The Auburn Plainsman March 1, 2012
Food Issue
p.3 | Foraging for Survival
Wine & Dine | pg. 7
How to live without a grocery store
Learn to perfectly pair wine with foods
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The Auburn Plainsman
March is National Nutrition Month
Dairy
three low fat servings daily
Fruits make half your plate fruits and vegetables
Vegetables
Grains make at least half your grains whole grains
Protein
vary your protein Choose a variety food choices of colors
Look for this logo around campus to help you Balance Your Plate:
Balance That Plate! #BalanceThatPlate @TigerDining @AUNutrition
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Note from the editor F
Inside 3 Foraging for survival
Surviving on nature may be easier than you think
4 High Class
Hamilton’s One of downtown’s classiest and most respectable restaurants
6 Burgers and
Fries: AU’s top heartstoppers
Auburn’s unhealthiest foods uncovered
WAR EAGLE
8 Wine and Dine
Wine and food pairings for every situation
For more info. & specials: Go to auburn.edu/dining or email Nutrition@auburn.edu
The Auburn Plainsman
For nutrition guidance contact our dietitian directly: Jessica-Lauren Roberts at jessica-lauren@auburn.edu
A SPIRIT THAT IS NOT AFRAID
NE
W!
You can now track your daily nutrition intake on our website!
Go to: “Places to Eat”-”What’s on the Menu?” auburn.edu/dining
Miranda Dollarhide Madeline Hall Robert Lee Melody Kitchens Nick Bowman Coleman McDowell Chelsea harvey Kristen Oliver Nik Markopoulos Laura Hobbs Christen Harned Hayley Blair
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ood is on our minds constantly. The University offers different options for multiple situations, and that’s what we wanted to share, options for when midnight rolls around and you need something to tell your stomach to leave you alone. From surviving in the wilderness, to sipping on chardonnay, food can both bolster our spirits and pilfer our health. Dining on a budget is a huge theme in our quaint college town, but splurging on a glass of wine and enjoying the delights of a high class meal also has its benefits. There is also that place with the best burgers, but at what cost do you enjoy ground beef and ketchup? The variety Auburn has to offer is anywhere from frozen yogurt to fried chicken, but making your decision while rumbling through textbooks can impact you more than you might think. I hope we can make life just another piece of cake.
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The Auburn Plainsman
Foraging for survival How to survive without a grocery store Nick Bowman OPINIONS EDITOR
Civilization has ended. Kroger and Wal-Mart are controlled by bandits. It’s been days without food and you’re starving, but not desperate enough to resort to cannibalism. What do you do? You take advantage of the native plant, animal and insect life in Alabama. The first step is gathering information. The “SAS Survival Handbook,” written by John Wiseman, a veteran of Britain’s Special Air Service, is a wealth of information for trapping, gath-
ering and general survival advice. The book’s scope is worldwide, but much of it is useful for survival in the South. With the right know-how and some simple equipment like a small pot and pan, a knife and some form of firestarter, a forager can grow fat and happy in Alabama. Kudzu, cattails, dandelions and bracken are some of the most common plants found in the South, and all can be eaten raw. Kudzu, like soybeans, is a legume. Every part of the plant is edible raw, but new growth is the most desirable. The older, broader leaves can be aged for two to three weeks, cooked and eaten like potato chips. Cattails can be easily identified by the sausage-like flower at
the end of the stalk. can be eaten raw. Most of the plant can be eaten raw, other than the flower, including the rootstock, which includes most of the roots and shoots, which can be boiled like asparagus. “The pollen can be mixed with water to make a dough and baked or cooked on a griddle or the end of a stick,” Wiseman writes. Dandelions must be picked while young and soft to avoid the strong bitter flavor of the mature plant. Flowering dandelions should be avoided. Bracken are a type of fern and can be found in both wet and dry climates, but can’t be eaten raw. The “strong-tasting young shoots,” along with the roots, are the only edible parts of the plant and must be boiled or roasted.
Larger fronds are poisonous. When it comes to smaller food sources that move— crickets, grasshoppers, snails, junebugs, cicadas—they are what they eat. Always avoid insects, or anything else, that feed on carrion or refuse. They’ll will most likely be dangerous to eat. Crickets and grasshoppers can be eaten raw, but most prefer them roasted. Remove the large legs, antennae and wings before eating. Wiseman claims roasting grasshoppers gives them a “delicious taste.” The taste and toxicity of snails and slugs depends heavily on their diets. “Starve snails for a few days, or feed only on herbs and safe greens so that they can excrete any poisons, and then put them in a saltwater solution to clear
out their guts before cooking,” Wiseman wrote. Snails and slugs cannot be eaten raw, but require only 10 minutes of boiling. June bugs and their larvae are edible. The larvae are a nuisance for most in the South, but their abundance works in your favor in this case. Because the grubs live in the dirt before they become beetles, they have an earthy, minerally taste. They can be eaten raw, but are better skewered and roasted. The beetles can be eaten raw, roasted, baked or pan-fried. Cicadas emerge from the earth in middle-to-late summer and need to be found while still soft after molting. The less pragmatic Southerner can always rely on Alabama’s small game such as wild hog.
Revamped Southern Recipes With a little work, traditional Southern recipes can become healthier alternatives with more health benefits Shrimp and Grits
3/4 cup stone-ground grits 3 cups organic non-fat milk 1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon butter 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 zucchini, chopped 1 squash, chopped 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined Bring milk to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan. Stir in grits and reduce to low heat. Cook while stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes. Heat olive oil and butter in another skillet over medium heat. Saute onions, zucchini and squash until tender, then toss in shrimp. Add salt and pepper, and cook until shrimp turn pink. Stir this mixture into grits and finish cooking for about 10–15 minutes. Serves 4.
Skillet Cornbread Sweet Potatoes 4 medium sweet potatoes, unpeeled 2 bananas, mashed or sliced 4 teaspoons of honey Heat oven to 400°F. Poke each sweet potato with a fork. Place the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet lined with foil and bake for about 45 minutes. Top each with half a banana and a teaspoon of honey.
1 cup plain all-purpose, unbleached flour 1 tablespoon sugar 1 cup corn meal 1/2 cup fresh corn kernels, about 2 ears of corn 1 egg 1 cup organic nonfat milk 2 tablespoons canola oil 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 teaspoon minced chives 1/2 tablespoon chopped thyme leaves Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray skillet with baking spray. Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking soda, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Stir with a whisk. In another bowl, combine milk, canola oil, egg, herbs and corn kernels. Pour in skillet and bake for 25 minutes.
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The Auburn Plainsman
Thursday, March 1, 2012
High class Hamilton’s Hayley Blair Associate Intrigue Editor
When Hamilton’s opened on Magnolia Avenue in 2009, it was one of the classiest restaurants in Auburn and the only place downtown that served up-scale foods like rack of lamb. Restaurant co-owner George Spence said while some of the entrees are more expensive, he wants to offer a different type of food and atmosphere at Hamilton’s that is not available at other restaurants in Auburn. “If you go to a chain restaurant, like one over there in Tiger Town, they’re more after different customers that aren’t going to pay $40 for rack of lamb,” Spence said. He said he went into the restaurant business with his sister, Lisa, and her husband Jim Parker be-
cause he wanted a job in which he could be around other people. “Restaurants are still thriving right now, and nothing else really is—at least nothing I was really interested in,” Spence said. Bartender Wayles Carpenter said people come back to Hamilton’s for the food, which is usually made by chef Pat Gallagher. “Patrick Gallagher has been the chef here since it opened,” Wayles said. “He’s incredibly on top of things, and he’s quick to correct you. The food is his creation, most of it. He’s very good at what he does, and he loves it. Pat always puts a little Cajun flair in his food. There’s always a little spice in most of his dishes.” Carpenter said the variety is one reason for return customers. “We have a lot of fresh seafood
dishes,” Carpenter said. “We have three different kinds of steaks. Our two most popular appetizers are our fried green tomato and grilled shrimp appetizer and the crab cake appetizer. I don’t even like crab and it’s the best thing I’ve ever eaten. I love them.” For Marie Yelvington and her son, Brad, graduate student in pharmacy, the fried green tomatoes were a great draw. During Marie’s visit from Atlanta she ordered the fried green tomatoes BLT, and both agree Hamilton’s has some of the best food around. “It’s one of my favorites, and I love the food,” Marie Yelvington said. “Nothing but rave reviews from us.” The food at Hamilton’s is more expensive than other places around Auburn, with an average entree priced from $20 to $40. Brad joked
Danielle Lowe / Assistant Photo Editor
Hamilton’s offers fresh-cooked lunch and dinner options seven days a week.
one of the reasons he went out to eat there was because someone else was paying. “It’s not too bad though, really,” Brad Yelvington said. “Especially for lunch; it’s really affordable.” Carpenter said the atmosphere
and food make Hamilton’s worth its higher prices. “Hamilton’s has a very warm atmosphere,” Carpenter said. “We want people to come and stay. We’re not all about hurrying you out of here.
Hamilton’s suggested first time menu Appetizer—Crab cakes or fried green tomatoes* Main Course—Caribbean jerk pork or chicken provencal* Side—Lobster bisque soup* Drink—Top shelf mojito Dessert—Key lime pie* *Featured menu items are available in Hamilton’s new menu, debuting Thursday Hayley Blair / Intrigue Beat Reporter
Server Matt Lee poors one of more than 20 beer oprions at Hamilton’s.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
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The Auburn Plainsman
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The Auburn Plainsman
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Burgers and fries: AU’s top heartstoppers For the most part, college students don’t have the time or money to eat healthy. Healthier groceries cost more. Healthy meals take longer to cook. Healthy choices in restaurants are few-and-far-between, but what meals should you avoid at all costs? By Coleman McDowell
Applebee’s: You cannot start off a meal any worse than the Appetizer Sampler. Cheese sticks, spinach dip and Buffalo wings, all with accompanying sauces. This trio contains 2,430 calories, 166 g of fat (48 g saturated) and 6,070 mg of sodium, almost three times the daily recommended sodium intake.
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Five Guys: “Eat This, Not That” bestowed their “Worst Fries” award to Five Guys for their large order of French fries. One order of these tallies 1,474 calories, 71 grams of fat (14 g saturated) and 213 mg of sodium. That’s almost 75 percent of the recommended daily caloric intake.
Chili’s: “Eat This, Not That” decided that Chili’s Jalapeno Smokehouse Big Mouth Burger with Jalapeno Ranch Dressing won the “Worst Burger in America” award. The burger has 2,210 calories, 144 grams of fat (46 g saturated) and 6,600 mg of sodium. That’s more calories than you’re supposed to eat in a day.
Late night hunger-fighting tools Lane Jones CAMPUS BEAT REPORTER
When hunger strikes late at night and your pantry is empty except for a half-eaten PopTart, don’t panic. Your options may be limited, but there are still establishments in Auburn ready to dish up a delicious meal after midnight. 1. Denny’s All-Nighter. Contrary to it’s name, Denny’s is only open until 1am from Sunday to Thursday. For students with a late-night craving who are looking to spendsome of their dining dollars, it is one of the only on campus locations open late. Snacks like Pancake Puppies, pancake balls that are fried and covered in sugar, offer an easy way to satisfy your sweet tooth. 2. Cub Stop. Another on-campus option is Cub Stop, the convenience store housed in Village dining. This place is a great option for stocking up on study snacks. From little cartons of ice cream to candy, you can count on Cub Stop to offer a selec-
tion of sweet treats. They also have a wide selection of beverages, granola bars, and bags of chips to ensure you don’t starve even when a hunger pain hits at midnight. 3. The Pita Pit. You don’t just have to rely on snacks to get you through the night. Pita Pit is open until midnight from Monday-Wednesday and until 3 a.m. from Thursday through Saturday. The pitas are stuffed full of your favorite ingredients and served hot. They deliver, so you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your room (or, more likely, the library) to enjoy a late-night meal. 4. Jimmy John’s. A tried-andtrue option. Even when all the other store fronts on College have dimmed, Jimmy John’s will still be waiting for your call at 3am. Their sandwiches are simple and you can personalize them to taste. They promise freaky-fast delivery, even if it means some reckless driving. 5. Daylight Donuts. During the
Oscars, they blast music in order to nudge people off-stage during acceptance speeches that have run to long. At the coffee shops in Auburn, they do the same thing at 8:59 p.m. If the library’s overhead lighting is too harsh,but you need a place to study past 9 p.m., Daylight Donuts is open all night. They offer free refills on coffee and so many different types of donuts that you’ll be tempted to try them all over the course of one study session. 6. Waffle House. Waffle House provides students with more than breakfast after the sun is down. It offers a cultural experience. In addition to a stack of syrup-soaked waffles, you’ll find endless entertainment. The people who frequent Waffle House after midnight are guaranteed to be colorful characters. It’s open 24 hours, so stop in to enjoy the great atmosphere with your hash browns. Check out one of Auburn’s latenight options before you settle for another bowl of Ramen noodles.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
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The Auburn Plainsman
ROBERT LEE
Christine’s Gourmet Steak and Wine store has a wide selection of wine to choose from.
Wine & Dine No meal is complete without a nice glass of wine, and according to foodandwinepairing. org, there is a suitable wine for every meal By chelsea Harvey
Roasted or grilled beef
You will want to find a wine that is full-bodied enough to keep up with the rich flavor of the meat. Consider a heavy red wine, such as a Shiraz or a Merlot.
Pork
Pork, when cooked simply, is lighter than beef and can stand a lighter choice of wine. Consider going with a white wine instead of a red wine and choose something a little on the fruitier side, such as a Sauvignon Blanc.
Chicken
If you’re planning a night of downhome, Southern cooking with fried chicken, you may want to pair the meal with a light and fruity white wine to balance the fattiness of the fried food. A Sauvignon Blanc may be a good choice here.If you prefer a roasted or grilled chicken, you should choose a wine that will complement the leanness of the meal. A slightly heavier white wine, such as a Chardonnay, or even a moderate red wine, such as a Pinot Noir should work.
Fish
Fish is another complicated choice, as fish can also be cooked in many different ways. If you’re looking at a light and flaky fish, flesh it out with a bolder wine, such as Chardonnay. The heavier the fish or the sauce it’s in, the fruitier the wine should be in order to provide a nice balance.
Pasta
Since pasta tends to be a heavy and filling meal, I recommend pairing it with a bold red wine— Merlot or a Chianti is a good choice here.
Dessert
Dessert is no reason to pass up another glass of wine. There are plenty of sweet wines out there made specifically to complement dessert. Moscato is a sweet white wine that goes well with most desserts and makes a refreshing end to any meal. Consider a fruity pink blush wine as an alternative if you want a little taste of red instead. Riesling is another alternative for a dessert, a white wine coming in a variety of styles from dry to sweet and light to full-bodied can also accompany dessert.
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The Auburn Plainsman
Thursday, March 1, 2012
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