00 a.m. in the morning on State Street. 50 million Americans are served fast food every day, according to the Pew Research Center. If you ask any Wisconsinite about Culver’s, you can feel their passion and love for their sentimental ButterBurgers, Frozen Custard, and Cheese Curds. Wisconsin is full of many delicious fast food options. Intoxicated college students will mob Ian’s Pizza on a Saturday night for a slice of mac and cheese, drunken ravioli, or barbeque chicken pizza. However, have you ever asked yourself how many calories or grams of fat are in a slice of Ian’s or a ButterBurger? 300 calories for an Ian’s mac and cheese slice, 17 grams of fat in a ButterBurger. Disappointing right? One cannot replace the flavors of salty french fries or chicken nuggets with healthy substitutes easily. Many people, my self included, have tried. But there’s something about a replacement that doesn’t always work. Fast food warms the soul in a way a cauliflower pizza crust or “zoodles” can’t. Whether it’s a drunken Saturday night at Ian’s or 4 A.M. with a bagel, if you decide to eat fast food, recognize it’s detriments, but live a little and enjoy it. Written by Kyla Rosenberg. Illustrated by Grace Miller .

EAT YOUR WORDS 43

ONE FRIDGE AT A TIME: Campus food shed addresses issues of food insecurity, waste

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As an undergraduate student work- a person than to a garbage can,” Moss ing at the Goldman plant-breeding said. “Envision a pile of wasting, rotting lab, Hayden DePorter had an idea. food and think about all the food in grocery stores, in restaurants [that goes After noticing only about five per- to waste] - and we can eat it, for free!” cent of produce grown for university research was being harvested and Campus Food Shed estimates 13 thoutaken back to campus, DePorter’s sand pounds of produce have been background in food systems and the recovered through the organization’s environment led them to believe this efforts since the beginning of the 2018produce could be put to better use. 19 school year. Daily donations of imperfect and day-old expired -- yet per“I would be sad seeing thousands fectly edible -- produce from the Fresh and thousands of perfect vege- Madison Market grocery store make tables being left in the field to up the bulk of this amount, most of be composted,” DePorter said. which ends up in a fridge on the third floor of the Student Activity Center. So DePorter turned to Professor Ir- A fridge in the Moore Hall plant sciwin Goldman for help to find a “new ences building is also stocked with home” for the excess research pro- seasonal donations from university reduce, they said. Together, DePorter search fields and local farmers’ markets. and Goldman secured a grant which paid for several fridges to be placed around campus as a means for housing this produce, an initiative which they called “Campus Food Shed.”

Department of Health Services which makes nutritious food more accessible to low-income individuals.But Campus Food Shed is only a band-aid, not a solution, to tackling issues like food insecurity on campus, Moss said. Student-led organizations and initiatives including Campus Food Shed are stepping up together to lead the way in combating and destigmatizing such issues, an effort which deserves more attention and action on behalf of the university, according to Moss.

In June of 2017, the Campus Food Shed opened its fridge doors to the University of Wisconsin campus, serving to address issues of both food waste and food insecurity.

Because the Campus Food Shed is still a fairly new student organization, overcoming these obstacles is a process of trial and error, according to Zheng. However, Zheng is confident Campus Food Shed can achieve its goal of expansion, she said. Eventually, the Campus Food Shed hopes to develop a model that can be used to help other universities implement their own version of Campus Food Shed.

Food insecurity – or experiencing the uncertainty of not knowing where a next meal will come from – is prevalent on university campuses, according to Shayna Once stocked, it is usually only a matMoss, Campus Food Shed director. ter of hours before the fridges are empty again - an indication of how needed While Campus Food Shed values being this initiative is on campus, Moss said. a free resource for all university stu- Campus Food Shed strives to help meet dents, faculty and staff, the initiative, this need through a number of goals. which officially debuted as a student organization last fall, aims primarily to One of the organization’s more re“bridge the gap” between those who es- cent goals is to host application workpecially need this food and food that shops, in partnership with the Second is unnecessarily wasted, said Elaine Harvest Foodbank, for anyone on Zheng, a current leadership member. campus who qualifies for FoodShare “We would rather have this food go to Wisconsin, a program through the

For Campus Food Shed, obstacles like communication and transportation make achieving campus-wide reach and coordinating efforts difficult. “It’s frustrating because there are so many groups [on campus] that are essentially doing the same thing,” said Grace Puc, another leadership member. “If we all independently care about the same thing, we should be able to more easily and seamlessly help combat the issue.”

“We shouldn’t be having a bunch of publicity,” Moss said. “This should be universal. We want to make this an epidemic.” More information on the Campus Food Shed can be found on their Facebook page (@campusfoodshed) or on their website at campusfoodshed.wordpress.com.

Written by Jaci Moseley. Photographed by Campus Food Shed.

EAT YOUR WORDS 45

Last Course: food in literature A dish, like a string of words, means nothing without people to savor its deliciousness and to provide it a home within a culinary history. Only after the meal is served, or the chapter is finished, can the flavor be deposited in the individual or collective memory. It is a flavor, whether served steaming in a bowl or baked within a mouthwatering metaphor, that can stay with us for a lifetime. A dish doesn’t have to be perfect to become a part of the soul. But it does have to be delicious and, ideally, dripping with connections to the past. While the role of food in literature can be just as savory or sweet, as heartwarming or poignant, as the food being described, it is rare for a literary food moment to stir up more than just the reader’s appetite. However, a certain quote from Ralph Ellison’s novel Invisible Man never fails to hit me with both a pang of hunger and sentimentality. As the unnamed narrator walks down the streets of New York City, he comes across a food cart selling yams: A stovepipe reeled off a thin spiral of smoke that drifted the odor of baking yams slowly to me, bringing a stab of swift nostalgia…[W]e’d loved them candied, or baked in a cobbler, deep-fat fried in a pocket of dough, or roasted with pork and glazed with the well-browned fat…I took a bite, finding it as sweet and hot as any I’d ever had, and was overcome with such a surge of homesickness that I turned away to keep my control…“They’re my birthmark,’ I said. ‘I yam what I am!” Through Ellison’s quote, the power of food and literature unite to tell one cohesive story: the story of the narrator’s childhood and heritage. The yams hold a piece of the narrator’s identity. A single bite is enough to form a bridge between the present and the past, transporting him to yams of the past and the memories held within. It’s a story that goes beyond the taste of the yam itself, as delicious as it may be, and into the realm of culinary memory.

Beyond this individual nostalgia, a dish can also be incorporated into the identity of an entire culture. The scent of the yams evokes a deep cultural nostalgia, with a candied smell so strong that it has permeated through the generations. Over a half-century after the publication of Ellison’s novel, the yam remains a symbol of authenticity and self-declared power in popular culture, being recently featured in Kendrick Lamar’s album To Pimp a Butterfly (2015). Lamar shares his own connection to food, the text, and this shared cultural identity as he proclaims the yam as “the power that be” -- the power for him to embrace his uninhibited self and the spirit of his culture. We all have a dish that comes served with a “stab of swift nostalgia,” one that is embedded so deep within our hearts and our taste buds that we would consider it a culinary “birthmark.” Whether it is a simmering memory of your mother’s cooking, or a cultural symbol “deep-fat fried in a pocket of dough,” this dish deserves to be remembered, celebrated, and savored.

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Written by Lisa Raymond-Schmidt.

It is food-vaults like the yam that unlock the most intrinsic parts of ourselves. They force us to momentarily “turn away” from the present and acknowledge the power of the dishes from our past. For the narrator, this means accepting his own place within the racial and cultural legacy of the yam -- choosing to slather his Southern roots in butter and embrace this sweet, indispensable aspect of his identity. They are, after all, a “birthmark” he will never erase; they have become synonymous with himself and his history.

EAT YOUR WORDS 47

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

facebook / the dish wisconsin instagram / @thedishwisconsin email / thedish.publications@union.wisc.edu website / thedishwisconsin.com

Paul’s Pel’meni / Photographed by Erika Aoyagi

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Eat YouR words 49

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