Pizza

Somehow this weekend has been all about pizza. It all started when my roommates and I decided to have a movie marathon. Since every good event involves food, we chose to order a pizza. We ordered an Amore Special from Pizza Amore on Green Street and had it delivered. To be honest, the pizza was fine; there was nothing wrong with it. But despite all of the delicious eggplant, cheese, garlic, and basil, I wasn't really satisfied with it. On the other hand my roommates couldn't stop raving about how amazing it was, how they should have ordered a bigger pie, how we should get pizza more often. Sigh. If only I hadn't been raised in a city where the pizza is so good, I can't enjoy pizza from anywhere else. I silently wished that I wasn't such a pizza-snob, and left it at that.

By Sunday, having forgotten all about my disappointment, I started doing my homework only to stumble upon a reading (for this class) which briefly mentioned New Haven pizza. Being from New Haven, I realized, of course, that the universe was telling me to write a blog post about Pepe's.

Pepe's makes the best pizza. People regularly wait for hours in a line reaching all the way down Wooster street in the middle of July during a heat wave or in subzero temperatures in the middle of January. This is not an exaggeration. Pepe's serves pizza just the way it's supposed to be: with crust so thin that it's practically burnt and cheese so hot that it burns the roof of your mouth. When I was growing up, my father had perfected the route from Pepe's to our house so that whenever he picked up a pizza after work, he could make it home as fast as possible without having to stop for any traffic lights. He would also insist that we slice the pizza at home, since a sliced pizza cools faster.

My favorite kind of pizza is sausage and onion. They use sausage made right in New Haven, and the onions are cut into big, sweet chunks. I usually order it with no mozzarella, since the ingredients are so fresh and delicious on their own. To someone who has never been to Pepe's before, I would recommend that they order the white clam pie. It has only the freshest of clams and plenty of garlic. Do not order it with cheese. Trust me.

There is only one problem with Pepe's: it ruins all other pizza. When New Haveners move away, they usually miss pizza most of all. When my uncle went away to college, my father and grandfather ordered a pizza, ate the whole thing, and cut off the portion of the box with the Pepe's logo. They mailed the grease-stained cardboard, still smelling of pepperoni, to my uncle as a cruel reminder of what he was missing. Even without such reminders, I know exactly the first thing I will eat when I get home for spring break.

POM Harks Back to Myth to Enchant Viewers

Three eye-catching POM commercials have become frequent visitors of advertisement slots between your favorite programs. Each depicts a mythical person (a Persian warrior, Eve, and Aphrodite) and their special interaction with the pomegranate. Each appeals to a different desire of the consumer. Eve suggests sin, lust, and sexuality. A python--presumably Satan--slithers up her naked, body, stretched out on a patch of grass, and settles it's slithering face upon her very vulnerable neck. Aphrodite appeals to the desire for beauty as well as repeating the theme of sexuality as she rises, scant clothing clinging to her dripping form with the narrator explaining use of the pomegranate as an aphrodisiac. Finally the Persian warrior (above) promotes the modern ideal for male physique as well as fantastical costuming. Slowly making his way through the desert in a feat of masculinity he produces his bottle of POM--the only item in color in any of the commercials. The narrator explains that his intention in drinking POM is for "invincibility and bodies as solid as bronze". Well, that's perfectly straight forward. Each commercial then explains that not only was the juice "powerful then"--suggesting that it is an ancient (read: wise) remedy--but it's POM wonderful and "backed by science" now. Thus POM juice will bring you beauty, sex, invincibility, a body of steal, and--lucky you--is an ancient cure backed my modern science. Drink up!

So what does a Supermodel really eat?

The other day I stumbled across a fascinating series that the New York Times magazine runs. They feature celebrities and semi celebrities ranging from food network star, Alton Brown to fashion designer Jill Stuart and have them write down everything they eat for a week.

In today's world where we follow celebrities every move this series doesn't surprise me. Since food does reveal so much about who a person is, their lifestyle, their culture etc. reading these food "diaries" does reveal a somewhat intimate side to the people they follow.
I have found myself somewhat addicted and have poured through countless posts curious as to what the rich and famous are eating. So far, my favorite posts are by Micheal Pollan and Alessandra Ambrosio.

I was excited to read Pollan's because after all of his books on what we should and shouldn't be eating I was curious to see whether or not he practices what he preaches. I was mainly surprised at how much he ate out. Another thing I immediately noticed was how pricey most of his meals probably were. It would have been very interesting/telling to see a total cost.

As for Alessandra Ambrosio I was very curious to find out what a supermodel eats. It reminded me a lot of Christine's post "Food as a Facade". Was Ambrosio truly eating all this food or was she desperately trying to avoid the stereotype of another anorexic model? At the beginning of her post she states, " "I don't eat a lot, but I have a little bit of everything". I think this shows that she was trying to be honest. However I do have to wonder what "little bit" means to he. Is a little bit of pancake 1 small serving of pancakes or 2 bites?

Overall, I think this is a really fun series well worth a look!
http://nymag.com/tags/the%20new%20york%20diet

Just wanted to point out, if Trillin's "Attempt to Compile a Short History of the Buffalo Chicken Wing" has imparted in you an unquenchable desire to buy Wings paraphernalia, there are Buffalo Chicken Wings Silly Bandz available for purchase at http://buffalowingwear.com/. They come in five shapes - chicken wing flat, drummette, BFLO, celery, and bison. Bon appetit.

Food as a Facade

The New York Times is one of my favorite publications to read, and I particularly enjoy the Dining & Wine section. I read this article today, and I find it fascinating. It represents what the Times does best and why I love reading this newspaper--picking a small trend or habit and going deeper and exploring its cultural impact. The article, headlined "For Actresses, Is a Big Appetite Part of theShow?" by Jeff Gordinier explores a cliche in celebrity interviews and feature stories: food.

As a reader, I've noticed exactly what Gordinier points out: celebrity feature stories always describe a meal with the reporter, with a female celebrity gushing over how much she loves a juicy steak or extra cheesy pasta. Gordinier calls these documented instances of public eating, or DIPE for short. In the article, some argue that actresses purposely drop lines about how much they love to pig out to prove to readers that they are "just like everyone else."

Personally, I like the social call-out on actresses and their publicists who are not so inconspicuously shaping their clients' facades because it presents fair sides to both arguments; the superficiality of DIPE and the pressure for actresses to keep slim figures. Check out the article for yourself. Here's the link: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/16/dining/16interview.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&ref=dining

Rice Pudding

If I could have an unlimited, constantly accessible supply of any one staple food, it would definitely be rice. The possibilities are endless - fried rice (with kimchi! or mushrooms! or eggs!), Chinese rice porridge (plain and bland for an upset tummy, or infused with hearty red beans and dates for other occasions), and of course, that classic American dessert-turned-breakfast, rice pudding. I have fond memories of waking up to a Mommy-made breakfast of warm rice pudding, which seemed to be almost as protective as an extra sweater in my preparations to endure Wisconsin's winters on my way to school. I suppose that when I brought in the big bowl of rice pudding to our class on Thursday, the circumstances weren't exactly the same (admittedly, I don't think I'm a mommy figure to anyone in ENG 119). But it is always nice to inject some semblance of comfort and variety into the mundanity of the meal plan lifestyle. Here's how I did it:


Use enough cooked rice to fill x hungry bellies (I used brown rice, but any kind works).
Add just enough milk to cover the rice.
Add a sliced banana or two, just for kicks.
Stir in as many raisins as you like, and add cinnamon and sugar to taste.
At this point, it's best to refrigerate the mixture overnight, because the raisins will plump up, and I think that the spices will infuse, or something like that. The next day, since all of the ingredients are already cooked, your only task is to warm it thoroughly in the microwave before serving. C'est tout!

Of course, you have endless possibilities to play with this process. I'm sure that any milk is acceptable (e.g. soy or chocolate milks... rice milk might be a bit redundant), cinnamon can be enhanced by adding cloves or cardamom, and raisins can be replaced with craisins or dried cherries (maybe an almond-cherry rice pudding would be good!). For those with exotic tastes and access to a kitchen, this blog describes how to make coconut-mango kheer, or Indian rice pudding, on the stove. Or if you're frugal but hungry, you can forage for inspiration and ingredients in the dining hall and let your whims be your guide!

No. 40 Lunch

I write a bi-weekly column for the Sophian called "Senior Wine and Cheese". It focuses on inexpensive yet delicious wines that students (over 21!) can enjoy. However, sometimes I am asked to review a restaurant that is downtown. Today I wrote a review for No. 40 Lunch on Green Street, and I wanted to share with you before the edited version hits campus next Thursday. Enjoy!

There are few times when a restaurant confuses me. Dining out is generally straightforward: you go, sit, eat, pay, and leave. Perhaps if you are feeling feisty you take it to go. The restaurant in turn does its best to provide the customers with good food and experience while hopefully maximizing their profits. So I was befuddled when I went to grab some food at No. 40 Green Street Lunch because while the food is certainly tasty, the café does not seem to be aware of the needs of its clientele. This makes me believe that they are not doing as well as they could be, which is a losing situation for all parties.

No. 40 opened its doors a little over a year ago, advertising themselves as a European-style café that hoped to add something different to the Northampton restaurant scene. The menu definitely reflects this with a cultural array of breakfast items, sandwiches, salads, snacking platters, and desserts. Vietnamese bahn mi, Louisiana muffuletta, and an Italian sandwich that would make any salami lover’s heart soar with fatty contentment are just a few of their diverse sandwich offerings

Salads are extremely creative, the Zabar is chock full of not-too-salty house-cured salmon, while the Jungle Book is comprised of fresh, tropical ingredients. Everything is handmade, and the quality is quite excellent. Also, like any good European café, No. 40 offers a selection of inexpensive wines by the glass and bottle, as well a fair amount of bottled beers that would make any beer geek satisfied.

The problem with No. 40 is not the food at all, but rather a lack of knowledge of who their potential patrons are, as well as how and when to get their good product to them. In patrons, of course, I am speaking of a large group of hungry girls sitting right across the street from No. 40. Smith College students.

I would be surprised if any of us were frequent visitors to No.40. The reason for this is that it is just plain inconvenient. It is inconvenient on our time, our lifestyle, and unfortunately, our wallets. Smithies are generally not ladies who lunch; I would say we are more of the grab-and-go free egg sandwich sort. However, several of us like to escape downtown on the weekends to grab a bite to eat. Unfortunately, No. 40 is closed on Saturdays.

While in Denmark last year, I got used to enjoying a beer after classes with my friends before heading home, as that was part of the Danish lifestyle. No. 40 would be hard pressed to find any Smithie, let alone any American, who is willing to enjoy an alcoholic beverage at 3pm on a Wednesday. We all wish we could live a more relaxed existence, but face it: it is not our lifestyle. If I were going to enjoy a glass of wine, it would be in the evening, while nibbling on some cheese and laughing with a good friend or two. While No. 40 does offer an array of snacking plates, alas, your evening will be short-lived, as they close at 8pm on the weekdays and 6pm on Sunday.

Finally, I will be the first to admit that I am a stingy, penny-pinching college student. We all love a good deal. You get a glowing review from me in The Sophian if you have one. While the quality of food is superb at No. 40, a lunchtime deal or perhaps a student discount on their snacking plates would not only help draw in Smithies, but more NoHo clientele as well. By not paying attention to where a large chunk of their income could come from, I feel as though No. 40 is just shooting themselves in the foot.

Do not get me wrong, this is a great little café, and I whole-heartedly support it and want to see it succeed. So No. 40, stop confusing me and cater to the needs of your patrons! You will do great, I promise!