Oberlin Blogs

Liquid days

September 9, 2009

Megan Emberton ’12

Today was chocolate milk day at my co-op! Oh, bliss.


Fig 1.1: Typical Wednesday Lunch (see milk on right).

Wednesday means dairy delivery, which means lots of milk in REAL GLASS BOTTLES from Hartzler's. It's delicious stuff and just the thing for a mid-week pick-me-up. I'm pretty sure they have it on tap all the time in the regular CDS (Campus Dining Services) cafeterias, but... where's the fun & anticipation in that? Half the joy in co-oping is not having a glut of everything, all the time. Right? Like when there are no spoons and soup's on the menu. Or when you're trying to bake and there's no flour. It's all about canny substitutions, brave experimentation, culinary ingenuity, and some trial & error.

Speaking of trial & error and brave experimentation... as of this evening, I am now one of Old B's two yoghurt makers. Exciting! I have zero experience in the milk fermentation department, so this will be fun for all involved, I'm sure. I've seen my mother make yoghurt at home, but have never had much to do with it. However, my fellow yoghurt maker is the too-too excellent Kat - her qualifications are humbling. Superb yoghurt maker two semesters ago, wondrous food-buyer last semester, and all-around good neighbor in J-House all of last year. I'm super happy to be able to work with her. I'm sad to be giving the tasty things a rest, but I am looking forward to exploring the realm of tangy curds. Plus, I still have a job at Kosher Halal baking Shabbat dessert. Fridays at KHC, 7PM, stay a bit later and they bring out the sweet things. Last week was apple cake, this week? Suggestions in comments, please.

But really: Co-ops are wonderful, and the food is great. Do not worry, first years I've talked to who have expressed their doubts about this! Sometimes the kitchen can seem a bit bare, but meals always get scraped together and everything always works out. Things are the most shaky now, at the beginning of the semester - all the co-ops are in interim, having discussion at each meal trying to elect positions and establish co-op policies. Things are a little up in the air, and we haven't settled into that well-oiled co-op machine groove yet. Nonetheless, we still had WATERMELON-ADE at Old B this evening, and yesterday we had PEANUT BUTTER CAKE after dinner. And the milk is still delivered, regular as ever. Need I say more?

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