THE DISH FOOD & TECH
1 |THE DISH
THE DISH
FOOD & TECH 12 13
7
21 17
15 18 WAIT. HOLD ON, I HAVE TO TAKE A PICTURE 5 THE SCOOP ON BABCOCK 8 Alice Choi: The Hip Foodie (Madison) MoM 10 THE DISH PRESENTS MADISON FOODSTAGRAM AWARDs 13 @CAMERAEATSMADISON
14
@saintsmadison 16 @theleekandthecarrot 18 @MADISONMUNCHERS
20
FOOD & TECH | 1
Editor in Chief Daniella Byck Art Director Zoey Rugel Community Editor Karim Nassef Features Editor Sam Karny Marketing & Social Media Director Carli Gordon Photography Director Devin Kelly Writers Lauren Anders, Sam Karny, Libby Schnepf Photographers Daniella Byck, Ally Dweck, Devin Kelly Layout Jade Anthony, Daniella Byck, Zoey Rugel Cover Photo Carli Gordon WUD Publications Committee Director Malik Anderson WUD Publications Committee Advisor Jim Rogers Wisconsin Union President Iffat Bhuiyan
2 |THE DISH
Letter From the editor Dear Readers, As summer both looms and blooms, I find myself craving flaky croissants drizzled in dulcet honey. For the past twelve years of my life, the summer months means making pilgrimage to New Bern, North Carolina. New Bern is the birthplace of Pepsi and the backdrop of many a Nicholas Sparks novel. But the true love story for me are the croissants served in lieu of bread at Morgan’s Tavern and Grill. Alongside my fellow camp co-workers, the treat represents a refreshingly luxurious moment amongst weeks of camp food. At Morgan’s, we stack our phones and abandon them for the evening, choosing instead to fully immerse in croissants and company. Our act is seen as so revolutionary that strangers often approach and comment - a meal without phones! How retro! And in those unplugged moments, I feel a greater connection to not just the heavenly croissants, but to the community surrounding me. Often, the conversation about technology and food is centered around production and GMOs. However, I challenge you to think about the ways the presence of technology has impacted your ability to connect with your food. How do these technologies bring us closer together as a global culinary community while simultaneously drawing us away from the intimate atmosphere each meal constructs? This is the question at the forefront of my mind. Our team is enthused to bring you our first ever fully digital edition of The Dish. We have officially gone millennial! Fittingly, the theme of this issue is “Food and Technology” (although I have jokingly come to refer to it as the “Instagram edition”). Inevitably, technology has changed the way we experience food and now more than ever, we must utilize a critical eye and ask questions. This edition focuses on technology’s ever-expanding role in our mealtime, from Babcock ice cream production to our favorite Madison foodstagrams. Welcome to the new era of The Dish! e
Daniella Byck
FOOD & TECH | 3
Photo by Ally Dweck
4 |THE DISH
Coming Soon: T H E D I S H A to Z Farmer’s Market Guide
Wait. Hold On, Photos by Ally Dweck, Daniella Byck, and Sam Karny
I have to take a picture FOOD & TECH | 5
Wait. Hold On, I have to Take A Picture Taking “Instagram worthy” pictures adds a subtle pressures on photographers and restaurants alike.
“Wait, hold on. I gotta take a picture.” Maybe some thought I was a creative journalist or photographer, but I am sure the majority of the restaurant, inconvenienced by my blinding flash, thought I was just another millennial whipping out my phone to snap a picture and uploading it to my Instagram. And yes, they were right.
By Lauren Anders
L
ast weekend I was out for dinner with my mom. As soon as the server brought our appetizers– before my mom could even taste a bite of apple and brie from our charcuterie plate– I stopped her.
Not only are millennials using Instagram to share culinary experiences and document what we eat, but we are using Instagram to decide where we eat. “I honestly don’t use Yelp or anything like that. I go on Instagram to find food accounts of restaurants where I live at home and when I go home for breaks or weekends, I make sure to go there and get whatever the picture was taken of,” said UW-Madison student Mallory Scheppa.
In fact, it is typical for millenials to walk into a restaurant they’ve never been to before and know exactly what they want to order just by “stalking” Instagram. Restaurants are changing their atmosphere and the way they plate dishes to draw in millennials for free advertising via their Instagram accounts. To learn more about this phenomenon, I sat down with Jennifer Cameron, the General Manager of Eno Vino Wine Bar & Bistro in Downtown Madison. “It’s definitely an Instagrammable place. The food is plated clean and sophisticated and the floor to ceiling windows that look at the capital makes the perfect background for any picture. I think the owners and interior designers wanted to fit that sleek, modern feel to attract adults and college students, ” Cameron explained. Photo by Devin Kelly
Photos by Daniella Byck Photo by Sam Karny
6 |THE DISH
As social media explodes with the creation of Facebook and photo sharing apps like Instagram and VSCO, a new pressure has arisen for restaurants to be creative and “Instagram worthy.” Instagram seems to have revolutionized the way we interact with not only restaurants, but also each other. Millennials crave likes and comments from friends and strangers alike. Some may use Instagram to curate their digital persona, posting creative food pictures to show others a sense of adventure and unique palate. In the digital age, the idea of “word of mouth” has evolved. Of course, it still plays a part, but for the most part it has moved online to likes and comments.
Although we all want to eat things that look pretty, shouldn’t the flavor matter more? We all have the ability to take pictures of our meals, but do we care more about the quality of the photo or the taste of the food? I guess true beauty is no longer in the eyes of the beholder, but rather the iPhone. The pressure is on for foodies like me to get that perfect shot and in turn, for restaurants to deliver tasty and photo worthy dishes. e
Photo by Ally Dweck
“It’s a good way to check whether we’re resonating with our crowd. If people are posting lots of pictures, we know we’re doing something right,” Cameron mentioned, speaking of Eno Vino’s Instagram page, @ enovinodowntown. There was a seemingly sudden shift with the introduction of Instagram as I observed how restaurants went from plating food to be eaten to plating it to be photographed. If a restaurant wants patrons to share positive reviews, they have to make sure your dishes look good. It seems that many millennials question: if the food or atmosphere is not Instagram worthy, why bother going?
Photo by Daniella Byck Photo by Daniella Byck
Photo by Sam Karny
FOOD & TECH | 7
the scoop on babcok by libby schnepf| Photos by Devin Kelly A UW campus delicacy evokes humanistic responses such as nostalgia of one’s first lick of Union Utopia or reminiscent of summers spent on the terrace. But the process behind the sweet and creamy facade is far more technical than taste buds may indicate. Founded in 1951, Babcock Ice Cream has been innovative since the start. Dr. Steven Babcock, the mastermind behind the entire production, conducted a ground-breaking butterfat test at the University of Wisconsin-
8 |THE DISH
Madison. This innovative test paved the way for higher standards in milk quality and reduced the dishonest practice of watering down milk. Behind the front of the quaint Babcock Dairy Hall Store and it’s scientific past resides one of the most revered collegiate dairy production facilities. White clad food scientists scuttle through the metallic maze of machinery on the ground of the processing plant. The metal tubing weaves intricate design through which the cream and other raw
ingredients flow to create 75,000 gallons of ice cream in over 90 flavors throughout the year. Although food science students and faculty are always crafting new flavors like Grasshopper or Blueberry Swirl, the essential recipe is steadfast. In a way, this plays up the nostalgia factor as longtime alumni are able to experience the same Babcock ice cream they ate in years past. Historic as the recipe is the source of milk residing right down the street from the Dairy Plant in the campus dairy barn. The university cows are unable to keep up with the growing demands of hungry UW students, so additional milk is shipped in from other local farms to help supplement the fresh milk extracted from UW’s healthy herd.
Babcock does not rely exclusively on their expertly trained palates, but also employ random consumers to blind-test flavors under development. Babcock trained testers are asked questions relating to mouth feel, ingredient balance and intricate flavor notes. However, for the random consumer tasters, the test is essentially a thumbs up or down method because when the recipe is perfect, few words are needed.
Additional ingredients for the standard babcock base include real cane sugar and a gelatin stabilizer, both rarities in the creamery business due to higher prices and decreased shelf stability. The quality of ingredients creates a cleaner taste and enhances the flavor and texture of the final product. Once the base is mixed together, it gets warmed in a vat to 110 degrees, pasteurized at 185 degrees and then aged overnight in a cooled vat. The thickening cream is constantly moving to stimulate small ice crystal growth. All ice cream makers agree the key to the perfect creamy texture is in the small size of ice crystals. During the aging process, samples are taken to a on site quality control lab, a dream work place for ice cream lovers.
Once the base is complete, solid ingredients like bit of cookie dough or swirls of creamy peanut butter, known as inclusions, are incorporated, and the final project is hosed into barrels, gallons, or pints for final consumption.
After the base is aged over night like a fine cheese, food scientists incorporate Babcock’s stellar flavors that Badgers know and love. The plant workers mix in flavors like vanilla, chocolate or caramel into the large vats of cooled constantly moving cream. Once the liquid flavors have been added, it’s time to freeze. The mix is pumped into a barrel surrounded by Freon, cooling it to 21 degrees as it spins. As the mix spins, ice crystals, air cells, fat globules and proteins combine together into a rich, creamy balance.
The next time you dig into your dish of blue moon at the terrace, or polish off a pint cramming for finals, now you will know the work that goes into each magical bite. e
FOOD & TECH | 9
alice The
choi: Hip
(Madison)
Foodie mom
By Sam Karny | Photos by @hipfoodiemom1 She’s not a professionally trained chef or restaurateur, but thousands of followers from Madison and beyond replicate her recipes, listen to her tips and watch her Instagram stories. Alice Choi is a wife, mom, former advertising and marketing professional and author of the blog Hip Foodie Mom. Alice grew up around restaurants as the daughter of a restaurateur – her father owned four of his own in Dallas. However, she never planned to follow in her father’s footsteps. In fact, she rarely gave cooking much thought. Despite occasional entertaining with her husband, Alice did not foresee a career for herself in the kitchen. That all changed after becoming a mom. Hip Foodie Mom came to be when Alice developed a passion for the
10 | T H E D I S H
culinary arts following the birth of her daughter. Gone were the days of cooking for close friends and family. Alice hoped to share her knowledge, diverse repertoire with a special focus on Korean dishes and delicious healthful recipes with the rest of Madison, and eventually, the world. Hip Foodie Mom creates posts with one priority in mind: seasonality. Though she ensures that her recipes are family friendly, health conscious and diverse, Alice asserts that most important quality she instills in her blog is the consistent use of fresh ingredients. This doesn’t mean that Alice is only cooking vegetables–you can find your fair share of sweet desserts and hearty
entrees on her blog. It suggests that Alice champions the importance of buying the best possible ingredients, often those that are grown locally in the greater Madison community. Alice said of Madison, “I couldn’t imagine myself being anywhere else.” Madison provided the framework for her to start a new chapter of her life: food blogging. She sourced fresh ingredients from local farmer’s markets for some of her most popular dishes like vegetarian lo mein, white bean chicken chili and an asparagus and gruyere tarte, which she prepared alongside anchors on The TODAY Show. Alice’s recipes are uniquely special to Madisonians, in line with seasonal offerings and consistently varied in flavor and heritage. A self-described “wearer of many hats,” Alice acquired new skills and flexed existing ones as she established Hip Foodie Mom. Alice spent years working on her craft individually, and found answers in education. Though she is not a classically trained chef, Alice enrolled in a course in New York City’s Natural Gourmet Institute where she familiarized herself with healthful cooking practices and earned a certification in culinary nutrition. A food blogger must develop talents that go beyond the kitchen. Alice explains that understanding how to properly photograph and style food is essential to a blog’s success. In fact, many food bloggers actually hire professionals to plate, stylize and photograph their dishes. However, Hip Foodie Mom wears every hat possible. Alice enrolled in classes in photography and food styling to ensure she could create the best possible blog independently. The quality of her shots surpasses that of many bloggers and Instagrammers, and has received the praise it deserves: Alice’s aesthetically pleasing, ever-popular posts have gained
upwards of a million views on Instagram alone. In order to become the Hip Foodie Mom she is today, Alice also sought an education outside of the classroom. She explains that she watches cooking shows religiously – a big fan and hopeful future talent of The Food Network. She has also been given the unique opportunity to learn from Madison’s finest chefs. She cites Tory Miller, Johnny Hunter and Dan Fox as some of her favorite local chefs while turning towards Korean-American innovators David Chang and Roy Choi as her inspirations on the national level. Alice also acknowledges her parents as influential teachers on her lifelong culinary journey, as they first introduced her to Korean eats and the professional food industry. “If you want to stay relevant and keep growing, you have to stay on top of social media and current trends,” Alice advised. Alice’s achievements as Hip Foodie Mom can be attributed to not only to her cooking skills, creative recipes and thirst for learning, but also her professional past. Alice honed her social media and design skills in the workplace as a former advertising and marketing professional. She believes that her background tempered the steep learning curve that is associated with food blogging as she was already accustomed to producing creative media that effectively communicates with consumers. Alice is one of Madison’s most well-known chefs, yet few have had the opportunity to taste her delicacies because her work is primarily limited to the digital sphere. Alice emphasizes that social media remains a driving force behind the recognition she receives. Alice explains, “For chefs and restaurateurs and even food bloggers, you kind of have to put yourself out there and allow the good and the bad to come.” She
FOOD & TECH | 11
Looking forward, we can expect a lot more from Hip Foodie Mom. Though Alice does not see herself attending culinary school or opening a restaurant, she does forecast a bright future that goes well beyond her blogging endeavor. She has been in talks with The Food Network, partnered with some of Madison’s premiere chefs and restaurants and has been approached about writing a cookbook.
highlights the trials, tribulations and triumphs that she experienced interacting with consumers on social media as a catalyst for her hard work, propelling Hip Foodie Mom’s “growth and reach.” Becoming an esteemed food blogger not only allowed Alice to grow professionally, but also enriched her personal life. She has been awarded the opportunity to connect with people around the globe, citing the internet for giving her the pleasure of “interact[ing] with people who you otherwise would never meet.” Alice has also applied her passion and talent for cooking to aid the community. Recently, a joint cooking class between Alice and Forequarter’s Johnny Hunter sold for $3,000, all benefitting Madison’s children’s hospital. Though Alice’s dishes are not served in a restaurant or sold in stores, Alice was thrilled to share that a select few have been given the opportunity to taste her treats. She explains with a laugh that at a recent cooking course she hosted at Sur La Table in Madison, a customer attempted to hire her as their personal chef. Her fame is not exclusive to Madison, as she recently traveled to Minneapolis to teach a kimchi making lesson to fans.
12 | T H E D I S H
Alice’s focus on seasonality, and in turn locality, permeates through her recipes, photographs and social media platforms. The importance of Madison within Hip Foodie Mom’s digital presence is unmistakable, coloring the ingredients she purchases, recipes she writes and chefs she admires. In turn, Madison continues to benefit from the ever-talented and driven Alice Choi. e
the Madison Foodstagram awards The Dish staff’s favorite local foodie Instagram accounts are inviting you to their table. Interviews edited for length and clarity. Photo by @MadisonMunchers
FOOD & TECH | 13
@cameraeatsmadison best niche Instagram Photos by @CameraEatsMadison
What is the most rewarding aspect of running your account? I love spreading awareness of all the great vegan food in town, and showing people it can be more than just a salad. How have Instagram stories changed the way you “foodstagram?” Instagram stories are fun to show more context behind a post, like a restaurant’s space and atmosphere. What is your favorite food to photograph and post? Ramen is one of my favorite foods in general, but it’s always fun for pictures. Have to get that noodle pull!
14 | T H E D I S H
Why do you think it is important to highlight the local food scene’s vegan dishes through social media? I think the vegan movement is incredibly important, there’s just so much good that eating vegan can do (if not for your health, than for animals’ and the planet’s well being). Even though it hasn’t fully taken off in Madison, I think it’s important to show that yes, some people can live without cheese (BLASPHEMY!). Hopefully restaurants will see this is something people in the Midwest actually want! e
Describe your Instagram in three words
“Madison’s Vegan Food.”
FOOD & TECH | 15
@saintsmadison best Restaurant Instagram Photos by @SaintsMadison
How does your Instagram reflect the Saints Madison brand? Our Instagram is a visual interpretation of our philosophy. We are a bit of tongue and cheek. Irreverent without losing sight of the foundation of health.
No one has the time to read through reviews online. This is a great way to give everyone a snapshot of what the establishment has to offer right now. We cannot underestimate where the customers plan to spend their money. Why not entice them through their eyes and then into their stomach.
Why is it important for local restaurants and shops to be on Instagram?
What is your go-to tip/trick for an awesome Instagram shot?
Instagram is important to how people consume information now. It gives people instant gratification. When a restaurant posts photos of what to eat or drink, one can go to Instagram for some quick inspiration. Social media is a concise and effective way to send a message.
Surprise and delight. e
16 | T H E D I S H
Describe your Instagram in three words
“Sin. Saint. Repeat.” FOOD & TECH | 17
Describe your Instagram in three words
“Soulful, genuine, delicious.”
18 | T H E D I S H
@theleekandthecarrot best Farm to Table Instagram Photos by @TheLeekAndTheCarrot
Why should people follow more farming accounts on Instagram? Why should more farmers be on Instagram? Recently, I’ve been on a bit of a personal mission to get more farmers excited about social media and active on Instagram. I’m doing this for a lot of reasons. I want farmers to understand their brand story and the power there. I want farmers to understand the marketing potential of social media. I want farmers to cultivate community as strongly as they do in real life on platforms that are often overrun with noise. Local, organic farmers are some of the most effective community organizers I’ve ever seen. I also know that Instagram is the fastest growing social media platform in the world and I want farmers as a whole to be relevant in that sphere. Farmers are so often overlooked or thought of as simple or smallminded, but farmers are some of the most wise, brilliant and impressive people you will ever meet. I know when they put their story on Instagram, people will pay attention and people will learn about where there food comes from. Our food system is broken. It’s pretty obvious. A large reason for that is that everyday people have forgotten that food is produced by a person. I’m working to get farmers on social media because I understand firsthand the tremendous value in their story. And in a similar vein, that’s why people should be following farmers: because they have a hell of a lot to learn about what food production looks like in America.
What inspires your recipes? My blog recipes are inspired by so many things. I follow a lot of really fantastic bloggers and am always captivated by the flavors and ingredient combinations they are playing with. Smitten Kitchen taught me to cook and will always be my favorite. My Name is Yeh and Half Baked Harvest also top my list. I also read Bon Appetit and listen to their podcast religiously-- sometimes just listening to them talk about food inspires new dishes or ways to put a menu together. I have an ever-expanding cookbook collection and several friends who are chefs so food just comes up a lot in regular conversation which often winds up leading to a new recipe. I also really love to travel and try out new restaurants. Travel is an enormous source of creativity and inspiration for me. If I don’t travel in the off season, I lose a lot of my vision and voice. I forget to get back in touch with myself. So I find inspiration in all these things, but most of all I am inspired by my farm. When I have a bounty of vegetables to work through or am quickly trying to put a meal on our table at the end of the night, I create some of my best dishes. e
FOOD & TECH | 19
Describe your Instagram in three words
“Weird, Tasty, Unique.”
20 | T H E D I S H
@MadisonMunchers best taste of madison Instagram Photos by @Madison Munchers
What is the most rewarding aspect of running your account?
What is your favorite food to photograph and post?
Having people come up to us and recognize us from Instagram.... JUST KIDDING. That has literally never happened and we would laugh non-stop if it ever did. Really though, the best part of running the account is finding hidden gems that our followers have recommended. We’ve been to authentic Mexican restaurants, tucked in the back of grocery stores, and small town diners because our followers have told us about them.
Mike leans more towards the fancy food. He’s artsy that way. Jordan evens us out by being being the trashy one, who wants to eat and photograph cheeseburgers and fries 99 percent of the time.
What is the most unexpected challenge in running your account?
Why do you think it is important to highlight the local food scene through social media? Honestly we don’t have a great answer for this. We just like to eat massive amounts of food, take pictures and share a little slice of our weird life with everyone in Madison. e
We’re a couple. That means two of us running the account together. That also means some arguments over who took the better picture. [Laughter] The correct answer is....always Jordan!
FOOD & TECH | 21
22 | T H E D I S H
Spring Print Coming Soon: T H E D I S H ICONIC MADISON | 5/4
www.thedishwisconsin.com
|
Instagram: @thedishwisconsin
|
Facebook: The Dish Wisconsin | Twitter: @thedishwi
Photo By Carli Gordon
FOOD & TECH | 23
FOOD & TECH | 24