It doesn't take much time to make a home-cooked meal.
Whether you're microwaving ramen noodles for a shared late-night snack or whipping up a low-cost gourmet dinner, cooking has a way of bringing people together in a way that few other hobbies can.
For Christina Vicci, a third-year psychology major, cooking food also brings satisfaction.
“I especially enjoy the science behind baking because you have to make sure the measurements are correct,” Vitsch said. “And I actually enjoy cleaning. [feeling] …The satisfaction of having a clean finished kitchen. ”
Of course, there's nothing wrong with eating baked goods.
Although Vetacci hasn't baked much since coming to campus, she has been making banana bread and buckeye at her home in English Hall, and is looking forward to trying new recipes from cookbooks she recently bought. He said he was looking forward to it.
The only drawback? Find time and supplies. While campus dormitory front desks allow students to rent cooking utensils such as frying pans and colanders, the quality and variety of dorm options is limited, Veach said.
“It would be really nice if there was [those] We don’t have to provide ID for one pot or rely on upperclassmen to bring those appliances, we already have the supplies we need,” Veach said.
It's an obstacle that junior Elijah Choi also experienced and was one of his main motivations for moving to the Honors Lodge this year.
Like Vich, Choi is majoring in psychology, but his true passion lies in the culinary arts, and he plans to open his own restaurant after graduation.
In preparation, Choi has been selling fried rice outside the student hall for the past few weeks. In an entrepreneurship class, Choi was given a challenge to turn $25 into $500 in 12 days, and she realized she could easily make up for the cost by buying cheaply and using well-cooked ingredients. I noticed.
“After selling for about three days, the profit was over $500,” Choi said. “It's not only comforting to me, it's fun for me, but being able to share my food with other people… it feels really, really good.”
Cooking is almost therapeutic for Choi, and being able to keep his own cooking equipment has helped him develop his passion. While living in the dormitory, Choi bought plastic shoe boxes to stack ingredients and pots, and packed them vertically, he said.
He also utilized storage and drawers under the bed to store pantry items.
Still, the best part of cooking, according to both Choi and freshman music education major Elizabeth Shatzer, is the community.
Another baker, Mr. Shatzer, reported that the secret to his baking success lies not in the cooking, but in the music. Shatzer's cooking aims to create a homely atmosphere by playing popular playlists to draw Gerrig's dorm mates into the kitchen.
Ms. Shatzer made an extra-large cookie tray to share during her J-term break.
“Everyone looked really sad,” Shatzer said. “[So,] We had a group of girls who went to FOSO [fourth floor Gerig] Then we handed out cookies to everyone and then we went to First Blue. ”
The idea of hospitality is a mission for Shatzer, as it is for Choi and Veitch. The 20 minutes it takes to bake cookies or the 40 minutes it takes to stir-fry rice is an opportunity for each student to make connections, fill not only their time but also the stomachs and hearts of those around them, and enjoy a little taste of home. can do. .
