Lobsters in Lab: Now We on a Roll

Well believe it or not, steamed lobsters are actually anatomically complete samples of the organism with nervous, digestive and circulatory systems all in tact.  Lobsters may quite possibly be the only animal that is served completely in tact and ready for dissection.  Think about it, most animals are served as cuts or pieces of the original organism, and even those small enough to be served whole (such as certain fish) are prepared in a way that removes the digestive tracts and other undesirable parts.  I would be interested to know if anyone knows of any other animal that is served completely in tact like a lobster, if so please comment below!

September 28th was no average day in lab for students in Biology 320: Evolution of Invertebrates.  As part of our unit on Arthropod anatomy, we had rather unusual dissection subjects, steamed lobsters.  That's right, lobsters.

You may be wondering how could this delicious delicacy possibly be used as an educational tool, and if so you're certainly not alone.  When I told my friends and family about this lab activity their initial reaction was that of jealousy at our obtaining lobsters, immediately followed by questions such as "How is that science?" or "So, what do you actually do at that school?".


So dissections were a smashing success, and we were able to note locations of all major body systems and organs within the lobsters, all the while harvesting that ever precious lobster meat for our consumption later on.  It should be noted that these dissections took place outside of an official lab room (where food and drink are prohibited).  Instead the dissections took place in the Davis Spencer Cafe in the Mars Science Center.

Final Product of Class Dissections: Lobsters Rolls and Dirty Bowls, gotta love it

Upon completing our dissections, the lobster meat was mixed with mayonnaise and freshly diced celery and made into lobster rolls for the enjoyment of the class.  Nothing like fresh Maine Bug Meat on a bun, am I right? And they said science was boring... 

Dining Around the Dimple: Super Neat Post

Dining Around the Dimple: Lobsters in Lab this post is super neat.

Late Night Chase

Why do many students eat late night food at Chase, despite it not being the most preferable meal to most students?

Late night Chase, while arguably not the most preferable time to eat during the day for most students, due to the unhealthy food that is often laid out. Most students still go to Chase around this time and eat late night because of their schedules, workload, or simply just because most of their friends are there.

I, myself am one of those students who often eats late night, due to my work and club schedule. I often don't finish until 8pm, thus only giving me time to eat during the night. Another Wheaton College student, Chanelle '18, said, "I often go to late night because I'm a Neuroscience major and I stay up very late studying on the daily, thus late night gives me the fuel to continue to work with my studies late at night." She also mentioned that it provides a study break for her and a chance to socialize with friends.

Most students entering Chase during the night are coming back from club practices, studying or after finishing their shift at work. Chase provides a space to socialize and take a study break for most of these students. Thus, most of them choose to eat late night not just because of their schedules, but because of the experience. In conclusion, late night chase may not be the most preferable time to eat for most due to to the unhealthy selections, but most choose to go for a study break/socialize or simply because the food that was eaten during dinner didn't fill their hunger.

Spicing It Up!

Spicing It Up 

Although Wheaton Dining Services offer a special menu for vegan/vegetarian students, they don’t always offer the tastiest meal. So I made it my mission this semester to stock up on spices because I know that if they can’t feed me right, then I will!!!

As I browsed through Emerson’s soup section for the day I quickly realized that they only had two options for the vegan/vegetarian menu and that these soups consisted of the butternut squash bisque and tomato soup. My first thought was that of dissatisfaction given the lack of options in food for that particular day, but my second concluded that I wanted to go with the butternut squash bisque. While serving myself said soup I noticed that the soup was a thick cream, which didn’t sit well with me because growing up I ate solid foods in my soup and so I expected solid ingredients in my soup. So, I decided to take a serving of rice, shredded cheddar cheese, oregano, and chili pepper flakes and poured it right into my bowl.

My addition of ingredients not only made the meal great but also bettered my dining experience because on that fateful day I concluded that no meal at Emerson would ever again go un-spiced.

First Year, First Impressions

Coming in as a first year to any school is an intimidating experience, and the immediate thing most students will do is to find comfort in their new home. This comfort is often times found in food, and so to find what first years think of the food and how it adds to the experience of coming to school, I spoke with some Freshmen (who prefer to stay anonymous). 

Their first impression were similar in the way that it seemed as if there were a lot of options at Chase. The pasta options are nice, and the regular vegetable options feel healthy, plus the special events on Wednesdays such as the lobster night makes for a pleasant experience. While these few things make it a nice place to eat on campus, after a few days of eating at Chase for at least two meals per day, it was obvious to my interviewees that the options would get old after a while, and lose the appeal that they first had. To add onto the fact that the daily options were relatively limited, being a vegetarian means there are even less options, therefore the meals get even more boring after a few days. The quality was also a concern to these students as one of they are aware of non organic, GMO, and processed foods, and the healthy benefits often lost in food when compared to the quality of nutrients in natural and organic food. Putting the actual food aside, the atmosphere of Chase as well as Emerson is very inviting, with nice seating and lots of light. It seems like this is important especially for freshman to be able to hang out with new people in a neutral environment, and so Wheaton seems to have definitely got that part down. 

So when the options are limited, and when one doesn't eat meat and would rather not eat less than healthy foods, how would the dining services act as a tool to make the adjustment to Wheaton easier. Well it seems like while the food might make it somewhat of a negative experience, the place itself provides more of a positive experience, allowing the first year students to ease into their college life.  From what I can tell, Chase offers up when it comes to the dining at and around the Dimple. Dining at Chase definitely plays a role in their college experience, but the role leans more towards a nice environment to socialize in while you eat, rather than great food where you can also see friends.

How to "Make" it at Chase

There are those days at Chase when you walk in and think "Ugh, there's nothing to eat." Those are the worst days, and most likely you just end up eating cereal or leaving hungry. Not anymore! The key to eating at Chase, I have found is this: pulling different foods from multiple stations together to create something unique and "off menu". I think of Chase as a giant fridge, or that I'm on Chopped, tasked with making something delicious with pre-determined ingredients. It's all about getting creative and (maybe) pulling foods from stations you don't often go to. For example, I often pull chicken from the "global" station and mix it into my salads. The chicken is usually very well seasoned, so it adds extra flavor and I don't feel like I'm eating the same old salad all the time. However, my favorite thing to make is Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese. Now I know what you're thinking: They don't have that at Chase! And you're right, they don't; but they do have all the ingredients to make it.

Here's how make Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese at Chase:

Go to the pasta and order pasta (any kind you prefer) with chicken and garlic. Don't get any sauce, we're going to be adding a lot of stuff into the pasta. Then, once your pasta is all made up, sprinkle a LOT of parmesan cheese (also from the pasta station) on top. Then, head over to the salad bar. They often have shredded cheddar cheese there; again, pile on a LOT. The pasta will be hot, so it should melt the cheese nicely. Now, we have Chicken Mac & Cheese. Where's the buffalo component? At the condiments station! I think buffalo sauce is a little spicy so I don't add in a whole lot, but you can add as much as you'd like! Just a few pumps of that, mix it up well, and there you have it: Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese! (This meal can easily be adapted to be gluten free and vegetarian too.)

There is a TON of stuff you can make at Chase, if you know where to pull foods from. Want different toppings on your sandwich, like sprouts for example? The salad bar is your place to go! Tired of the same old cheese pizza? Want garlic and onion seasoned fries or chips? There's a spice rack next to the soup and by the ketchup! Chase's meals aren't as static as we might think they are; it's all about making it your own. 

A Home Cooked Chase Meal

Home Made Chase Chicken Parm

We all have our own opinions on Chase food, some like it, some don't, others say it's getting better. I've generally had a pretty positive opinion of Chase, but one thing that I feel is lacking, particularly in the new Chase, is the independence of making your own meals with the various foods you want. Because of this, when I'm in the mood for my own take on what I want to eat, I'll have a home cooked chase meal.

Living in a theme house has given me a great resource of a kitchen, filled with pots and pans, stove and oven, and scatterings of the utensils and parts needed to cook a meal. I'll head over to chase with a big tupperware, and load up on the foods I'm in the mood for. I'll generally go for whatever meat is being offered with the main course, some rice, and then whichever veggies and toppings from the salad bar appeal to me. Depending on how I'm cooking, if I'm making a stir fry for example, I'll throw in some oil or butter as well.

Back at home, I'll take my collection of ingredients, plus whatever I might have from my own fridge, and throw together a meal. The advantages: free ingredients, food cooked to my own taste, a meal in my own living space without the business of the dining hall, and the joy of making my own food as a break from studying and the going-ons of the day.

What can the results be? Well check out this chicken parm dish I made with a friend when we had a craving for it. Other than the sauce and cheese, all the ingredients were Chase fresh!

Lobsters in Chase!!!

The rumors were true... there were real, whole lobsters waiting for Wheaton College students to crack open on the night of September 21st, 2016 in Chase dining hall. I first found out about Lobster night at chase dining hall when I saw the promotion on the schedule for special events. I never thought that they would actually provide enough whole lobsters for every student at Wheaton. I figured that they would probably just have food that had some lobster in it. Something like lobster rolls or maybe lobster mac and cheese. I was very surprised when I walked into Chase and saw the abundant number of Lobsters ready to be eaten. 

Even when I saw the Lobsters in front of my eyes I was still skeptical of whether they were actually going to be good. How good could they be if they were coming from our college dining hall? I asked around to some friends that were diving into their lobsters and they seemed to be enjoying them and said they approved! I decided to give it a shot. I got my plate and filled it with a lobster, some butter, a lemon, and went to see for myself how it was actually going to taste. I was impressed by how good the lobster actually was! 

Lobster served at Chase Dining Hall
Wheaton College, MA

I will say that last year I heard many complaints about the Wheaton College dining services and its head, John Bragle. I was surprised to come back to school this year to find that we had a new head of dining services, Scott O'Rourke. So far I, along with many of my peers, have seen a change and improvement in the everyday food, as well as the special events that we have had in our dining halls so far this semester. I think the dining services are doing a great job so far, and I hope it continues to get even better! I would never have thought there would be lobsters served in our dining halls. I wonder what they will think of next!

It's Nice to Get Out Sometimes

I am lucky enough that every now and then I can splurge on a meal that really makes me happy. Have you ever had a meal that was comforting, felt indulgent and healthy? The act of eating a good meal makes a huge difference in how we feel.

I love B. Good, I used to buy their burgers and when they introduced kale and grain bowls I started mainly eating those. I have to admit Chase has been improving but there are some days on the weekends when I really have to eat somewhere else or I get "hangry". So every now and then I go to B. Good when I get a Buy One Get One coupon or free meal because of being a part of their “family” and having the Family ID.

Eating at B.Good always fulfills the standards of meals that are comforting, indulgent and definitely healthier than other fast food options. If you get a Family ID on their app, you get deals on food which is great for being a college student. It is expensive, that is a fault, but you know where your food is coming from as they have a board when you walk in telling you which farm or source an ingredient came from and what town and state the farm or food source is in. I like to know where my food is coming from. There are times when I splurge on B. Good because I know that I have been working hard and feel lethargic. I need to refresh and feel better with delicious food where I can see the process of preparation of the meal to the end result of what I'm eating. I am a firm believer that food impacts how we feel, how we act during the day and towards one another. If you are willing to treat yourself and spend the money on a kale and grain bowl, take a chance, it may make you as happy as it has made me. 

 Local Apple and Bacon Kale and Grain Bowl (Source: Yelp)

                     
                        

Gluten Free at Wheaton

In the time I've been at Wheaton, I've been navigating the ups and downs of having Celiac disease and trying to safely eat at Chase. Three years ago, Chase had a small "gluten solutions" table with a microwave, a loaf of gluten free bread, and sometimes some muffins. Not a bad set-up, if you want toast. But since that's obviously not a meal on its own, I would read the signs above the hot meals, and take a chance on the things whose descriptions didn't mention any ingredients that would have gluten. This was a little risky, but it worked, at least most of the time. It turns out that old signs are sometimes re-used for similar but different meals.

A few bad experiences and I felt tired of what felt like complaining to a brick wall. Honestly, by sophomore year I stopped complaining when I got sick. But, as it turns out, something has been done. The tiny table has been upgraded to a whole fridge free of gluten, dairy, and peanuts. What's more, there's not just a microwave but a toaster and a waffle iron with gluten free batter in the fridge.

From the top down: soy and almond milk, gluten free muffins and tortillas, gluten free breads and cookies, sunbutter, Smart Balance, gluten free waffle batter, and cream cheese

The best of all, though, is the officially  allergen free hot meal. Now, it's not exactly award-winning food, but its flaws are no worse than Chase's standard fare, in my opinion. The fact that it's sometimes nonexistent on weekends is a little sad (a friend jokes that allergies must take the weekend off) but I can't help but feel grateful for the changes that have been made. I can only assume that with enough students' complaining, the message was eventually received. Hopefully this is an indication that someone in Dining Services is genuinely listening to our complaints. So, next time your chicken is undercooked- say something! Someone might listen.

A Year of Progress

As a Freshman in 2014, I had no idea what to expect from the Wheaton dining experience. It was a rollercoaster of a year with Chase and Emerson both being closed for renovations (at separate times) and the original "loft" transitioning into the Emerson from Balfour. I never personally had a problem with the food but it was pretty widely known that there were mumbles and grumbles about our services. To their credit, feeding so many students couldn't be an easy task especially with all of the major renovations .

After taking medical leave for unrelated health problems, coming back this fall has been a breathe of fresh air and I've personally become a big fan of our new dining service head, Scott O'Rourke. The class of 2020 will never appreciate the variety of healthy options that we have now comparatively to students who lived through the old Chase. Don't get me wrong, the old grill was fantastic- who didn't love getting omelets, burgers, or chicken patties made to your liking at any hour? That being said, I think Mr. O'Rourke and the dining services crew have taken great strides to provide more and healthier options that appeal to a larger variety of students. With a large stocked salad bar and a multitude of options ranging from sandwiches to Indian food it's hard to believe you cant find something to eat.

For students who do have requests, I've come to understand that Mr. O'Rourke is very open to suggestion. So if you're so inclined, shoot him an email and make your contribution to the progress of our dining services.

Berry Berry Happy

Scott O'Rouke has taken over this year from John Bragle as Dining Services manager. This personnel change has ushered in a new era in the Wheaton College dinging experience.  My dining experience has become a much more positive one and I believe it has a lot to do with this management change over. The first week of school this year I overheard someone talking to Scott.  They had a complaint: more strawberries in Chase.  The student was explaining at great length the various nutritional benefits of strawberries.  I remember rolling my eyes at overhearing this.  I thought this request was ridiculous.  In my three previous years, I have never seen a fresh strawberry in the dining halls; they are simply too expensive... I thought.

I'm not sure when it was that I first saw them, but ladies and gentlemen, strawberries are now being served in Chase. Fresh, ripe strawberries are being served in Chase dining at Wheaton College. Not long after the first strawberry sightings I tried making a suggestion as well.  I told Scott how much I missed the homefries made with real potatoes.  Recently they have been serving tater-tots or prepackaged frozen potato bites.  The very next morning the real potatoes were there waiting! Now, mind you, I've never asked the dining hall for anything.  I've never voiced any complaints. Never written any emails. Never filled out even a survey.  So far I have been passive in my unhappiness. I never even tried to be heard, I just assumed that I wouldn't be heard.

Scott has only been working with students on campus a few months and I think so far he has been able to change the discourse around Wheaton dining.  So far we've had Lobster Night, Italian catering, fresh strawberries, and many other fun new foodie things.  I'm happy that I've been able to witness this change in command, even if only for a year.  I'm excited to see what's to come.  Ask and you shall receive, Wheaton.  

The Emerson Experience

From my freshman to sophomore year, Emerson slowly evolved from being a run of the mill dining hall to a trendy college café. Emerson used to have a similar dining set up as Chase, it really didn’t matter which dining hall you went to, always getting the same old stir-fry. But now it not only is a daily decision of which one to go to, but it even effects which dining plan a student will choose. Wheaton College student Nina Shepperson ('18) said "I changed my meal plan to make sure I can go to lunch every day at Emerson."

Wheaton College - Emerson Dining Hall
From WheatonCollege.edu

People choose Emerson over Chase for many reasons. Emerson was promised to be “like a Panera” and Wheaton delivered. The Panera like food with the Starbucks coffee gives the perfect combination every college student is looking for when they get hungry or need a good place to study. With a café style and arguably better, healthier options, Chase is no longer an option for lunchtime. This is along with an inviting atmosphere with couches and low lighting that is in stark comparison with Chase’s bright lighting and glaring white design.

Buying a coffee, sitting along a window table, and doing homework with friends has become a common occurrence at Emerson. While it has always been popular at Baflour Hood Café, it has never reached the popularity that is now being seen in Emerson. Therefore although Wheaton lost a dining hall, it gained an experience.

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Halal Food at Chase?

Many may or may not know this, but the food at Chase is not Halal as in it is not suitable for Muslim students to eat the food especially if pork based food can get handled between other foods and containers.

Halal Food. Source: http://www.eat-halal.com/

The Return of the Chicken Pesto Panini

A new dining services manager came with this new year, and as a result, the action for change. A few weeks back myself and others emailed Scott O'Rourke, the new dining services manager, about the disturbing absence of an essential aspect of Wheaton dining: The chicken pesto panini at the Davis cafe. One of the highlights of eating at this school, it was nowhere to be found during the beginning of this year. An integral part of my Friday lunches, that panini combined with the clam chowder (only offered that day) made for a weekly routine that ended the stressful week wonderfully. Seeing it no longer offered made me worried to say the least, and I knew that swift action had to be taken.

Receptive to suggestions, Scott O'Rourke responded punctually, stating that the panini was coming back. Apparently the heating press had become unusable in making them. Now heated in the Turbo Chef oven, a more "versatile piece of equipment," paninis are back in full force and I couldn't be happier. My Friday ritual has been reinstated, and for the first time in a long time, it seemed to me that real change at Wheaton dining could really happen.

New buildings for dining and a new person in charge yields new possibilities, and I'm confident that the state of dining will continue to improve here at Wheaton. The events at dining halls this year have been fantastic so far, including a lobster night, smoothie bar, and sushi all being served over the course of just this past month. Guest chefs will make appearances, and our requests have already been heard and dealt with, making the atmosphere of Wheaton and dining here all the better for our student community.

Changing Cultural Food Booth

Since I was a freshman Chase has undergone some serious changes to its menu as well as the physical building itself.  One of the most recent developments in the space has been the food from around the world bar in Chase Square, which changes on a weekly basis and has served Burritos, Bibimbap, Chicken Tika Masala, and Gyros.  Based off of conversations I’ve had with other students on campus in addition to my own participant observation I theorize that the world food booth has been successful because it has filled the paradoxical demand on campus for both food consistency as well as variety.  

The food being offered at Chase during lunch and dinner is generally different everyday and while some food items are always offered, there is not much consistency in what food is available.  However, during high traffic times in Chase around lunch and dinner students are provided a meal that they can customize, similar to the pasta bar, but on a rotation.  I spoke with a junior on campus recently when Chicken Tika Masala was being served who said, “I’m glad they’ve changed to Indian food, I was starting to get tired of bibimbap.”  This sentiment reflects the very way that Chase has accommodated the paradoxical demands of the student body to have both variety and consistency in the food being offered. 

Having already spent a large amount of money on the Wheaton meal plan, having to pay for an outside meal in the Norton area is not very common among the student body.  This makes the changing global food section of chase square a very welcome addition to the Wheaton dining experience because it provides the sense of eating out without the added expense.