B R I G H T

THE DISH

B R I G H T

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contributors the people who made this publication possible

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letter to the editor editor-in-chief Grace Miller gives her thoughts

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pop of pom a recipe for pomegrante pasta

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in defense of avocado toast let them eat avocados

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rainbow salad how to nourish your body -- and your instagram feed

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fresh pressed details on juicing carrots, beets and all you can drink

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what’s in season the vegetables that are fresh for the picking

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spilling the tea the colorful teas of the moment

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the truth behind the tea what these herbal blends can do for you

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rainbow cake color your cake and eat it too

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CONTRIBUTORS Editor in chief Grace Miller

Community Editors Matthew Shelver

Features Editors Andrew Madison

Online Editor

Layout Caitlin Geurts Dana Angeli Rodriguez Kyi Phyu Khaing Sara Sheibani

Illustrators Grace Miller Bella Robinson Saya Inoue

Karim Nassef

Art Director Caitlin Geurts Kyi Phyu Khaing

Media and Marketing Director Lauren Lamothe

Photography Director Xinyi Li

Writers Karim Nassef Ari Saghafi Hannah Twietmeyer Sunmi Famule Cora Schoofs

Photographers Xiaoyue Pu Cora Schoofs Sunmi Famule Xinyi Li

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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 grace miller

If you’ve ever found yourself in front of the T.V. stress-munching on chips or candy, you know that there is a connection between food and mood.

And, in midst of the polar vortex of Wisconsin, it’s the perfect time to turn up the heat in your kitchen and cook something that will bring you warmth, joy, and a little break from the swirling snow storms outside your window. When it’s cold for eons, like it has been this winter, it’s so easy for me to turn my back on the outside world and take shelter in my home, brew my favorite cup of tea, and sleepily wait until the season changes, hibernating like a little bear in my protective hole. But, it’s time to break out

of the winter slumber and welcome back vibrant life, whether spring seems to be coming or not.

all the colors of the rainbow in her salad, explaining the health benefits of vitamins and minerals found in fruits and veggies.

Too often winter is the harbinger of solemnity and blandness, and food is no exception.

We want to cast a blanket of brightness to cover the Madison snow, focusing on ingredients with color, life, and pungent flavor that will refill our energy levels and melt away lingering seasonal depression.

Led by Sunmi Famule, we take a dive into the world of tea, and see what steeped leaves can do for our bodies and souls. Plus, Xinyi Li creates a rainbow cake- a masterpiece of patience and whimsy that is sure to bring a smile to your face (and stomach).

In this issue, Cora Schoofs makes her own pasta and dresses it with bright fuschia pomegranate seeds and spring green basil, Ari Saghafi explores the tang of juicing, and Hannah Twietmeyer plays with

Though the weather outside is still frightful, food can be so delightful. It just takes a sprinkle of joy and a dollop of intention, and the foods you choose to create can bring the brightness of spring-- if only for a moment.

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pop of pom

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directions

Coat a large pan with olive oil. Once it is heated at medium-high heat and sufficiently covers the bottom, add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft. Add the garlic, stirring it in with the onions. After a few seconds, add the cream and reduce the heat to a simmer. Gradually fold in the pomegranate juice—the sauce will become a rosy pink.

When the sauce has reduced somewhat, add the mint.

While the freshness of the mint enlivens the sauce, panfry the pancetta in a separate pan with a bit of olive oil.

When it develops color, add it to the sauce. Add the lemon zest and juice and continue to simmer until the cream reduces further and the sauce becomes more fragrant.

Clear a large work surface—it’s pasta time. (This step could also be done before the sauce is started, as the dough needs to rest.) Make a mound of flour, creating a volcano-like dip in the middle. Crack the eggs into the indentation, along with some salt and a few drizzles of olive oil.

Begin whisking the eggs with a fork, gradually picking up more and more flour. When the resistance becomes too strong to continue with a fork, add more flour to the mixture by hand until a solid dough forms. Knead the dough for about ten minutes, incorporating more flour or olive oil as needed. Then, cover it in plastic wrap and let rest for at least 30 minutes. (If you have trouble with these steps, there are many helpful walkthrough videos available—my favorite is Binging with Babish’s.)

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Cover the work surface with flour. Unwrap the dough, sprinkle some flour on it, and roll it out until it is very thin and flexible. Cut the edges so that they are straight.

Then, fold the dough a few times over on itself and cut it with a chef’s knife into approximately centimeter-wide increments. Unfold the noodles. Cook in boiling water (with plenty of salt--Samin Nosrat says it should be as salty as the sea) until the noodles are al dente.

At this point, you could add more pomegranate juice to the sauce for a bit more color—it will have turned brown. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss in order to completely coat the noodles.

Plate! Sprinkle pomegranate arils and crumbled goat cheese on top of a small heap of noodles swirled together.

Top with a couple whole fresh mint leaves, and enjoy.

TOPPINGS 1 pomegranate Goat cheese, crumbled Whole fresh mint leaves

PASTA 2 eggs (or more, to make more pasta) All-purpose flour Olive oil Salt

SAUCE

1 onion, diced 3 cloves of garlic, minced 2 cups of heavy cream 1 cup approx. of pomegranate juice 1/4 cup of fresh mint, chopped 3 oz. of pancetta, diced 1 lemon, zested and juiced Olive oil Salt

I was inspired to make pasta from scratch when I watched “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat” with Samin Nosrat, a four-part series that demonstrates these integral elements of good food. In the “Salt” episode, Nosrat masters handmade pasta all’uovo in Italy with the simplest ingredients: flour and eggs. Her cookbook by the same title, then, was the first I looked to for sauce inspiration. I based my sauce on her Creamy Asparagus and Mint Pasta recipe, but wanted to modify it to include pomegranate to combat the dreariness of mid-February . This was definitely a trial-and-error experience.

Although I ultimately enjoyed the flavor of the sauce, I have to say I was disappointed that it was

not the bright fuschia I had envisioned. In the future, I would modify the ratio of cream to pomegranate juice to try and accomplish a similar flavor but with a more vivid color. Turning to the other major element of the dish, it was my first time making pasta from scratch, and it will not be the last, but I came across some difficulties. I only used two eggs, and was displeased at the amount of pasta that resulted, which was about two to three servings’ worth. I would recommend using more eggs to accommodate the amount of sauce.

Additionally, keeping the moisture of the pasta dough at a consistent level was a balancing act; for a while, I was caught in a loop of adding a little bit more flour and

then a little bit more olive oil and then a little bit more flour and then--you get the idea. I would also strongly recommend using a pasta machine in order to thin out the dough, if available, because I lost count of how long I spent manually thinning out the dough with just a rolling pin. The following is the result; although it resembles a beef stroganoff, its flavor is bright.

The pomegranate and lemon provide a sophisticated acidity and the fresh mint balances the rich cream base while the pancetta adds saltiness. It is like a new-andimproved comfort food.

Written and photographed by Cora Schoofs.

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In defense of

AVOCADO TOAST If I had a dollar for every time a baby-boomer snarkily reprimanded millenials for not being able to afford to buy a house because of their avocado toast habits, I would have enough money for a down-payment on a suburban 3-bed-2-bath Tuscan home with a sprawling garden big enough for an avocado farm – an avocado farm which when photographed from above, displayed an extended middle finger.

We face an ever-changing world where the answers to our money questions are evasive. For millennials who want to have their avocado toast and eat it too, searching for answers on the internet means being met with countless conflicting opinions, anecdotal advice, baseless condescension, and confusion from other generations as to why things are different this time round.

Let’s ignore the fact that when Australian millionaire Tim Gurner first recommended that millennial lay off the avocado toast so that they could afford to buy homes, there were 3% fewer homes on the market compared to the previous year, home values were up 7%, the average student loan debt was $30,100 – a similar number to the loan Gurner first received from his grandfather

at the age of 19 to start his real you forget that median earnings estate venture (source: CNN Mon- for 18 to 34-year-olds decreased by ey)… but that’s none of my business. almost $2,000 between 1980 and 2013.

Here’s the deal: if you wake up craving some of that dank green, one Haas avocado will set you back $0.60 at Woodman’s Market.

Smash that baby up, season it however you’d like (I’m partial to salt, pepper, and cumin), lather it on a

Sometimes it’s not about the utility we’re getting from the food. Sure, the avocado toast at your local cafe costs more than it would for you to make it at home. I wish we’d stop treating that fact like it was profound in any way. Newsflash: that $76 filet mignon au poivre could also be cheaper if you made it at home. Sometimes, it’s okay to pay an upcharge to support a local business, to enjoy the ambience with the people you care about, and to eat a damn good avocado toast.

Food on a budget is hard. It’s something that’s almost become taboo to talk about. I hope that we can have more open and honest conversations about the financial barriers that make foods prohibitive, and how they impact all aspects of one’s life. Shaming an entire generation slice or two of your favorite bread, out of eating a food they enjoy is not and bam – you’ve conceivably got the path towards that conversation. yourself a ~500 calorie breakfast, rich in fiber, potassium, and vita- May you one day be able to have min C and B6, all for less than $2. your avocado toast and eat it too.

If you’re feeling adventurous, add a fried egg. The melty yolk will add Written by Karim Nassef. Photoa rich, silky texture that will coat graphed by Xiaoyue Pu. your mouth and maybe even help

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RAINBOW salad

about this dish

Beat the winter-blues with this vibrant, nutrient-dense bowl of color. Not only does this salad look lovely, but it is also full of sweet, tangy flavors and some crunch that is sure to shake up your meals between classes.

Vitamin C is vital to our health at this time of the year, when colds and the flu tend to run rampant. Luckily, the produce in this salad will provide more than enough vitamin C to keep you healthy and happy. Purple cabbage, edamame, bell peppers, and mango can help protect immune systems and nourish the body, and are all high in antioxidants and vitamin K as well.

The ingredients in this dish also contains abundant amounts of zinc, iron, and folate. In the winter, our bodies can run low on

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these nutrients, causing immune system deficiencies and mood swings. The cold weather and shorter, darker days means that we need to up our intake of fruits and veggies that provide nutrients like folate to boost our mood, or zinc, which keeps our energy levels high.

Believe it or not, there are also sufficient amounts of protein in this plant-based meal. One cup of cooked quinoa can provide eight grams of protein, while a cup of edamame provides more than double that almost 19 grams of protein.

So take our word for it and nourish your body with this simple, yet powerfully beneficial salad because the food you eat should do more than just look pretty, it should make you feel good.

ingredients for the salad 1 cup shredded purple cabbage ½ 1/2 cup matchstick carrots ½ 1/2 cup chopped cucumber ½ 1/2 cup chopped mango 1/4 cup edamame ½ 1/2 cup sliced peppers 1/3 cup of prepared quinoa

directions ingredients for the peanut sauce 1/2 cup peanut butter, crunchy or smooth 2 Tbsp brown sugar 1-2 Tbsp soy sauce 1/2 lime, juiced 1/2 tsp chili paste (a few dashes of sriracha and 1/4 tsp chili powder or red pepper flakes works as asubstitute) 1/2 tsp grated ginger a few Tbsp of hot water

Boil water in a small saucepan and prepare quinoa according to package directions. Meanwhile, chop up the purple cabbage, cucumber, peppers, and mango. If edamame is frozen, follow the microwave directions on the package to defrost and shell. Set aside vegetables. In a bowl, whisk together peanut butter, brown sugar, soy sauce, lime juice, chili paste and ginger. Incorporate one tablespoon of hot water and whisk to thin. Repeat until the consistency is pourable but thick, and not too runny. Once quinoa is cooked and cooled, assemble everything into a bowl and cover with peanut dressing. Top with peanuts chow mein noodles for a crunch!

Written by Hannah Twietmeyer and photographed by Xinyi Li.

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A JUICY TAKE WRITTEN BY Ari Saghafi.

ILLUSTRATED BY Bella Robinson.

Does juice really taste good? And I don’t mean the Simply Orange that you drink during cold season to ward off the germs contracted from wayward sneezes in lecture. I’m talking about the fancy juices that celebrities and social media influencers flaunt; the juices that you talk yourself into trying but then throw out because they taste like dirty and spicy grass. I’ve been there, I’ve tried a 24-hour juice cleanse, $7 cold-pressed green juices from Whole Foods, beet juice, carrot juice, and pure celery juice, the newest and by far the most disgusting. But I don’t think anything can beat fresh squeezed orange juice because it reminds me of Sunday morning breakfast at home in California. Before I learned to appreciate the aroma of coffee in the mornings, waking up to the whirring sound of the juicer in the kitchen was the next best thing because it was a tell-tale sign of pancakes and bacon waiting on the porch in the backyard but also that my mom was about to start yelling to get me and my siblings out of bed.

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Juices can be a convenient way to get nutrients that you might otherwise miss out on during the day. I call it the vegetable life hack. There are two processes to create fresh juice: fresh squeezed and cold-pressed. Fresh squeezed juice is made with a centrifugal juicer that has spinning blades which extract the juice from the fruits or vegetables, but also generate heat which can decrease the nutrient value by breaking down enzymes and allowing more oxidation. This system is something is pretty common in local markets and breakfast shops and is considered the beginner’s step to juicing.

Then there’s the cold-pressed juicer, which does exactly what its name says; the juicer cold presses the raw fruits and vegetables and without generated heat by applying immense pressure.

All of the nutrients are retained and so you get 100% of the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Cold-pressed juices also have a better shelf life compared to those from centrifugal juicers because they don’t oxidize as fast but still do have a short shelf-life.

Personally, I’m a fan of cold-pressed juices because it’s a convenient way to get my veggie fix on the go and makes me feel a little less guilty about having pizza 3 days in a row with no vegetables in sight. Juices are also multi-purpose in terms of benefits. There’s a reason that people go on juice cleanses, (I don’t recommend a cold turkey juice cleanse without research and a diet plan) but usually juices can by synonymous with detox, which is true. While the benefits of green juices have been debated among researchers, a lot of consumer reviews claim that drinking green juice regularly can boost energy levels, clear out toxins, decrease sugar cravings, clear up skin, help with bloating, and boost your immune system. Beet juice is popular with athletes, according to a study by Tom Clifford at Northumbria University, beetroots contain a high con-

the bottle in Costco before. I love the “King of Greens” with apple, celery, cucumber, kale, collard greens, lemon, ginger, spinach, chlorella, and spirulina. This is something I would recommend to anyone wanted to dip their toes slowly into the world of juicing.

While all the different greens sound intimidating, it’s the fruit juices that make the world of difference. The apple juice in the King of Greens is what adds the sweetness that makes the taste much more palatable, I will also go for juices with pineapple juice or grapefruit juice as the base, I would make a strong argument that as the king of sweet juices, apple is the best route to go. Then with the added ginger and lemon, I know that my digestion is getting a good shove along, with a manageable amount of detoxification in my liver. And last but not least a hint of celery for the glow that everyone is looking for these days.

centration of antioxidants that help with recovery post workout and decreasing inflammation and is high in Vitamin C (warning: your urine might be a little pink after consumption).

I usually dilute beet juice with orange juice, lemon juice and a little bit of water to help with the taste. A 20 0z bottle of pure beet juice is $4 at Trader Joes which is about two and a half servings but I am not at the level where I can drink 8 oz of beet juice yet so I make it last a little longer than just two servings. Cold pressed celery juice has been the latest bandwagon, as experts claim 8 oz of freshly juiced celery in the morning jump starts digestion and can work wonders towards glowing skin.

I was on the bandwagon for a couple days but then reverted back to my goto affordable green juice fix because I couldn’t justify paying $5 per bottle (I have not yet acquired my own juicer).

The only downside to this new brand of healthy juice is cost and access, seeing that most bottle of juice that you will find in the supermarket start at $5 and can get scarily high for just a 12 oz bottle. There is also the option of buying your own juicer and making your own juices, which over time could be more cost effective, but as a stereotypically lazy college student, do I have time to go through with making my own juice when sometimes I’m too lazy to make my own dinner? My obsession with drinking the fancy juices and health shots is that it really gets to my head. It’s a placebo effect, but I really do believe that when I start my day off with a glass of cold-pressed juice before my coffee, my body thanks me a little bit, and I feel a little more like a balanced and functioning adult compared to the girl who had 3 Doritos Locos Supremes on Saturday night (also me).

My go-to is a $10 46 oz bottle by the brand Suja Elements, I usually buy from Whole Foods, but I have seen

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What’s in season?

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onio

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to a t o p ge a b cab ot carr Illustration by Saya Inoue

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spilling the tea It’s no secret that drinking tea has many benefits for both the body and the mind.

Whether you enjoy actively participating in tea spilling culture or simply enjoy cozying up with a mug of your favorite leaf brew, you are bound to find something on this list that interests you. Here are seven teas that should be on your radar.

Written by Sunmi Famule. Photogrpahed by Ramadan Raji. Illustrated by Grace Miller.

jasmine tea

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lavender tea

hibiscus tea

butterfly

pea tea

lemon, tumeric, and ginger tea

rasberry tea

blueberry acai green tea

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lavender tea

“as if we didn’t spill enough”

rasberry tea Hibiscus tea has many names depending on who you ask.

In West Africa, it’s called Zobo. In Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean it is known as agua de flor Jamaica or rosa de Jamaica. This tart tea is packed with nutrients. It is perfect for all weathers and can be served hot or cold. To up your hibiscus tea game, brew it with some mint leaves, a touch of vanilla and your favorite sweetener.

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Though the color isn’t the most vibrant, the benefits are plentiful. Fall in love with the sweet aroma of this fragrant tea and not its looks. Drinking a cup before going to bed can induce calmness and help you fall asleep and stay asleep. This tea also helps boost the health of your immune system because it contains antioxidants and antibacterial compounds that ward off cold and flu.

Lavender tea is also great for relieving indigestion and bloating.

blueberry acai green tea Yes, it’s basic, but it doesn’t have to be. Green tea can be mixed with many other flavors; from coconut to blueberry Acai. Green tea also has a lot of benefits. Its versatility makes it the perfect mixer for other more fragrant teas, it also adds an earthy taste to any brew. If you are bored of plain green tea, check out flavors such as peach green tea and mango green tea.

hibiscus tea The robust scent of Jasmine tea (especially in leaf form) may be off-putting to some, but be assured that the taste is as delicate as its flower. Jasmine tea is a great stress reliever after a long day of classes. It also helps to boost your metabolism. Milk adds a creamy flavor to this tea.

butterfly pea tea Butterfly Pea tea is a vivid color-changing tea. Adding a squeeze of lemon turns this tea from blue to a soft violet color. Adding milk turns it sky blue. Have some fun with this tea by experimenting with its color saturation. It’s simple taste and subtle aroma makes it perfect summer consumption.

jasmine tea Raspberry tea is the perfect berry drink for the summer. The tangy citrus scent and the radiant color attract but the eyes and the nose. Brew this tea hot in the winter with your favorite sweetener and add ice in the summer with some lemon and lime slices for additional freshness.

lemon, tumeric, and ginger tea This zesty lemon-turmeric tea may be the answer you are searching for. This tea has antioxidants that help with inflammation. It helps to reduce nausea, and is packed with vitamin C. Best of all, its flavor is fresh and can be enjoyed hot or cold in all seasons with your favorite sweetener.

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RAINBOW CAKE Ingredients for white cake 1 cup salted butter softened 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 teaspoons almond extract 3 1/2 cups cake flour 4 teaspoons of baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 6 large egg whites room temperature 1 1/2 cups milk room temperature

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Grease three 9-inch pans. Line the bottom with parchment paper.

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to cream the butter and sugar together. Beat in almond extract.

Use a fork to combine the eggs and milk together in a bowl or 2 cup liquid measuring cup. Set aside.

In another mixing bowl stir together cake flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix in until just combined. Add in half of the milk mixture and combine. Add in another 1/3 of the dry ingredients until combined followed by the remainder of the milk mixture. Add in the remainder of the dry ingredients and mix with the hand mixer until just combined, using a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and bottom to make sure everything is mixed in.

Written and photographed by Xinyi Li.

Ingredients for buttercream frosting 1 cup (230 grams) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature 3 cups (360 grams) powdered sugar 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream or heavy whipping cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract pinch of salt adjust to taste

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Divide the batter among the three prepared pans. Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes. Let sit in pans for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before layering and frosting.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth.

Add in the powdered sugar ad mix on low speed at first, then increase to medium speed and continue mixing for another 1-2 minutes until the mixture starts to come together.

Add in the heavy cream (start with 2 tablespoons and add a little more if needed), vanilla extract, and salt and continue mixing on medium-high speed for another minute or until everything is well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

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