Passover, behind the scenes

At Princeton, Passover is a big event….From the Center for Jewish Life to the eating clubs, from the home of President Eisgruber to Chabad, seders happen all over campus. I had the wonderful opportunity to go behind the scenes of Chabad’s seder. Rabbi Eitan and Gitty Webb were so kind as to give me a sneak peek of the seder setup and the food preparation, as well as a rundown of some of the traditional Jewish customs at Chabad, which works to educate the campus about Judaism and offer opportunities for all campus members to participate in Jewish services, learning, meals, and other traditions. Read more here.

– Julie Goldstein, Spoon University

 

 

Learning the art of latte

All of us coffee drinkers have consumed countless lattes with designs in our foam, but it takes a true coffee aficionado to pause and fully consider the quality of the design….The baristas who make our drinks, however, not only think about their designs, but they also compete with them. Read about the competition and lessons learned here.

– Lara Norgaard, Spoon University

 

Finding quinoa on campus

Julie Goldstein writes about quinoa (keen-wah), which she has found in good supply at dining sites across campus:

“Quinoa has proven to be one of the biggest food trends of the 21st century. Although its popularity may be associated with the recent decades, this grain has been around for quite some time. The cultivation of quinoa can be traced back to the ancient civilizations of Andes in South America, with its use as a food source starting around 4000 BCE….The grain is known to have a high nutritional value, containing all the essential amino acids along with particularly high concentrations of protein. Quinoa also has significant amounts of iron and zinc, and is a good source of dietary fiber.” Read more, and see pictures of quinoa dishes here.

– Julie Goldstein, Spoon University

 

Springing into spring with Whole Earth Center natural foods market

Whole Earth Center, a grocery/café-deli hybrid just past Harrison Street on Nassau, contains rows and rows of my favorite natural snacks, a variety of all organic produce, freshly baked bread and cookies, and even natural medicines. It’s also a nut-butter-lover’s heaven. If you’re independent and looking for some healthy, environmentally friendly ingredients, this store has plenty of options. Read more here.
-Lara Norgaard, Spoon University

 

March 17 is pea-planting day

The growing season for 2015 begins on Tuesday, on traditional pea-planting day.

The growing season for 2015 begins on Tuesday, on traditional pea-planting day.

Snow may be lingering on the north side of dorms, but spring is here. Garden expert Mike McGrath writes at Gardens Alive: “There are two very good reasons to get peas in the ground on March 17th:

“Peas are not a summer crop. As soon as it gets hot, the vines wither up and depart this mortal coil….and one of the great superstitions of gardening is that is it lucky to plant peas on St. Patrick’s Day.