Throughout this past year in writing the College Culinary column, I’ve gotten more responses than anything else I’ve ever written in The Reflector. After each column would come out, I had friends, teachers and even some strangers tell me how much they enjoyed reading the recipes I had come up with. This made me realize that, one, people actually read cooking articles, and two, that people do care about learning more about food and cooking, even time-stretched college students.I put in many recipes that I thought would be easy enough for the novice cook and be simple to prepare, since I hoped students in under-equipped dorm kitchens would be able to use them, as well. And as simple as the preparations were, I also wanted the food to taste really good. I wanted people to realize that, even though eating out every night is possible, it was much more fulfilling and cheap to cook for yourself than to spend triple the cost every day in purchased meals.
My first recipe was for roasted chicken because that was the poster-dish for College Culinary: a simple, very cheap meal that could be stretched throughout the week to make three or four more meals. It is still a staple in my Sunday meal, and the leftovers get better and better as the week goes on.
I also did heavy experimentation with sweet potatoes since I had just taken a liking to them, not only for their health benefits over regular potatoes, but because of their complex and rich taste. I was pleased to hear that a student I worked with actually cooked my sweet potato recipe for her friends at Thanksgiving. And to know that someone actually read and made something of yours, well, that’s the best compliment a cooking journalist can ever receive.
Roasting was, and still is, the best technique I know of for cooking almost any food. I still cook the Brussels sprout recipe I came up with often, although I heard fewer comments about that recipe being good. And now with tomato season on our heels, I’ve been roasting them and noticing how much better they are out of the oven. Even someone who detests tomatoes would like this: Cut about eight Roma tomatoes in half lengthwise and squeeze the seeds out. Place the tomato halves, cut side up, on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, salt and pepper. Roast in a 400 degree oven for about 45 minutes, sprinkle with chopped fresh basil and you’ve got one of the best and lightest side dishes ever. Use them instead of raw tomatoes on a BLT or puree them with some warm chicken stock for the best homemade tomato-basil soup.
But the biggest responses I got all year were about the grilling column in which I came up with fish tacos. Some people were enthusiastic about trying them, while other people called me crazy for even suggesting such a thing. But I’m sure as soon as they tried them, they were singing a different tune. The best response I got from that column was from a publisher in San Fransisco who sent me a free copy of her company’s brand new grilling book they were publishing just because she liked my article. Hey, no one ever said my job was an easy one. But what surprised me was that it was the best literature on that subject I had ever read. Therefore I promptly featured it in the next column; it was the least I could do.
But for this last column, I decided I’d forgo the usual dinner recipe and put in something that takes one of my favorite childhood snacks and, as Emeril would say, kicks it up a notch. It is still relatively cheap and makes a large batch, so it can be stretched throughout the week. But instead of a hearty, figure-friendly meal, I decided a rich and fattening dessert would do the trick, even though most people probably won’t make it since it’s swimsuit season and all. But nevertheless, I dare anyone to resist my coconut tea cake sandwiches. The plain tea cakes were my favorite after-school snack, but I figured a little frosting would make these already classically-delicious cookies over-the-top. And come to think of it, they would probably fit in with the nearest wedding party seeing as how they are all white. However you choose to serve them, be sure to make double because they will go fast.
So here’s to all the people who’ve made my last year of writing the College Culinary column all the more special. I’ve enjoyed sharing my recipes with you hopefully just as much as you’ve enjoyed cooking them. And to all the aspiring chefs out there, remember, a stick of butter fixes all mistakes. Have fun cooking!