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(11/10/10 4:42am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>I love watching food almost as much as I love eating food. Food shows are one of my favorite things on this earth.I didn’t get to watch much Food Network as a child, but when I did, it was absolutely amazing. Not many of my friends watched it, though; obviously everyone else was still watching the former Zoog Disney channel.Since the 1990s, however, there seems to have been an increase in food media popularity.It started with the big names. Mario Batali, Bobby Flay and Emeril Lagasse were the three well-known chefs to come to Food Network and take off in popularity. Before this, people would think of Julia Child for food television, and her show ended in 1973.Emeril was the chef to really bring attention to Food Network, with a live audience and his eccentric personality. But I believe it was Rachael Ray who was able to make Food Network what it is today.You have to understand, it’s a big deal for me to admit this. I find Rachael Ray to be one of the most obnoxious personalities on television, and from what I’ve heard, she’s not nice off screen. Secretly, I have plans to overthrow her reign at Food Network and come up with an even more ingenious plan to cook delicious meals.But to her credit, she was able to stir up culinary passions across America. She successfully targeted the typical family home — always busy, always on the run and reluctant to break routine and cook something new.Her program, “30 Minute Meals,” showed the nation how to cook simple meals in a reasonable amount of time for the whole family. From there, she’s become a culinary phenomenon and now has her own talk show as well. And as Ray soared to popularity, more and more catchy shows started popping up on Food Network.Food Network’s sister channel, the Travel Channel, also started featuring food-oriented programming. Anthony Bourdain and Adam Richman are now stars for exposing different cuisines across America as well as the rest of the world.So what’s my point?I guess I’m wondering where on earth this all came from.We live in a generation where home economics is no longer offered as a major in colleges, so if you want to learn to cook, you either learn by going to culinary school or watching someone, such as a parent. And not many families have the time to teach their kids how to cook, much less cook a dinner from scratch every evening.Yet, people are still interested in cooking. They still want to create something. They just might not be able to do anything about it given their circumstances.True, some folks might find the time to teach themselves how to cook extravagant meals, such as Julie Powell, who took on Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.” But I think most people interested in the culinary arts just lack the time, energy or even just utensils to accomplish such culinary, and there is nothing wrong with that.The Food Network has provided our nation with an outlet for essentially food porn. We are able to watch all these people explore and discover new dishes that we could try, that we could make. And given what little we have to work with in college (small kitchen space, not enough pots and pans or maybe just a squeaky microwave), food shows are sometimes all we have.When the University sent out a survey regarding possible television channel choices for the following year, Food Network was listed. I hope those who listed Food Network realize the gift they might be giving us in the next year. In the meantime, I’ll just steal away to a friend’s house to watch other Food Network shows on their television, instead of huddling in front of my computer screen to watch Bobby Flay. E-mail: lm35@indiana.edu
(11/03/10 2:19am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Braaaaains. Braaaaaaaaaaaaains.Even though Halloween is officially over, our slightly bizarre obsession with the paranormal is not. The popularity of shows such as “The Vampire Diaries” and “True Blood” are proof of this. We really like our horror films, and more recently, our zombies. We crave them like they crave our flesh and brains. This is really bizarre, considering we essentially have a love-hate relationship with them.I don’t think any of us want to think about having our brains eaten by a diseased creature that should be dead. We see it as cannibalism, even though it’s not what we typically think of as cannibalism. For example, most of us associate eating humans with the film “The Silence of the Lambs,” where Hannibal Lecter eats his victims.That being said, cannibalism was seen as an acceptable practice among other cultures years ago. Due to Christian influences, this practice has died down, though our fascination remains.In my bizarre foods course, we study a wide variety of foods offered around the world, including the practice of cannibalism. What I wasn’t expecting to learn in that lecture was that apparently a few years ago, someone had created HuFu — the human fleshalternative.Okay, it was really a joke. But someone thought it would be funny to create a human-flavored tofu for “cannibals who want to quit.”It raises the question, would you really be willing to try such a product? Surely the question has been raised of what humans would taste like, given our media obsession with horror film bad guys such as Hannibal. And think of the Donner Party, having no choice but to resort to cannibalism in order to survive the winter.Frankly, I’d be curious to see how one would find out the taste of human flesh and synthesize it. But then again, I really don’t want to know. I guess ignorance is bliss.Then there’s the matter of the “Human Bakery” located in the countryside of Thailand.An art student, raised in a family of bakers, has been baking since his childhood but decided to go off to art school. He had to return home to run the family bakery and decided to combine his art with his work. The result — loaves of bread shaped to look like severed human heads, limbs, feet, faces — anything human.I’m not going to lie, when the pictures came up on the slide for class, I thought there had been some new discovery of a homicidal sicko who took severed heads, washed off most of the blood, wrapped them up in saran wrap and put a price tag on them.Once you get past the initial shock and queasiness, the food really is amazing. The baker hand paints all of his bread to make it look authentic. I’m not sure how he sculpts the body pieces, but they look to be, well, severed heads and limbs.When I Googled images of the bakery, a picture of a young boy eating a face came up. He seemed rather content with his face slice.It makes me shudder to think of a HuFu sandwich, with bread from the human bakery.But then again, the man who created the HuFu joke mentioned it being an experiment for anthropology students curious about cannibalism. After all, anthropology is the study of humanity, and one of its focuses is culture.Since cannibalism played a large role in many cultures throughout the world years ago, we have to respect it. Not all cannibalistic societies were barbaric, after all. The Wari’ tribe from the Amazon practiced cannibalism as a way of respecting their dead. Besides, we eat some pretty weird food items. Do you ever think about all the chemicals that go into our junk foods?So when you watch your fun horror films involving the digestion of humans, with brains or flesh or whatever else, keep in mind that not all cannibals are mindless zombies or homicidal crazy people. Some of them are just carrying on with tradition.And who knows, maybe that’s actually bread or tofu they’re eating. E-mail: lm35@indiana.edu
(11/03/10 2:19am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Braaaaains. Braaaaaaaaaaaaains.Even though Halloween is officially over, our slightly bizarre obsession with the paranormal is not. The popularity of shows such as “The Vampire Diaries” and “True Blood” are proof of this. We really like our horror films, and more recently, our zombies. We crave them like they crave our flesh and brains. This is really bizarre, considering we essentially have a love-hate relationship with them.I don’t think any of us want to think about having our brains eaten by a diseased creature that should be dead. We see it as cannibalism, even though it’s not what we typically think of as cannibalism. For example, most of us associate eating humans with the film “The Silence of the Lambs,” where Hannibal Lecter eats his victims.That being said, cannibalism was seen as an acceptable practice among other cultures years ago. Due to Christian influences, this practice has died down, though our fascination remains.In my bizarre foods course, we study a wide variety of foods offered around the world, including the practice of cannibalism. What I wasn’t expecting to learn in that lecture was that apparently a few years ago, someone had created HuFu — the human fleshalternative.Okay, it was really a joke. But someone thought it would be funny to create a human-flavored tofu for “cannibals who want to quit.”It raises the question, would you really be willing to try such a product? Surely the question has been raised of what humans would taste like, given our media obsession with horror film bad guys such as Hannibal. And think of the Donner Party, having no choice but to resort to cannibalism in order to survive the winter.Frankly, I’d be curious to see how one would find out the taste of human flesh and synthesize it. But then again, I really don’t want to know. I guess ignorance is bliss.Then there’s the matter of the “Human Bakery” located in the countryside of Thailand.An art student, raised in a family of bakers, has been baking since his childhood but decided to go off to art school. He had to return home to run the family bakery and decided to combine his art with his work. The result — loaves of bread shaped to look like severed human heads, limbs, feet, faces — anything human.I’m not going to lie, when the pictures came up on the slide for class, I thought there had been some new discovery of a homicidal sicko who took severed heads, washed off most of the blood, wrapped them up in saran wrap and put a price tag on them.Once you get past the initial shock and queasiness, the food really is amazing. The baker hand paints all of his bread to make it look authentic. I’m not sure how he sculpts the body pieces, but they look to be, well, severed heads and limbs.When I Googled images of the bakery, a picture of a young boy eating a face came up. He seemed rather content with his face slice.It makes me shudder to think of a HuFu sandwich, with bread from the human bakery.But then again, the man who created the HuFu joke mentioned it being an experiment for anthropology students curious about cannibalism. After all, anthropology is the study of humanity, and one of its focuses is culture.Since cannibalism played a large role in many cultures throughout the world years ago, we have to respect it. Not all cannibalistic societies were barbaric, after all. The Wari’ tribe from the Amazon practiced cannibalism as a way of respecting their dead. Besides, we eat some pretty weird food items. Do you ever think about all the chemicals that go into our junk foods?So when you watch your fun horror films involving the digestion of humans, with brains or flesh or whatever else, keep in mind that not all cannibals are mindless zombies or homicidal crazy people. Some of them are just carrying on with tradition.And who knows, maybe that’s actually bread or tofu they’re eating. E-mail: lm35@indiana.edu
(10/27/10 1:38am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Have you ever thought about how much money you spend on food?For those of us still with meal plans through Residential Programs and Services, we are allotted a certain amount of I-Bucks for both semesters to be used at various places on campus — dining halls, convenience stores and a cute little cafe in Ballantine Hall. Right now I’m on the smallest plan, only using 500 I-Bucks per semester. Happily enough, I still have half of my points.While I don’t have any reason to be worried about running out of points, I am becoming ever more aware of how much I spend on food each day. Every drink, every bag of chips, the sandwiches — they all add up.On top of that, I go grocery shopping quite a bit. If I’m having a bad day, I’ll walk all the way from 10th Street and Woodlawn Avenue to Willkie Quad just to get groceries. I guess there’s something soothing about looking at frozen foods.I also go grocery shopping at actual stores such as Kroger. Since I know so many people off campus who let me use their kitchens, I buy ingredients to cook. It’s part of growing up and being an adult. I wish I had more money for better quality ingredients, but hey, you do what you can.Additionally, we all go out to eat or order in from time to time. Having a bad study session? Order Baked or Pizza X. Remember the delivery charge they add on, as well as tips. And don’t forget about eating out with friends or family for dinner, breakfast or whatever reason makes your heart happy.These things all add up so quickly. And in this economy we really need to be careful of what we spend money on and how much is spent.Here are some easy to remember tips that we might know but tend to forget.Limit eating outThis doesn’t just apply to the nice restaurants. If Jimmy John’s is a regular dinner for you, that’s your decision, and it’s totally fine. But keep in mind how much a meal from a restaurant costs.This goes for daily coffees as well. Starbucks is really expensive, especially for college students who don’t necessarily have good-paying jobs. Cut back on the daily coffees, or at least get a size down.If you really want to cut costs, just buy your own coffee maker and thermos. It’s not fancy, but it gives you the same caffeine kick you crave.Split mealsThis has pretty much become a ritual for my guy and I to help save costs as well as avoid taking home leftovers we won’t eat. But it’s definitely not just for dates.Don’t you remember the fond days of freshman year, splitting an order of pizza or cookies at midnight during finals week? Those were some of my finer memories from that year.So you can make friends and memories while saving cash and getting your “noms” on. Look for deals at grocery storesIt’s not nerdy, it’s smart. Go ahead and get those discount member cards from the stores. It makes sense to sign up if you shop at a certain store frequently enough.Also, actually take a look at the newspaper pullouts with the sales of the week. If you cook at all, look at what’s on sale. It’ll help give you an idea of how to work with your budget and also what to make for dinner.Cut back on snackingI know one of my problems is craving snacks throughout the day. So I’ll wander around a deli or convenience store, looking for something small, and walk out with three or four different snacks in anticipation of cravings later on in the day. But I don’t need to snack. I get my daily nutrients just fine.And when you do get snack foods, try avoiding the junk foods. They won’t fill you up the way you want and that will leave you snacking on something else. Buy healthy snacks, such as carrot sticks or trail mix, which will cost just as much if not less than all the junk food you buy and consume. Happy savings!
(10/20/10 3:30am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Oct. 16 was World Food Day, and I don’t know how many people even noticed or cared.We say we care about the problems of the world and that we’re trying to fix world hunger, but more than 850 million people go to bed hungry every night. That number is growing by 5 million people each year, according to BBC News.People suffering from hunger experience vitamin and nutrient deficiencies, causing scurvy and anemia according to BBC news.A World Food Day quiz put together by BBC, stated some efforts are put forth to ingest nutrients, like the Haitians who eat mud pies to get some calcium.But for the most part, the lack of nutrients leads to eventual death.The number of people who die from hunger is roughly equal to the number of deaths caused by AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined according to BBC News. More than 5 million children die from hunger each year. That’s approximately one child every five seconds.This is completely unreasonable.It costs only 19 Euro-cents a day to pay for lunch for a hungry child, according to the BBC World Food Day quiz. That’s the equivalent of three pieces of chewing gum. Sure, we all have our own financial battles. But if I can spend maybe a dollar on chewing gum, then I can surely afford to help feed another person. Not to mention there are other ways to help distribute enough food by saving money.Did you know that dumpster diving can actually be a respectable hobby? Many supermarkets throw out foods past their expiration dates, even if they are far from going bad. Entire bags of fruits and vegetables can be thrown to the curb just because of a mild cosmetic blemish.I think these foods can almost always be used and eaten without any negative consequences as long as you use common sense.So what would happen if we distributed these foods among the hungry? Obviously we would have more food to work with for soup kitchens or homeless shelters.Or maybe we could suck it up and go dumpster diving ourselves. By taking these foods that are free and have nothing wrong with them, we end up saving money that can go toward other hungry people in developing nations.So when the semester ends and you’ve run out of meal points, don’t panic or feel annoyed. Remember that it could always be worse.It’s just some food for thought.
(10/13/10 1:12am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Trojan Horse was one of the first restaurants I visited as a freshman. I was homesick for good Greek food and, as far as I can tell, it’s still the only Greek restaurant in Bloomington. It sort of drives me nuts.But I was born and raised in Chicago. I grew up next door to a large, loud Greek family. I know what Americanized Greek food is supposed to smell and taste like.Trojan Horse is alright, but it just doesn’t cut it.I miss having real gyros around. You know, the ones that are still dripping with fat and flavor because they were freshly sliced from the gyro maker. Trojan Horse’s gyros aren’t completely dry, but at least to me, it’s obvious that they were previously cut and just reheated.Either that, or they don’t have a good gyro recipe and gyro maker.Also, the pita bread is not supposed to be crunchy or slightly stale. It’s soft and fluffy and also a little greasy and wraps around the meat like a gloriously thick tortilla.Of course, these are all completely different than authentic Greek food. The idea is still the same, but let’s face it — no one can do it like the creators. But that’s beside the point.The other foods offered at the Trojan Horse are also pretty good. I’ve become addicted to their spinach and feta spread, and I always try to order their cream cheese stuffed mushrooms.And I can never get sick of spanakopita. I was the weird child who loved eating spinach when I was younger.But ... it’s just not the same. Maybe this is just a serious bout of homesickness, longing to go exploring in the little ethnic communities in Chicago. One of my favorite things to do is follow my nose throughout Chicago, wandering from scent to scent until I find something wonderful to eat.Bloomington’s Fourth Street is known for having a great variety of ethnic foods served there. Thai, Chinese, Turkish, Italian, Indian and other cuisines can be found dotted up and down the street. I’m quite tickled by the fact that I can pretty much find almost any type of Asian cuisine in Bloomington.As much as I love it, though, it’s apparent that most people are only looking for certain types of food, most of them spicier.Can we really say that Bloomington has a great variety of cuisines to choose from?The Algerian and French Café et Crepe, one of my favorite restaurants from my freshman year, closed in 2009 due to lack of business and re-opened as an Indian restaurant. This is not an uncommon story; most restaurant businesses fail in the first few years.But it’s really a shame to see that restaurant patrons in Bloomington were apparently close-minded enough to the idea of Algerian food. And it’s sad to see them settle for what is served at Trojan Horse.Ideally, I could open my own Greek restaurant, show everyone what my idea of amazing Greek food is, and let them take it or leave it. Alas, I am still a broke college student just trying to graduate on time.So in the meantime, I’ll just have to settle for whatever Trojan Horse offers while pining for my gyros in sweet home Chicago.
(10/06/10 2:39am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>I would like to dedicate my column this week to the hard workers in the restaurant industry, providing us with clean tables, freshly prepared food and endless patience.As much as I like cooking, I very much enjoy going out to eat. It’s nice being able to get away, have someone ask what I’d like to eat, serve it to me and then clean up the mess afterward.Sometimes I feel as though we take all of this labor for granted when dining out. For those of us who rely on restaurants the majority of the time, we get accustomed to being waited upon and eventually develop a standard for meals.This is pretty unfair. A lot of these waiters, waitresses, hosts and bussers are average people who have their own skills as well as flaws. They can’t be perfect.I mean, occasionally you’ll come across the bad apple and get waited on by someone who is stoned out of his or her mind. Once while eating lunch with my mom, we had a waiter who had pretty obviously taken something either before work or in the back room. Needless to say, we haven’t returned to the restaurant since.But the majority of restaurant workers are like you and me — average Joes, so to speak. They’ll try their best to be happy and energetic for you. This past weekend, I was waited on by a young lady who was just worn down by her work. She had been working since the early afternoon, and it was already dark when I was seated. She claimed to have been putting in all of her effort and politeness with every customer.Unfortunately, customers don’t always recognize when someone is putting in the effort, so the waitress had not been getting the tips she needed.Fun fact — most people already know this, but most waiters and waitresses don’t get paid minimum wage. They rely on tips in order to ensure they do get the other part of their share.It’s not that they don’t put in their fair share of labor. Keep in mind the heavy trays with hot food they handle, maintaining balance while trying to avoid burning customers or themselves. They also have to ensure that the entire order goes through to the cook staff.The bussers don’t have it much easier. These folks clean up after you. Essentially, they act as the maid, or your mother.They pick up the disgusting napkins you’ve wiped your hands and mouth with. They clear the dishes that you’ve either completely cleared or made a mess with. They wipe down the table to ensure that where you’re seated is sanitary and enjoyable for dinner.Again, these people are not perfect. From time to time, they’ll miss a spot, much like me when I’m trying to clean my room before my parents visit.What about the hosts? They don’t have much to do. They seat you, and that’s all, right?Well, they have to make sure to seat everyone quickly, or else the customers leave, and they lose business. They have to seat customers in a section that makes them happy, while also ensuring that all waitresses have a balanced load of tables. They handle reservations, they handle flack from people who hate waiting, they handle whatever mood you’re in when you walk in the door.And if you don’t think it’s stressful being a chef, you’re a fool. Even if cooking for large groups of people is your passion, it doesn’t make the job any easier. Think of cooking for people with extreme allergies, or people who just seem to like giving everyone around them a hard time.So the next time you go out to eat and things are not the way you’d like them to be, take a step back and think of the hard work going into making your meal. The workers are only human, like you. Please respect them the way you’d like to be respected if you held their job.
(09/29/10 2:54am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>What would you do if you found a fly in your soup? Call for the waiter to bring you a fresh new bowl, or slurp it up? Chances are, you’d try and remove the fly as soon as possible because you wouldn’t want to ingest any kind of bug ever.I’ve got some bad news for you, folks.We likely eat about two pounds of bugs each year without knowing it. I realize this topic has been around for a while now, but I started to think about it when Abbott Laboratories set out a recall on certain Similac powder formulas, after discovering beetles in one of their plants.The spokesperson said 99.8 percent of the formulas produced from that specific plant still were not contaminated. Furthermore, pediatricians claim that if infants have had contaminated formula, they would only have mild abdominal troubles.All in all, it doesn’t seem all that bad to me.Still parents have been flipping out that their children are eating bugs. Possibly. And then there are all the bugs that fall into our peanut butters, fruit jams, or any food in a processing plant.As much as we strive for perfection there is no way to ensure that every product will be bug-free. Furthermore, I don’t think that’s such a bad idea.Some people have suggested that the way to solve world hunger and famine is by eating bugs. They’re plentiful and full of the same nutrients as other foods we eat on a regular basis.Once you get past the visual of biting into a bug, it really can’t be all that bad.Besides eating bugs in peanut butter or other such foods, we’ve been eating them elsewhere for quite some time. Other bugs are crushed up and used for red food coloring for quite a few products. Sure, you’re not technically being vegetarian when you ingest the coloring, but it seems better than ingesting red #40, knowing full well it comes from coal.In many other countries, certain grubs and beetles are viewed as desired foods. Almost every other country in the world makes a point of eating bugs on purpose, whether preparation is minimal or extravagant.So why shouldn’t we eat bugs?Obviously we eat them without knowing it. And enough people seem to like covering some bugs in chocolate for fancy events here, anyway.So for all those out there worried about little babies eating bugs, relax. They’ll probably be eating worms in the backyard once their teeth grow in, anyway. Alright, maybe that’s an exaggeration. But I think that we shouldn’t be freaking out so much about a few bugs in a plant when they’ve not been proven to be particularly dangerous or harmful when digested. And when we eat so many bugs annually, I really don’t see the need for tons of concern.I might not be biting into a deep fried cockroach anytime soon, but it’d be nice to see our society be more open-minded to a six-legged cuisine.
(09/15/10 3:59am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Today, I would like to stress the importance of knowing your stuff in the kitchen. Namely, I’d like to stress how you should have everything on your ingredients list in your kitchen.Last week, I ran into a bit of a dilemma when making dinner with my boyfriend. Originally I had wanted to make flan for dessert, but the recipe on the necessary can of condensed milk told us that it would take four hours for the flan to set. We still wanted dessert, but time was limited.We settled on making a really quick key lime pie from ready-made graham cracker crust and key lime filling — simple enough. We could just make the pie and refrigerate it or freeze it, and it would be done right after finishing dinner.But my boyfriend asked if we could do some kind of topping on it. I’ve never been a big fan of whipped cream on pie, so I offered to literally whip up a meringue.If you’ve never made meringues or don’t know how to make them, they’re fairly simple. Essentially, you add sugar to egg whites and whip them until the mixture is so full of air that the mix creates soft peaks.When we got back, I started working on the meringue, using an online recipe. It was the first one to come up and looked simple enough. It just told me to add a few tablespoons of sugar to two egg whites and throw in vanilla for flavoring. I ran into the problem of not having an egg-beater, meaning I had to whip the mix by hand. I didn’t mind this at first, since I followed directions and everything seemed to be going well. After the mixture turned foamy, I added the sugar and continued to beat the mix, like the recipe said.I was to keep mixing until the mixture created soft peaks, meaning it was stiffer and would make the large puffs of meringue. I kept whipping my egg whites for what felt like an eternity. As my wrists got sore from the work, my boyfriend took over for me, but nothing seemed to be working.I re-read the recipe a few times, looking to make sure I didn’t miss any directions or the time necessary to create the meringue. According to the recipe I hadn’t done anything wrong, but someone who commented on the recipe mentioned how she added cream of tartar to hers to help.Uh-oh.I recalled having cream of tartar in my kitchen at home and rarely using it, but I knew it was a necessary and important baking ingredient. I soon started looking up more meringue recipes, finding that the majority of them called for some small amount of cream of tartar.I began to panic. We didn’t buy any cream of tartar at the store, nor did the boyfriend keep any at the apartment because there really wasn’t any need for it. I continued to whip my egg whites until I gave up and then carefully poured the mixture on top of the pre-made pie to bake.Fortunately it did not take long for the meringue to bake and become a beautiful golden brown. However, the filling was all messy and wobbly because it had been baked. Even throwing the pie in the freezer didn’t help the pie reset itself to its normal state.Here’s the kicker — with all the time spent on the meringue and setting the pie in the freezer, we could have spent just as much time making the flan we originally considered making. And to think, this could have been avoided with a little bit of cream of tartar and common sense.So the moral of this story is: remember to read your recipes and ingredient lists before you decide on a whim to make dessert. You never know what magical, necessary baking ingredient you may need.
(09/07/10 2:38am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>I am a huge fan of free food. I don’t know who isn’t. After all, that’s why people waited so long in line during free breadstix day at Pizza X last week.But while everyone was waiting for their stix and sauce, I casually sauntered my way past them to get free food from Fortune Cookies.How on earth was I able to get free food from Fortune Cookies? Simple enough — the Grub Club card.Created by seniors Robert Demaree and David Cavise, the Grub Club card gave me free food from ten different restaurants. All in all, it’s not a bad deal — you pay $20 and get approximately $75 worth of food.So Tuesday, as the large line of Pizza X lovers waited along 10th Street, I was able to help myself to a free small entrée from Fortune Cookies.One of my main concerns with using this card was that not all employees would recognize or know what to do with the card and might not use it. Fortunately, the young man serving me at Fortune Cookies knew about the card and was able to tell me which foods applied to the card. I could choose from any entree on the menu, as long as it had the option of being small or large.Taking home fresh Szechuan Pork for dinner that night was a treat. The funny thing is, even though it was a small entrée, I still couldn’t eat it all. So I was able to keep the leftovers, getting even more value out of it.A few nights later, I sauntered over to Dats for some good, home-style Cajun. After figuring out what I wanted, I asked for my free chili cheese etouffee with crawfish. The cashier had not seen the card before, but the man working in the kitchen had already worked the cash register when other Grub Club members used the card.A pleasant surprise was I got a free fountain drink as well. And once again, I was not able to eat my whole meal.There were still quite a few options I could use on the card, the most attractive being Farm, Taste of India and Opie Taylor’s. My boyfriend and I debated which to try Friday night, and ended up choosing Opie Taylor’s. While we really wanted to go to Farm, the free food option was only for an appetizer and we just couldn’t afford the other meal options there.Opie Taylor’s was the first restaurant where any confusion came from the card. I could pick any entrée for up to $8 value, so I would’ve been paying at most one or two dollars for my actual burger. However, that night I wasn’t particularly hungry and wanted an appetizer.Fortunately, I was able to talk with the manager and work out a deal to have the $8 apply to other foods. I got a small appetizer order of boneless buffalo wings, which made me happy. My boyfriend was also pretty excited about not having to pay for my meal.The idea of the Grub Club card is great. Free food is ideal for everyone, without a doubt. But considering the fact the other five restaurants mentioned I would never go to, it wasn’t all that exciting once my top choices were gone. Maybe this is because I’ve already tried the restaurants and am not a fan.I think this card is a great idea, mainly for parents looking to get a gift for their kids or perhaps freshmen not knowing where to go for good food around town. Other students may be wary of purchasing the card if they don’t like the limited options available to them.
(09/01/10 3:36am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Most classes on the first day don’t do much more than simply skim over the syllabus and set ground rules about attendance. But my first class of the year, biology of food, jumped right in with a discussion on what text is on a pack of Splenda and what of that text is true.A variety of things were mentioned, from the distribution center to the net weight per packet. And, of course, we discussed the ingredients, which led to the largest part of our class lecture and discussion.A Splenda packet gives the legal required amount of nutritional value information on the back, as well as the ingredients. Only three ingredients are listed as being part of the assumed patented recipe — dextrose, maltodextrin and sucralose.It’s simple; it’s carbohydrates and sugars. It’s just that the molecules are rearranged in order to be ingested by diabetics without making them ill. It’s something like this — real sugar is used to make all artificial sweeteners. The scientists and creators of all our favorite fake sugars play around with the glucose molecules so that they cannot be digested as sugar. Dextrose and maltodextrin are just glucose molecules that have been rearranged, while sucralose is glucose with chlorine molecules added.Yum, I love chlorine in my sweet tea and baked goods.So if we are using real sugar to create fake sugar, why is it supposed to be safe for diabetics?Well, by changing the molecular structure of glucose, the human body cannot digest it. The pancreas provides insulin to break down glucose, but it cannot digest any changed forms of it. So the real sugar is used to add the flavor, but is not supposed to actually have any impact on the body.Because it cannot be broken down and digested in the body, you cannot gain calories from eating any artificial sweetener. This is why the companies are able to claim that their product is a no-calorie sweetener.There’s just one little catch. Since the companies are producing their sweeteners in large quantities, it’s really difficult to insure that every bit of glucose is transformed into another molecule. Essentially, it is near impossible to make it sugar free.However, because the serving size is so small, and since the Food and Drug Administration can’t really test these products on everyone, legally each company is allowed to state that their sweetener is a suitable replacement for sugar.But if you take more than the recommended serving size, you’re still possibly ingesting a large enough quantity of sugar that could make a diabetic ill.This is just in an artificial sweetener that we are seeing these issues. Only three ingredients are listed for Splenda. Just imagine all of the molecular modifications added to junk foods, like the Twinkie.I’m not really sure why this bothers me so much to begin with. I’m not a diabetic, nor do I drink or eat hardly any artificial sweeteners. I should have hardly anything to worry about, right?I guess my main concern for myself, as well as you, is making sure the large food corporations in charge of modifying food for our convenience have all of their sciences down for every single little molecule.It’s just something to think about the next time you think your diet coke tastes like chlorine.
(08/25/10 3:16am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Salutations to the famished and road-weary! As another frenzied year in Bloomington picks up, students are trickling in, trying to familiarize themselves with and remember important Bloomington hot spots. One of the more important locations in Bloomington is Fourth Street.Fourth Street is the home to many of the ethnic restaurants that Bloomington is known. You can find nearly any kind of ethnic food nearby, including Ethiopian and Thai. Italian — Puccini’s La Dolce Vita is well-known by most students and faculty on campus for being one of the better Italian restaurants in the area.Founded in 1999, the restaurant has also expanded into a catering company. La Dolce Vita is a great restaurant to take families after move-in or new romantic interests with a love for garlic and olive oil.Indian — Having just celebrated its first year in business on Fourth Street, Taste of India provides an extensive and delicious selection of authentic Indian food. Samosas, curries, masalas and many more can be found here at a reasonable price.Speaking of price, one of the benefits of dining at Taste of India is the affordability. The owners boast of discounts for IU students and seniors, as well as a discount if customers pay with cash. Between saving money and savoring the flavors of India, it’s hard to go wrong.Thai — If you want the most authentic Thai food found in the Midwest, Siam House is the place to go. Voted “Best Ethnic Restaurant in Bloomington 2008” and one of the “Favorite Restaurant Recipes” by Bon Appetit Magazine, Siam House provides an overwhelming number of choices for Thai food, from gently mild to painfully spicy.Most people stick to foods they know well, such as satays or pad thai, but some venture out and try more exotic dishes like their curried fish or vegetable dishes. Sampling any of their meals will more than satisfy customers taste buds and curiosity.Moroccan — Casablanca is ideal for students who are breaking into the ethnic food scene or only want a light dish, like hummus or crepes. And while they provide a wide variety of lighter selections, no dish holds back on flavor. Casablanca has a varied array of dishes, varying from Mediterranean to Middle Eastern. People of all palates can easily enjoy and appreciate the many flavors provided here.Ethiopian — If you don’t like using utensils, Ashenda Abash is a great place for you. Located right next to La Dolce Vita, this Ethiopian place encourages customers to scoop up their foods and stews with traditional injeria bread, instead of using knives and forks.Because of the size of platters and the old habit of breaking bread, Ashenda Abash is a great place to go with a few friends to split a dinner and play with your food too.Turkish — Anatolia is by far one of the best known Fourth Street restaurants in Bloomington. This restaurant provides many little Turkish delights that can be shared with friends for appetizers or full meals.One of the big draws at Anatolia is the wide pide selection, which consists of bread “boats” filled with sauce and vegetables and/or meats. Share with a friend or take the leftovers home for another day.This is just a brief overview of the many Fourth Street restaurants. The city is yours to explore and taste. Go out and find delicious adventures!
(04/27/10 12:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>This semester I have been taking a course called “Food: Famine and Festival” through the Anthropology Department. We focused on different societies and cultures by examining their festivals and other famines throughout the world. I am required to make an in-depth final research project on whatever topic I want.My choice? Eating habits of college students, specifically, those of students who eat alone and those who eat with company.As the semester comes to a close, I thought some of you might find my discoveries interesting.We have a tendency to forget to eat, especially when alone.More specifically, we tend to forget to eat when alone while living in the dorms. I say this because the majority of the students I observed lived in the dorms and had little to no access to a decent kitchen.For example: my boyfriend. He’s a hard-working guy, focusing on his academics and work and lets very few things distract him. This means he doesn’t have the best diet.He typically has two meals a day, with a snack or two in there as well. Breakfast is considered one of his snacks. Dinner is typically a larger meal, and he usually eats with his friends. For lunch he typically only has soup or a small sandwich. While there is nothing wrong with this, he said that he prefers to eat lunch alone and sometimes forgets to eat sometimes. It’s simply not healthy.I realize that physically we are almost completely mature, so getting enough nutrients for growing bodies is not an issue anymore. But we need healthy diets to maintain healthy bodies.Especially considering our workloads during school. If you’re a dedicated student who tries hard to succeed and learn, chances are you’re pretty worn down each day. And, if you don’t remember to eat, you will tire out more quickly.The hardest thing about this project was listening to some friends say they felt they simply didn’t have the time to eat.There is no excuse for not eating. Our bodies cannot function without some source of fuel — specifically food and water — to get through each day. Otherwise we deteriorate physically, which leads to more health problems and a weaker immune system.I assume the majority of students will be spending most of these last weeks hiding in their rooms or the library, studying and cramming and putting the final details on group projects. This means minimal social time, which is completely understandable.But if my project has taught me anything, it’s that socializing with food is one of the healthiest things you can do. It will not just boost your immune system and fuel your body, it will help your mental health by giving you a break from intense study sessions.So for dead and finals week, I hope you remember to take time and grab lunch or dinner with your friends, or order take-out with a study group in the evening.Take a break for an hour, eat something and relax!
(04/13/10 1:53am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>I realize I may not have been in the world for long, but if there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s that you get what you pay for.This applies to nearly everything in my life, including food. Granted, I can find a quality meal for an affordable price in town, but typically I have to pay a little more if I want a nicer meal. And pizza is no exception.I’ve had my share of various pizzas around town — Pizza X, Mad Mushroom Pizza, B-Town Pizza, Aver’s and Mother Bear’s Pizza. Each makes a unique pie, whether it’s the quality of cheese used, variety of toppings, accessibility or price. All of these factors come into play when I choose my late night snack.Pizza X — Formerly known as Pizza Express, this was the first pizza I had in Bloomington. It was decent — the crust was substantial and the sauce was just spicy enough. Not to mention the breadsticks are amazing. As a late-night snack, Pizza X pie is all right, since their cheese is not the best. But don’t cross them off your list, they still make a respectable pizza.Mad Mushroom — Oh dear. I really don’t have anything nice to say about Mad Mushroom, other than it’s affordable. This is what I was referring to when I said you get what you pay for.The cardboard taste of their crust makes me sad and their cheese is greasy. I know some who enjoy Mad Mushroom just fine and that’s OK for them. But if you’re going to bother ordering pizza late at night, avoid their pizza.B-Town Pizza — This business is relatively new to Bloomington, but makes a pretty respectable pizza. Unfortunately I’ve never tried any of their signature pizzas, which sound delicious. Their crust is just right, the sauce is both sweet and spicy enough and the cheese is never greasy or too heavy.Aver’s — I really don’t know what I’d do without Aver’s. As mentioned in my zucchini column, Aver’s makes the best ranch in town and their pizza is as good as their ranch.The crust is thick enough, and the proportions of the ingredients are just right. Also, you can’t go wrong with their ridiculously creative speciality pizzas — the Lambda Gyro Pi is one of my all-time favorites. In short, Aver’s makes a perfect pizza.Mother Bear’s — Where do I begin? Mother Bear’s is possibly the most beloved pizza place in Bloomington. They have a huge advantage over other pizza places in town because they have an actual restaurant and provide delivery and pickup.With a wide variety of appetizers, salads, pizzas and sandwiches, Mother Bear’s has a dish for everyone. The specialty pizzas will keep you indecisive for a good ten minutes, which begs the question: “Is there such a thing as too much choice.?” You pay a little more at Mother Bear’s, but it’s worth the price.No matter what, you have to pay for your food, unless it is from a dorm-run program. So if you’re going to spend $15 on a combo for late night pizza, you may as well chip in a few bucks more for quality. Besides, isn’t quality better than quantity when it comes to what you eat?
(04/06/10 1:57am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>I never really developed a sweet tooth until college.Like other girls, I devoured chocolate on a regular basis, and I had a slight obsession with anything marshmallow.But for whatever reason, coming to college got me started on high fructose corn syrups disguised in wrappers and cellophane bags.It might be that I cannot find the same home-cooked comfort foods down here. But candy and sweets never change, and they are much easier to find than my favorite dish prepared by my mom. Plus, I always try to take advantage of sugar highs when working late at night.So, while I know some people who generally aren’t into sweets, almost everyone has a sweet tooth of sorts. Fortunately for sugar fiends, a sort of paradise has come to life on Kirkwood Avenue.Yes, you know what I’m talking about — Campus Candy.I love this store more than you can understand. It looks like a child’s daydream come true.As soon as you finish climbing the stairs and walk in, you’re greeted by bright balloons and lime-green tile flooring. The two rounded walls surrounding the counter are packed with candy and the store has nearly everything you can imagine.I’ve always been a “peach ring” girl, but I was also able to find melon rings and fruit twists.The store has hard candies you can get from special dispensers and even regular candy bars like Reese’s and Skittles on the side.Needless to say, almost every time I’ve been in there I have walked out with a heavy cellophane bag.The only time I haven’t come out of Campus Candy with a bag of ‘cavities waiting to happen’ was when I bought their frozen yogurt.I had stopped in once before and had a sample of their chocolate-vanilla swirl. I liked it all right, but it didn’t catch my attention like the daily flavors have. But there was something about the red-raspberry frozen yogurt that made my eyes widen and my heart leap — it’s difficult to explain the experience. On top of seeing the yogurt, next to the dispenser is a variety of mix-ins and toppings. The yogurt with Cocoa Krispies cereal mixed might be the best idea I’ve ever had.If the sweets alone haven’t convinced you what a wonderful place this is, then perhaps the rest of the menu will. While the staff will not create a typical dinner meal served at any other restaurant, they will provide childhood comfort foods, such as fluffernutters, grilled cheese and peanut butter with jelly.Top it off with a varied selection of coffees and wireless internet, and you should be good to go for a while.I might not be able to get the best meal there, or even keep myself from buying every peachy ring in the store, but I know that when I walk in I will be able to find what I want. And that is a comfort in itself.I recommend giving Campus Candy a look, especially if you’re in a nostalgic or childlike mood. You might give yourself a sweet surprise.
(03/30/10 1:33am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>I have been on a bit of a ridiculous quest.You see, I am from “the region,” otherwise known as Lake County to fellow Hoosiers. And being from Lake County has few perks, except one that made my exceptionally boring life a bit more fun with friends who understand.While living in the dull town of Dyer for 10 years, I had my list of regular places to eat. However, there was one local pizza chain that stood out among the rest of the region dining locales — State Line Pizza.It’s not that State Line had exceptionally good food, but it was still better than average and better than most other pizza places. My family ordered takeout from them almost every week, and every time we got nearly the same thing — a medium, thin crust pizza, hot wings for me and beer-battered zucchini.To find the same zucchini is my ridiculous quest.I realize this probably sounds really ludicrous, but there’s something about State Line’s beer-battered zucchini that just satisfies every craving I have. The batter is light enough so the zucchini, sliced in rounds, is crisp and flavorful.Also, the ranch that accompanies the zucchini is, in my opinion, the best ranch I’ve ever tasted. The combination of all of these factors makes for a phenomenal artery-clogging dish.I’m not the only one who thinks this. My “region rat” friends who have dined at State Line long enough agree with me. State Line’s zucchini with ranch is possibly the best appetizer you can order from them. Needless to say, we’ve had difficulty adjusting to our loss of decent fried zucchini here in Bloomington — until now.I went to Opie Taylor’s the other night for dinner and wasn’t particularly hungry, so I looked at their appetizers for something light. What did I find? Fried zucchini.I have ordered zucchini from other Bloomington restaurants, but they haven’t done justice to zucchini like State Line. Often, the zucchini is in strips, soggy and with a crumb-like batter. This batter might work for other deep-fried foods, but for some reason it fails with zucchini.Not to mention finding proper ranch is a pain. Being an avid fan, I’ve gone through my fair share of mediocre and disgusting ranches, only to find the ranch from Aver’s Pizza is the best in town. Coincidentally, it tastes nearly identical to the ranch from State Line.So you can understand my hesitation to order Opie Taylor’s zucchini. I held my breath in fear and excitement.The zucchini? Round with beer batter. Had I finally found my perfect zucchini?As I dipped the first round into the ranch, I opened my mouth, fearing the disappointment that could follow. It was perfect.Well, maybe not perfect. The size and slice of the zucchini was right on mark, and the batter was light and crispy, just as it should be. But there was something a little off. Maybe it was simply the fact that it wasn’t the State Line zucchini I love and know so well. And of course, the ranch is nothing like State Line’s or Aver’s, which I expected. All in all, though, my experience was very positive.I’m sorry I can’t say more of Opie Taylor’s menu, since the other items sounded amazing. But I can say now that I have completed my quest, I will be returning to Opie Taylor’s soon, munching on deep fried vegetables with a side of nostalgia.
(03/23/10 12:58am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>I don’t think I have the courage to do what Michael Pollan does.Pollan, who came here for ArtsWeek 2010, is a journalist devoted to opening America’s eyes to the current food industries and our diets. I have always admired his work, and am rereading “The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals” for a comparative food literature course.However, all of his information still seems fresh and new to me, as the facts I read shock me while conveniently helping me lose my appetite.My class assignment was to read about his experiences trying to eat foods that only he had grown, hunted and gathered himself. Pollan grew his own vegetables, gathered his own herbs and fungi and hunted his own sources of protein. As a constant gardener, the growing portion of his mission was simple. Hunting and gathering was a learning experience, especially hunting. Over time, Pollan learned how to identify nontoxic fungi to eat and acquired a license to hunt his own food. While I wasn’t exactly thrilled to imagine him firing at wild quail, it was more comforting than the visions he brought back to my memory of how most proteins — beef, pork, and poultry — are produced now.Where do I begin with how disgusted I am with the industry? Cattle raised for beef production graze ankle deep in their own manure, eating what isn’t even clean grain. God forbid we take the time to feed the cattle grass; consumers, as well as corporations, are too impatient and cheap.Chickens have their own mess as well, living in dark, cramped spaces with little fresh air. Since they are bred and raised to be used for their meat, the weight of the chickens makes it difficult to walk, let alone move.But this isn’t nearly as bad as chickens used solely for their eggs. Egg-bearing chickens, according to Pollan, live six to a cage no bigger than three square feet, being forced against the wire fence that contains them. If they survive the brutal conditions, they are kept to lay eggs until their end.It’s enough to make me consider veganism. But why don’t I? And why don’t more people at least think about it?As humans, we are born omnivores. Our bodies cater to eating pretty much anything that won’t kill us. And I love my medium rare steak so much as it is. So, it’s hard for me to get upset when I think of Pollan out killing his dinner. This sounds grim, but it seems a lot more morally pleasing.Hunting for the sake of providing a meal is practically a forgotten idea of the past. Because industries have taken over the entire food business, it’s nearly impossible to bring home any wild protein.This isn’t a matter like Upton Sinclair’s “The Jungle,” which opened eyes to the terrible conditions of the meatpacking industry. While the methods used to raise and slaughter your hamburger are questionable, disease and contamination aren’t our biggest worries. What we need to worry about is what the food industry has turned into — a fat, money-munching monster, determined to do anything to make a buck — and how we can improve it.It certainly seems like we the consumers can’t do much to help, but we have a lot of influence. After all, it’s because of our eating habits the industry was able to perfectly target us and give us exactly what we wanted. Remember Pollan’s words and purpose when eating on and off campus. Ask your favorite restaurants how many of their ingredients are cage-free or free-range. Challenge your daily dining centers to find more ethical ways of purchasing foods.You don’t need to change what you eat, just listen to your inner food conscience.
(03/09/10 2:22am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>I love going on dates. You get dressed up, butterflies dance in your stomach, and you get to split a meal.Yes, split a meal. Maybe this isn’t a common date ritual, but it should be. After all, it only makes sense.Think of it this way — you never get too stuffed from feeling the need to clear your plate. Also, you get to fork-flirt, when you and your date happen to reach for the same piece of food at the same time and the forks clink.It’s cute, it’s fun, it saves money, and it’s not nearly as messy or weird as the spaghetti and meatballs scene from Lady and the Tramp.But not all restaurants are as accommodating with their meal selection. Typically, it’s best to stay away from burger joints and buffets since their meals are not meant to be shared.Luckily, there are several Bloomington restaurants with delicious options for you.If you have a craving for breakfast foods, even in the evening, your best bet is Village Deli. They serve breakfast all day and have a number of delicious and healthy omelettes.But my favorites are the pancakse. If you and your eating partner are light eaters, stick to one pancake and get some small side dishes. Otherwise, get the short stack and attempt to attack the pancake beasts.One of my favorite meals to split is any kind of Middle Eastern platter because the food isn’t too heavy. My favorite Bloomington restaurant for this is Falafels on Kirkwood. They have a number of different platters and specials you can share among two, or even four. Also, you can order from several different appetizers and salads that will help accompany the entrée.Feeling like eating something not as healthy? I don’t know about you, but I’m a huge fan of wings, especially boneless wings, and Buffa Louie’s, in my opinion, has the best in town.Order any number of regular or boneless wings, split an order of fries, and get a side of celery to appear somewhat diet-conscious. This is especially great if you want to watch a game or catch some live bands, as long as your dinner partner isn’t vegetarian.Another fun date meal is sushi. It might put some people off, but it can be fun to try different kinds of sushi and find out what you like. Domo is a great restaurant to try out sushi if you haven’t done so. Plus there are tons of options you can order together, giving you the most variety possible.Indian is another cuisine that’s fun to share because of the different melding of flavors. Shanti has great dishes at a reasonable price, and right on Kirkwood too. You can order different tikkas, masalas and curries to split among two, or even among friends.And if the spices burn your tongue, share a refreshing dessert at the end of the evening.Happy sharing!
(03/02/10 1:44am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Mashed potatoes. Ice cream. Peanut butter. Oreos. Hello comfort foods, my old friends.While I prepare for midterms, I have started to stock my room with food essentials to help endure all-nighters and absolute frustration. Needless to say, I have enough food to last me through the next two weeks if I decide not to eat outside of my dorm.Not that I should live strictly on junk food.But most comfort foods are foods high in fat and low in healthiness. There may be some good nutrients and vitamins, but I think I’d have a hard time arguing with my mother that it’s OK to get my daily fruit intake from strawberry-flavored gummy bears.That being said, comfort foods do not have to be unhealthy all of the time. After looking at some classic recipes, I found some healthy alternatives and suggestions that will make you feel a little less guilty after “nomming” your way through midterms.Grilled cheese sandwichThis is one of my favorite things in the world, and really easy to make healthy. You don’t have to stick with your typical American cheese, so feel free to try provolone or mozzarella. Always try wheat bread, and watch the amount of butter used to make the sandwich. And, with a toaster oven or microwave, you don’t need butter.Chicken pot pieIt’s really simple to make this healthy. Pot pies typically already have vegetables in them, and the biscuit topping can be made whole grain. For the cream sauce, use reduced-fat sour cream to keep the taste without the fat.PotatoesIt sounds really broad, but think about it. Not a single person I know really dislikes potatoes. Potato skins, mashed potatoes or double baked potatoes — they’re all good.Again, play around with ingredients. Add broccoli to double-baked potatoes. Another way to mix it up is to make smashed potatoes instead of just mashed potatoes. By keeping the skins of the potatoes on, you’re eating the most nutritious part.BrowniesI never really classify myself as a brownie girl, but on occasion, the warm gooeyness of a good chocolate square can really brighten my day. The best part about brownies is that you can add almost any ingredient to them, and it’ll work with the recipe.Now, this might sound crazy, but trust me — add dried cherries to the brownie mix. The tartness and texture help accentuate the earthy taste of the chocolate. Don’t forget to add walnuts, which have healthy fats, and try using semi-sweet chocolate chips, which have more nutrients than regular.PizzaPossibly the most glorified fast food in the United States. People rely on knowing that at the end of the day, they can always order a dish with three central ingredients to fill them up and calm them down. And the variety of toppings makes eating it so much more fun, and healthy.Try and spice things up by adding an extra vegetable or trying a new cheese. Vegetables add more flavor and texture than you might think, and switching up cheese blends might save some calories.Of course, comfort foods are meant to soothe the soul, not make you over-think your calorie intake. And since we’re all studying hard — or at least making attempts to look like we’re studying hard — it’s okay to splurge this one time and not care what we put in our mouths. Just remember, it’s not hard to be healthy if you still want to relax with the wonders of comfort food.
(02/23/10 2:04am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>We all know Bloomington is a drinking town with a sports problem.It’s been like that for years, and nothing’s going to change anytime soon.So what’s the problem? A good portion of the student body is not legal, meaning if you’re under 21 and caught drinking at a party, you’re in trouble.Not that most people seem to care anymore. Drinking tickets are as common as coffee drinkers on this campus. It’s something to be expected.It doesn’t matter if you party every weekend or only once in a while. The point is our society today now only seems to view alcohol as an escape from everyday problems, as opposed to a complement to foods and life.Let me explain: The reason I support the laws prohibiting drinking under the age of 21 is because I feel that until we pass that age, we do not fully understand and appreciate the hard work that has gone into the various vintages and labels.Because we abuse the symptoms of ingesting alcohol, we forget drinks should actually accompany meals, instead of aiding us in having what we seem to think is a good time.Not that becoming legal makes you a connoisseur of vintages and brews. I honestly don’t know how long it takes everyone to properly develop a palate for decent drinks. For that matter, there have to be some people who never fully learn to taste drinks for what they are.But what if that changed?What would happen if Bloomington, rather than having parties for the sole purpose of getting everyone drunk, had dinner parties in which wine was served as a complement to the meal? What if, instead of getting belligerently drunk on your 21st birthday at the bars, you went to a wine or beer tasting?If our society suddenly came to a realization that alcohol is more than an enabler for cheap laughs and thrills, we would be much better off. Imagine being able to enjoy someone’s company and remember the next day, and not just by looking at pictures on Facebook. Imagine being in better shape because the alcohol you once ingested like a daily vitamin is not present as often, leading you to better short- and long-term health.Not that my dreams are at all realistic.I would just like to overhear students in Ballantine talking about the different flavors of a good stout from the Upland Brewing Company instead of how they reeked of “Natty Lite” after a party.You might say I’m crazy and I’m acting like an absolute snob. And maybe I am.But I would rather see people spend money on a pinot noir to accompany a plate of medium rare beef medallions with garlic smashed potatoes and haricots vert, or a good stout to accompany fish and chips, than smell the stench of cheap liquors a good block from a party house on a Sunday morning.