You Can Have It All

Meaghan Hennessey  

Cheap and easy food is usually synonymous with unhealthy. A lot of people don’t cook just because they can’t spend the time or money on ingredients, but, this winter, challenge that with these easy, fast, AND healthy meals.

Chicken breast stuffed with goat cheese and basil isn’t what comes to mind when you’re thinking easy but it’s true! Bone-in chicken is cheaper than boneless and store brand goat cheese isn’t very expensive. All you have to do is place the goat cheese and basil leaves under the chicken skin, drizzle the chicken with olive oil, salt and pepper, and bake for 40 minutes. You can share it with a roommate or keep it all to yourself. With only 6 ingredients, it’s easy and wallet-friendly.

Another easy meal is leftover empanadas. All you need is frozen puff pastry and add anything you have laying around. Scrambled eggs, green onions, ham, anything! Once you pack the puff pastry with your leftovers, fold the dough over itself and pinch it tight. Brush the outsides with egg wash to give them a golden color. Since everything is already cooked inside, all you have to do is bake the empanadas according to the puff pastry instructions. In minutes you will have a leftover delicacy!

Lastly, you can whip up some cheap and easy veggie quesadillas. Meat is usually the most expensive part of the meal so using veggies is a cost efficient and healthy way to go! Take whatever veggies you have in the refrigerator and either bake or cook the veggies on the stove with some olive oil. Once you bake the vegetables, just add them to some cheese and fry it all up in a tortilla.

I hope these cheap and easy meals help you save some cash! Who ever knew you could have cheap, easy, and delicious?

Across the Irish Sea

Laura Kobak  

Being in London itself was fantastic, but having the opportunity to visit and explore other European cities was the cherry on top. My first venture was just across the Irish Sea to Dublin for a weekend. Arriving at night, my friend and I walked to Temple Bar, an area of medieval streets lined with restaurants and pubs. Choosing a bar compatible with our budget, we dined at “The Auld Dubliner.” Since I’m all about trying cultural cuisines, I went for the Irish stew, while my friend ordered the Guinness beef stew. Appearance is not a primary concern when it comes to these dishes, but flavor is. On top is a huge dollop of mashed potatoes and a side of Irish Soda Bread. Top off the night with some Bailey’s and you’ve got yourself a meal.

The following morning before a full day of sightseeing we stopped into “Queen of Tarts,” a café and patisserie ranked #3 on Trip Advisor and earning 4.5 stars on Google Reviews. We ordered eggs and a scone for breakfast, but were so entranced by the display of pies, brownies, cupcakes, and cookies, that we got a blackberry and apple crumble to go. Unfortunately, after a full day of being scrunched in a backpack “crumble” truly was a suitable description. Nevertheless, once we were through there was not a crumb left.

Being in Dublin, a trip to the Guinness Brewery was a must. On a self-guided tour you explore the process of brewing from start to finish, see the evolution of advertising, and learn how to pour the perfect pint.

Fun Fact: Pouring a perfect pint of Guinness must be done in six steps, including waiting for the beer to settle for 119.5 seconds (almost 2 minutes).

Upon completion, complimentary pints are received on the top floor of the complex at the Gravity Bar, offering panoramic views of the city. I personally could not withstand more than a few sips of the stout beer.

A drink I could finish, however, was a latte from “The Bald Barista,” voted best coffee in Dublin.

The Bald Barista serves you himself, decorating your cup with some beautiful latte art.

The final Dublin food stop was lunch at “Avoca Café” atop a crafts store. I ordered butternut squash soup. While not a particularly Irish dish, it is a personal favorite, so I could not resist. The soup was creamy and flavorful and served with a side of Irish soda bread. I must admit, after only having tasted the soda bread occasionally offered at Marketplace in MoJo, I was disillusioned as to what the real thing actually tasted like — sweet, slightly crunchy, and delicious.

While not quite Italy or Spain in terms of sought after cuisines, if you like stews, bread, and alcohol, you won’t have a problem getting by in Ireland. Next stop on the culinary study abroad tour — Brussels in Belgium — home to chocolate, waffles, and…more chocolate.

Gastronomy You Can Do At Home

Ian Rosoff  

Molecular Gastronomy isn’t something most people think they can do at home. This is partly true as it often involves procuring hard to find powders and impractical equipment, however molecular gastronomy is more about innovative and cool cooking techniques then it is about fancy tools. Simplicity is one of the most important tenets of cooking, and nothing is simpler then making an egg. Molecular Gastronomy chefs have been fascinated with the egg. Because it can be treated in so many different ways eggs have become a great vehicle for gastronomy. Wylie Dufresne has a particular affinity for the egg. He is a classically trained French chef who owns wd-50 in New York City. He makes a delectable poached egg, Caesar dressing, pumpernickel, and lily bulb dish, where the egg is cooked in a sous-vide thermal immersion circulator, which is a warm water bath that cooks food inside a vacuum sealed bag. The low temperature cooks the food evenly without it losing any of the original flavor or color. Origionally sous-vide cooking was used in the preparation of fois gras, but today it has been embraced by molecular gastronomists to make a multitude of dishes. For home chefs sous-vide techniques are a little bit trickier, especially immersion circulator sous-vides because unless you have hundreds of dollars to buy one most kitchens are without a thermal circulator.

We can try and recreate the technique or at least incorportate some of the principles into our home cooking. What makes sous-vide such an attractive cooking technique is that the vacuum packed food cooks in its own juices and the flavor intensifies. Adding spices or oil to the vacuum packed bag also brings out that flavor profile more than conventional styles of cooking. So a good place to start for somebody cooking in a small apartment or dorm room is to poach an egg and try to intensify flavor by sealing it in. We will replace a vacuum bag and immersion circulator with plastic wrap and a pot of boiling water.

For a molecular gastronomy egg with no molecular gastronomy tools you’ll need: plastic wrap, string, a coffee mug, olive oil, salt, pepper, and a pot of boiling water. First bring a pot of water about two inches high to a boil. While waiting for the water take two sheets of plastic wrap and lay them on top of each other, then brush it with olive oil and sprinkle liberal amounts of salt and pepper. Now line the coffee mug with the plastic wrap, crack the egg and gently slide it into the coffee mug. Pinch the plastic wrap together to encase the egg and tie the top with string. Finally trim off any excess string and put the sealed egg into the water to poach. Depending on how you like your eggs, cook for two to four minutes. Lift the egg out with a slotted spoon then cut the string. You should now have a poached egg packed with flavor.

Be Ready For Spring Break

Meaghan Hennessy  

If you are anything like me, the minute you hear Spring Break you think, “I need to hit the gym and go on a diet.” While these are surefire ways to get in beach body shape, they can be tough to stick to. In light of Spring Break and the anxiety that goes along with it, I decided to give you all some ways to slim down without going to the gym or dieting per say.

One easy tip for the winter is to add soup to your diet. Who ever knew curling up on the couch with a broth based soup can severely cut your calorie intake. It’s important to stay away from the thick, creamy soups like “loaded baked potato” because those are high in fat and calories, but minestrone, Chinese won-ton, or chicken noodle, to name a few, are great choices. The soup will curb your appetite and force you to eat slower which gives your body time to tell you it’s full. If you want to make your own soup, add some broth or canned soup to a pan, then add some vegetables and let it simmer. Who ever knew cutting calories would be so delicious!

The next extremely easy “dieting” tip is to chew strong mint gum. It may seem goofy, but chewing gum with flavor will decrease your chances of having a snack attack. We encounter tons of scenarios throughout the day (class, surfing the web, watching TV) that usually result in mindless snacking. The gum will give you the flavor you’re craving, but not the calories.

As you probably know, water is important for essentially all body functions. One function you probably are not as familiar with, however, is weight loss. Drinking water helps curb your appetite and results in eating less. It’s shown that eating foods that contain a lot of water (fruits and vegetables) will fill you up faster. The craziest way cold water helps however is by speeding up your metabolism! When it comes to staying hydrated, opt for some good old H2O to whip your body in to shape.

Now for the easiest, most enjoyable way to shed some pounds: SLEEP! Sleep actually ensures healthy eating habits. Studies show people who are tired eat more. Also, when the body is tired it functions poorly and ends up storing more fat. A study was done here at the University of Michigan that discovered sleeping an extra hour a night could help you drop 14 pounds a year! Not bad for being able to do it in pajamas.

I hope you have learned some useful tips! Dieting does not need to be synonymous with starvation. These simple lifestyle changes usually help many lose as much weight as other dieting practices do because there are no cravings or feelings of deprivation.

Galicia

Emily Kastl  

Witches, bagpipes, and seafood, oh my! Welcome to Galicia, the last stop on our walking tour of Spanish gastronomy. Our 500 mile journey along the Camino de Santiago is slowly coming to the end as we approach our final destination: Santiago de Compostela, the capital city of the region and the home of the resting place of Saint James the Apostle. At this point, we’ve walked over 400 miles, had blisters on top of blisters (yes, it’s possible), met people from around the world, and had some of the best cuisine imaginable. Little did we know, Galician food would be the “chocolate on the churro;” my most memorable meals of the Camino were a direct product of the Celtic-inspired seafood found in Galicia.

Wait — we’re in Spain, so what’s all this Celtic talk? And how exactly do witches and bagpipes fit into the picture? To explain this cultural hodgepodge, let’s start with the settlements of the Celts in the land of Galicia during the 11th century. Fast-forward to present day Galician culture and you’ll find traditional Celtic influences in music (remember the bagpipes I mentioned?), festivals, holidays, and, of course, food. But what about the Galicians’ apparent obsession with witchcraft? Meigas (good witches) are thought to be the descendents of the Druids who practiced pagan rituals. When we explored towns in Galicia, we saw more witch figurines in gift shops than you can imagine, and lots of bagpipes too — but never a witch playing a bagpipe. Bummer…

Now that we have a basic understanding of culture and where it came from, let’s get down to the matter at hand: Galician gastronomy. Due to its close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and Bay of Biscay, this region boasts some of the freshest and most delectable seafood in the world. In fact, Galicia brings in more seafood than any other region in Europe! And if you’re looking for pasta or rice, forget about it! It’s all about the potato as a side dish here. Let me give you an example of this by citing one of the best meals of my life; “Seafood Fest 2011” served as a celebration for completing our 500-mile journey and arriving in Santiago de Compostela. This aptly named dinner consisted of no less than 6 courses, all of which were of the “surf” variety. Cuddle fish cooked in its own ink? Yes please. If the thought of that makes you a little squeamish, how about fresh empanada made with tuna that was most likely swimming earlier that day? As if it couldn’t get any better, bring on scrambled eggs with shrimp and a lobster cream sauce. Heaven.

If you aren’t a fan of “surf” and “turf” is more your style, try the alternative version of Seafood Fest 2011: Meatfest 2011! After our crustacean carousal we were all ready to sample Galician-style meats. We arrived at the restaurant for lunch and were promptly served wine from bowls; I knew I liked Galicians. Before we knew it, they were bringing out vats of sizzling meats. This is not an exaggeration by any stretch. We tasted pork, sausages, ribs, and whatever else they brought out in mini charcoal grills. You’ve probably heard of the infamous “meat sweats.” If you haven’t, they occur when one consumes a sizable amount of meat and literally begins to sweat. For the first time in my life, I witnessed first-hand a man with the meat sweats. Judging by this picture, it’s easy to see why.

Though the Camino may have ended, our gastronomical exploration has not. Next time we’ll look at an average day-in-the-life of a Spanish eater. What better way to describe this than with a few personal food etiquette faux pas? ¡Buen provecho!

Searching for Bits of Home

Laura Kobak  

Staying in London for nearly 9 months, I had to find the best spots for two items my life would not be complete without — cupcakes and lattes. As many people know, I have a serious sweet tooth, and there’s no hiding it. I’m from New York City, home of the cupcake craze, so London faced the serious competition of “Crumbs,” “Magnolia Bakery,” and “Buttercup Bake Shop.” After a ton of online research I had my compiled list of go-to bakeries.
Labeled as having “US-style cupcakes,” “Hummingbird Bakery” looked promising. With a location on Portobello Road (home to the famous Portobello market), the wait on a Saturday was nearly twenty minutes. With great online reviews, my expectations were high. Unfortunately, with the plain vanilla, I was left disappointed. Neither the cake nor the frosting did it for me. Another bakery off my list was “Violet,” a stall at the Broadway Market in Hackney, which I traveled to with directions in hand. These small cupcakes had the best frosting of all my tastings, but the cake I found dry and lacking in flavor. Additionally, I tried “Lola’s Cupcakes,” “Ella’s Bakehouse,” “Beas of Bloomsbury,” “Crumbs and Dollies,” and “Buttercup Cake Shop” to no avail. (See, I wasn’t kidding about my sweet tooth.) The place that took the cake (pun intended) was “Primrose Bakery.” Not perfect, and not up to the standards of my New York comparisons, but definitely the best of the lot. The cake was moist enough and the frosting was sweet enough, and the rose-flavored cupcake was surprisingly tasteful. Jude Law, Kate Moss, and U2 frequent the bakery’s locations, so at least my taste is agreeable amongst celebrities.

Now, as anyone college-aged and older will agree with me, coffee is a necessity of life. Studying film abroad, many mornings were spent in the dark watching movies. I needed something in hand to help get me through. Exchange rates are never fun, so price was a key factor in my decision-making. Starbucks, of course, was available on several corners, but I vowed to myself that I would not frequent any American chain while abroad. With Starbucks off the list I had to find a viable alternative. The other two main chains available were “Costa Coffee” and “Caffe Nero.” After looking at the prices, there was really no competition: “Caffe Nero” was the winner. With a stamp card for every 9th cup free, I was a relatively frequent customer of this chain. During the winter season I had an amaretto latte, which was to die for. “Monmouth Coffee Company” made a deliciously creamy latte as well, but with a hefty price tag and no “skinny” option, a visit there was more of a treat.

So, if you ever visit London and need a pick-me-up or a sweet treat, you know where to go!
Fun Fact: The British version of a cupcake is called a “fairy cake”. (It sounds much more enchanting than plain old “cupcake” if you ask me.) Also, a “tall” at Starbucks in America is equal to a medium-sized drink in Europe.
Updated 11/19/2011 4:45pm

Basque Country

Emily Kastl  

If paella and bocadillos in Madrid weren’t enough to satiate your appetite for Spanish cuisine, you’re in for a treat! The next destination on our walking tour is Basque Country. This region, in the northern corner of the Iberian Peninsula, takes its culinary influences from a variety of areas. Near the coast you’re likely to find fresh seafood, but once you cross over the mountains (and by cross, I mean walk—something I had the exhausting “privilege” of doing) and move inland, you’ll come across cured meats and legumes. Not only is the food of Basque country unique, but so are the people; instead of speaking Spanish they speak Basque. You can imagine my surprise at being immersed in yet another language I didn’t know. The list is up to two, in case you’re counting.
My food-hangover from Madrid turned into a literal illness shortly after we started walking the Camino de Santiago (our 500 mile pilgramage originating in the 10th century); apparently gulping water from a mountain “drinking fountain” is a good way to get the stomach flu. Therefore, I am sad to report my first Basque cuisine experience was less than ideal. And of course I had to become deathly ill while we were in an awesome town with lots of sight-seeing opportunities: Pamplona. With my culinary quest in mind, I mustered my last bit of strength to head out for lunch. Unfortunately, such a festive experience as lunch in Pamplona at a traditional Cideria (cider mill) became a spectator sport for me. I looked on as my group members had some of the most delicious looking fish, pasta, and salads I have ever seen. I also observed as they retrieved “sidra” (cider) from a giant tapped barrel and enjoyed the good cheer that comes along with Basque cider. “Good cheer” from cider, you may be asking? The Basque people let their cider ferment for one month in order to let the natural sugars found in the apples turn into alcohol. There’s your good cheer.

Here are some of my group members collecting “sidra” in Pamplona

Once I was able to recover a little from “Santiago’s Revenge,” I was eager to get in on the food fun that all of my group members were having. Since I had been surviving on Aquarius (Spain’s version of Gatorade) and bread for a week, I couldn’t wait for some actual substance and to embrace all Basque country had to offer. Here’s what one of my first meals after coming back to life looked like:

This plate was Basque food in a nut shell…or chickpea? Since we were inland, we saw more meats than seafood and had lots of stewed vegetables. What struck me most about Basque food was its simplicity. Rather than spicing everything to death, they accentuate the natural flavors of the ingredients. I mean, this plate looks pretty simple, right? Meat, potatoes, veggies-it’s got all the basics, and that’s the best part.
As I tried to ignore the fact that my body still wasn’t too keen on eating solid foods, I was lucky to have a welcomed distraction: pintxos. These little guys are the Basque version of tappas and are to die for. No matter what you’re in the mood for, there’s a good chance you will find something to satisfy your cravings…and in mini form! That’s the joy of pintxos—they’re small so there’s lots of room for sampling. Staked on top of a small piece of bread, you’ll find a wide variety of toppings: cured meats, fish, tortilla de español (egg and potato quiche), and croquettes, which are my personal favorite. What can be better than a small fried roll stuffed with mashed potatoes and cheese? They’re served best while watching a soccer match at a local bar.

Croquettes

I hope your feet aren’t too tired yet! Next time, our walking tour of Spanish cuisine takes us to the region of Galicia. Get ready for Celtic traditions, witches, bagpipes, and some of the best seafood on this earth.