My Last Meal

If for some reason I had to choose my last meal, it would be overflowing with 3 of my favorite things: carbs, cheese, and chocolate... of course, not all together.

My last meal would ultimately be a side spinach salad with grapes, feta cheese, blueberries, walnuts, and raspberry vinaigrette. The main portion of the meal would be ravioli stuffed with cheese and smothered in a lot of sweet tomoatoe sauce! For dessert, I would request cannolis filled with strained and sweetened ricotta cheese (like my family makes) along with triple chocolate cake topped with shavings of toffee. Doesn't that all sound delicious?!

The important message to this post though is that food is universal. No matter if its your last meal of the day, or the last meal of your life, food is diverse, delicious and it brings people together.

This has been an exciting class getting to meet new people and try new foods and I'm glad I was able to have this experience!

Last Meal

Last meal on Earth? Without hesitation: feta sesame pizza with a honey drizzle.

Kidding (though it was delicious). Honestly, I have never thought of my choice for a last meal and I didn't think it would be a hard decision. I would start with a dinner salad, 86 the dressing. Then make my way to my favorite food: pasta. As per the type, easy, rigatoni. Dessert was the hardest decision. As I contemplated this question, I was thinking I would go for a slice of apple pie or maybe little bit of ice cream. But then I thought, a slice? A scoop? Who am I kidding? Scratch that, gimme the whole pie and tub of Ben & Jerry's Hazed and Confused® and I'll decide when I'm done. And scratch the salad too. Just out of principle. In one of the most famous case of a last meal, the Last Supper, I don't think Jesus skimped out on the food he liked.

I think good meal isn't all about the food. Some of the best meals I've ever had were eating PBJ's on top of an Adirondack mountain or a bowl of microwaved mac and cheese in the dorms. Food is about half of the equation, the other half would be the people to share it with. Since it seems I have complete control this meal in my hypothetical situation, I would put everybody I've ever known there. And the president. Why settle?

A Last Meal

a last meal

aroma so sweet
intoxicating flavor
it was delicious


I wish I could say this about the last meal I had a few hours ago. Unfortunately, I can't. There have been only a few times where I remarked on how good the food was, and only these times. Other times, I have had to shovel down food, so I would avoid the repulsive taste and mushy texture. Such has been the fate of my palate and stomach while eating at the Governor's Dining Center. As that time comes around for dinner, around 5:30 PM, I look at the dinner menu. I never have high hopes for it, and am not usually disappointed. A feeling of dread usually creeps up from my stomach and makes me exhale a sigh of despair. Looks like I am sticking with the usual, consisting of a salad, some type of meat, the occasional soup, and a water. I try to stay away from certain foods. Usually if it can be cooked incorrectly, it is. The pasta is usually under cooked, I dare not try the pizza, and the rice spoons out in globs. I often eat a large lunch at the Union when I am out for classes, so I can eat less of the food at dinner. After dinner, I will usually go to the Cellar for a late night snack. This fills the void that was left by the minimal amount of dinner food I eat. It is really unfortunate that we are, as a freshman, constrained to a meal plan, 14 or 19 meals. Don't get me wrong, if it was optional I would still have one, but I would cook for myself quite a bit more. As the expression goes; If you want it done correctly, do it yourself. I'm an amateur chef and have prepared a few basic dishes, among them
General Tso's Chicken, seasoned Chicken and the ever so good boxed macaroni & cheese. Now that is meal!


This is simply satirical (for the most part).

Eat Like a Roman Night

Discovery Seminar Student Allen Zhou gets ready to Eat Like a Roman

The April 6 Eat Like a Roman night was a huge success!   Many thanks to the students in UB's Eat Like a Roman Discovery Seminar, the UB Classics Department, and the awesome staff at Crossroads Culinary Center.  At least 1500 (will update when we have the final count) people ate like Romans at  at UB, many of them dressed in ancient garb.  Displays included poster presentations on Roman food made by the students in the Eat Like a Roman Discovery Seminar, a display of Roman pottery and weapons, a toga-wrapping demonstration, a wandering Cleopatra played by UB Classics Ph.D. student Kristen Slonsky (make-up by Caitlin Diddams), Latin speaking greeters dressed in Roman clothing at the entrance to the dining hall, and a table with information on UB's fabulous CLASSICS DEPARTMENT.   Here is a link to the Buffalo News article (complete with video footage and an appearance by Professor McGuire), and below, some photos from the event:

Cleopatra has her eye on unsuspecting Classics Professor Brad Ault...

Classics Ph.D. students James Gawley in a senatorial toga and Caitlin Diddams  in a Roman stola.

The Crossroads Culinary Center menu for the evening

A Roman soldier stands guard at the entrance

Our Cleopatra is ready for the crowds about to enter the dining hall

Tonius and UB Classics major Lesley Crawford, ready for action

UB Classics alumnus Tony Waleszczak speaks with WBFO's Mike Desmond

UB Discovery Seminar student and Classics major Ashley Cercone displays some Roman magic

UB Discovery Seminar students Alex Sobczak and Jeremy Caldwell look pleased with their meal

A poster on household slaves by students in the Eat Like a Roman Discovery Seminar

We aren't sure what point Senator Tom Buck was making, but it seems to have alarmed matrona Katherine Roache and UB Ph. D. student Michael McGlin 

Crossroads Culinary Center staff member looking Classic!

The Menu for April 6

After three months of studying and testing Roman recipes, Chef Neal Plazio has created the following menu for Sunday's banquet in CCC:
 Soups:
Cinnamon Lamb Soup
Chicken Pottage with Meatballs
Lentil Soup

Appetizers:
Olive-Celery Paté
Tuna-Leek Salad
Marinated Olives with Herbs
Melon with Mint Dressing
Assorted Breads and Cheeses

Main Courses:
Parthian Chicken
Patina Apiciana (ancient equivalent of lasagna)
Rustic chicken with pasta (yes, we know the Romans didn't eat pasta, but CCC has a pasta station.  The chicken recipe is authentic even if the pasta is not)
Porchetta
Baked Ham with Figs in a Pastry Crust

Sides:
Sesame-Honey Pizza
Carrots and Parsnips in Cumin-Honey Glaze
Spring Cabbage

Desserts:
Peaches in Cumin Sauce
Cato the Elder's Cheesecake
Rice Pudding

And click below to read all about it:

Soups: cinnamon lamb soup, chicken pottage with meatballs, and lentil soup

Appetizers and Salads: tuna leek salad, olive and celery pate, melon with mint dressing, marinated olives with herbs, and assorted breads and cheeses

Main Courses: rustic pasta with chicken (although pasta was not ancient fare, the sauce is from an ancient recipe), patina apiciana, baked ham with figs, Parthian chicken, and porchetta

Sides: spring cabbage with cumin, carrots and parsnips with cumin and honey glaze, and honey and sesame “pizza”

Desserts: peaches in a cumin sauce, Cato the Elder's cheesecake, and rice pudding

- See more at: http://www.buffalo.edu/news/releases/2014/04/002.html#sthash.XFdciVGv.dpuf

• Soups: cinnamon lamb soup, chicken pottage with meatballs, and lentil soup
• Appetizers and Salads: tuna leek salad, olive and celery pate, melon with mint dressing, marinated olives with herbs, and assorted breads and cheeses
• Main Courses: rustic pasta with chicken (although pasta was not ancient fare, the sauce is from an ancient recipe), patina apiciana, baked ham with figs, Parthian chicken, and porchetta
• Sides: spring cabbage with cumin, carrots and parsnips with cumin and honey glaze, and honey and sesame “pizza”
• Desserts: peaches in a cumin sauce, Cato the Elder's cheesecake, and rice pudding

- See more at: http://www.buffalo.edu/news/releases/2014/04/002.html#sthash.fq19Fvqk.dpuf

• Soups: cinnamon lamb soup, chicken pottage with meatballs, and lentil soup
• Appetizers and Salads: tuna leek salad, olive and celery pate, melon with mint dressing, marinated olives with herbs, and assorted breads and cheeses
• Main Courses: rustic pasta with chicken (although pasta was not ancient fare, the sauce is from an ancient recipe), patina apiciana, baked ham with figs, Parthian chicken, and porchetta
• Sides: spring cabbage with cumin, carrots and parsnips with cumin and honey glaze, and honey and sesame “pizza”
• Desserts: peaches in a cumin sauce, Cato the Elder's cheesecake, and rice pudding

- See more at: http://www.buffalo.edu/news/releases/2014/04/002.html#sthash.fq19Fvqk.dpuf

Press Release for Roman Dinner