Posts tagged food

So, have you guys heard it’s the last weekend of term? We’re all hard at work here at Bennington trying to get our final papers and projects nice and perfect!

My favorite new place to study is CAPA, and I’m not the only one who discovered how great it is in here. It’s peaceful, quiet, serene… oh yeah and it has air conditioning, which was the main draw due to today’s scorching heat.

Anyway, so we’re all hard at work in CAPA, and who should walk in but Kenny O. ‘14 and Benny G. ‘12 with a huge pot of mac and cheese. This is out of the kindness of their hearts, too. At 1 AM in the middle of finals, we were all incredibly grateful.

What a school!

-Leah ‘13

This is the most beautiful thing to see on a Sunday Night. Amelia’s advanced work involves the making of medicinal soups. Today she made a few varieties from her cookbook for a soup-centric photo shoot and we got to enjoy the fruits of her labour. soup Soup SOUP SOUP SOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUPP!! Soup Drunk! -Janiele

This is the most beautiful thing to see on a Sunday Night. Amelia’s advanced work involves the making of medicinal soups. Today she made a few varieties from her cookbook for a soup-centric photo shoot and we got to enjoy the fruits of her labour. soup Soup SOUP SOUP SOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUPP!! Soup Drunk!

-Janiele

The Co-op makes a triumphant debut at Sunfest: Cart, treats and beverages made from scratch

The Co-op makes a triumphant debut at Sunfest: Cart, treats and beverages made from scratch

The Bennington Sustainable Food Project is cooking up a storm in the kitchen in preparation for the Co-op’s debut at Sunfest tomorrow.

This is one of the recipes that I learned over FWT working with an amazing chef.  Here is the recipe: chia. In my version, I used almonds because it gives it more of a breakfast food feel. I am obsessed and cannot stop snacking, which is a good break from the work I should be doing now! Also, I created a website for my Ideas and Art class (where we developed ideas and worked on bringing those ideas to life simultaneously). The site has photographs I took of farmers with some information about each one. Check it out if you’re interested, here. Disclaimer: it’s a work in progress.  -Kate D.

This is one of the recipes that I learned over FWT working with an amazing chef. 

Here is the recipe: chia. In my version, I used almonds because it gives it more of a breakfast food feel. I am obsessed and cannot stop snacking, which is a good break from the work I should be doing now!

Also, I created a website for my Ideas and Art class (where we developed ideas and worked on bringing those ideas to life simultaneously). The site has photographs I took of farmers with some information about each one. Check it out if you’re interested, here. Disclaimer: it’s a work in progress. 

-Kate D.

This question is specifically for Kate. I noticed that you're a vegan and love to cook/bake, which is exactly like me! I was just wondering if there are nearby Whole Foods, if you're studying something that relates to food at Bennington, and if you recommend cooking over a meal plan. Also, do you often cook for your housemates and leave lots of food around! Thanks so much! — Asked by Anonymous

Hey! I’m so flattered to get a personal question. That’s awesome that you are vegan and also like to cook + bake. Unfortunately there isn’t a local Whole Foods, but there is a natural foods market, Spice n’ Nice in town. There is also a green market (to which I have not yet ventured) in town once or twice a week.

I am revising my plan of study right now to focus on food’s representation in art throughout history and now. In this, I will focus mainly in photography-to capture food photos- and Italian to study a society where food is of major importance.

About the meal plan- almost all students are on it, and it is not an easy task to get off it. I am on the meal plan, which is beneficial for getting lunch in between classes or if I have too much work to have time to cook. The vegan options are good. I usually cook for myself and friends for dinner and often leave leftovers of what I make in the house.

We have house coffee hour on Sundays, and each person in the house buys or prepares food for one in each term. My coffee hour is coming up, so I am searching for some tasty desserts (possibly chocolate peanut butter cups or these muffins.

Please email me if you want to chat (or have any dessert ideas). My email is kated@bennington.edu

Delicious and Efficient

These are the two adjectives that describe my day with my Field Work Term advisor perfectly. We prepared a cleanse for her client in 6 hours, which is 2 hours less than expected, and the food was so good. 

 

This was my lunch today- green lentil curry with spinach and butternut squash, collard greens, 3 types of squash, sweet brown rice with roasted pumpkin seeds, and oolong tea on the side. It is exciting to see how all of the steps- shopping, washing, preparing, cleaning- culminate in these beautiful, tasty dishes. 

The color combinations in the dishes are extremely important to Amy, which has opened my eyes to an art form that involves food preparation and arrangement. More food photographs to come in the next few weeks.

-Kate D. 

What I miss about Bennington: My classes, especially Italian Seeing friends, faculty members, and students regularly  Having coffee at South Street Cafe while reading or studying (I’m glad to have a break from the studying) The fall leaves, which were gone before the term ended Walking around campus either alone or with friends  My house and housemates Although there are elements I miss about Bennington, I am really enjoying interning with a chef over this Field Work Term. Two days ago, I went with her to a client’s home to cook meals for now and the holidays. It’s valuable to see the interactions between my advisor and her clients and to experience some the many reasons people want her as a chef. Everything my advisor prepared was scrumptious, and I was able to prepare some elements of the recipes, too! I roasted walnuts, cooked spinach for spanakopitas, and I laid out and rolled the phyllo for the spanakopitas and vegetable phyllo bites. Already I am learning about food preparation, how to work in a kitchen (with prep, clean up, etc.), and how to get your name out in the world as a chef. More updates to come! -Kate D. 

What I miss about Bennington:

  • My classes, especially Italian
  • Seeing friends, faculty members, and students regularly 
  • Having coffee at South Street Cafe while reading or studying (I’m glad to have a break from the studying)
  • The fall leaves, which were gone before the term ended
  • Walking around campus either alone or with friends 
  • My house and housemates

Although there are elements I miss about Bennington, I am really enjoying interning with a chef over this Field Work Term. Two days ago, I went with her to a client’s home to cook meals for now and the holidays. It’s valuable to see the interactions between my advisor and her clients and to experience some the many reasons people want her as a chef.

Everything my advisor prepared was scrumptious, and I was able to prepare some elements of the recipes, too! I roasted walnuts, cooked spinach for spanakopitas, and I laid out and rolled the phyllo for the spanakopitas and vegetable phyllo bites. Already I am learning about food preparation, how to work in a kitchen (with prep, clean up, etc.), and how to get your name out in the world as a chef. More updates to come!

-Kate D. 

Are there any natural food markets close to the college? I love cooking my own food with organic products and I'm just wondering how easy that would be to do at Bennington! — Asked by Anonymous

There’s an organic store called “Spice n’ Nice” in town, which has a great selection of organic food, including fresh fruits and veggies. I love to cook, as well, so this is my go-to spot. It’s about a 5 minute drive from campus (a bit longer on the bus). 

Also, as I mentioned in another post, we have kitchens in every house on campus, so you can cook whenever inspiration, or hunger, strikes. 

-Kate D. 

Field Work Term 2012 (pumpkin bread photo taken by Amy Chaplin) As the end of term is approaching, my excitement for Field Work Term is building. This FWT I will work with a vegetarian chef, Amy Chaplin, in New York City. She worked as the executive chef in one of my favorite restaurants in NYC (Angelica Kitchen), and now she develops recipes, teaches, and cooks for private clients.  Some of my tasks will include photographing food, working on her blog and social media outlets, and preparing recipes. This will hopefully be a great combination of my passions and areas of study with some yummy food to taste :) I will be blogging during FWT all about this experience, so stay tuned!  -Kate D. 

Field Work Term 2012 (pumpkin bread photo taken by Amy Chaplin)

As the end of term is approaching, my excitement for Field Work Term is building.

This FWT I will work with a vegetarian chef, Amy Chaplin, in New York City. She worked as the executive chef in one of my favorite restaurants in NYC (Angelica Kitchen), and now she develops recipes, teaches, and cooks for private clients. 

Some of my tasks will include photographing food, working on her blog and social media outlets, and preparing recipes. This will hopefully be a great combination of my passions and areas of study with some yummy food to taste :)

I will be blogging during FWT all about this experience, so stay tuned! 

-Kate D. 

I’m really picky about food and I’m always the first to criticize the dining hall. But dinner tonight was actually really good I thought. I ate herbed pasta with lots of parmasean (melt it a little in the microwave, oh yeah) and really yummy greenbeans and basil chicken.  And coffee ice cream with walnuts and sprinkles and chocolate syrup. Just saying. 

-Riley

I woke up late today, so I figured I would make a quick breakfast with what I have around my room. I made a smoothie with almond milk, strawberries, raspberries, and a bit of spinach. Additionally, I grabbed an amande coconut yogurt and made some square rice cakes with peanut butter.  Now that I’m finished eating, I have enough work to to to keep my day filled. It’s time for Italian reading. -Kate D.

I woke up late today, so I figured I would make a quick breakfast with what I have around my room. I made a smoothie with almond milk, strawberries, raspberries, and a bit of spinach. Additionally, I grabbed an amande coconut yogurt and made some square rice cakes with peanut butter. 

Now that I’m finished eating, I have enough work to to to keep my day filled. It’s time for Italian reading.

-Kate D.

Went to the wonderful Papa Pete’s Diner (on Main St. right before it turns into Route 9) with my roommate, Jessieh, after a successful (yet grueling) morning of 4000-level class registration. Since 4000-level (as opposed to 2000-level) classes have prerequisites and/or require permission from the professor to enroll, this meant traveling from office to office gathering signatures.

We finished puzzles, colored with crayons, and got a Grilled Cheese with Tomato for me and a “Philly” Cheesesteak for Jessieh (I say Philly in quotes, because there’s no real Philly Cheesesteaks outside of Philadelphia. GO PHILS!)

We both left feeling sufficiently full and childish.

-Leah

Visited the Apple Barn the other day. It’s a favorite in the area and less than a ten minute drive from Bennington. Completely delicious. Pictured above are: a cider doughnut, apple cider, and maple ice cream. In addition to the incredible food you see above, there is apple butter, apple pie, apple chips, apple cider, apple crisp…you get the picture. They also have a huge amount of awesome cheese and Vermont specialties like maple syrup and shirts with cows and moose on them! Pretty much my heaven. However you can only spend so much time in there repeatedly ordering maple ice cream and apple ciders, watching the massive tour buses roll in from Upstate New York and Massachusetts, before they get suspicious. -India K, ‘12

Visited the Apple Barn the other day. It’s a favorite in the area and less than a ten minute drive from Bennington. Completely delicious. Pictured above are: a cider doughnut, apple cider, and maple ice cream.

In addition to the incredible food you see above, there is apple butter, apple pie, apple chips, apple cider, apple crisp…you get the picture. They also have a huge amount of awesome cheese and Vermont specialties like maple syrup and shirts with cows and moose on them!

Pretty much my heaven. However you can only spend so much time in there repeatedly ordering maple ice cream and apple ciders, watching the massive tour buses roll in from Upstate New York and Massachusetts, before they get suspicious.

-India K, ‘12