D-Hall Creations: Gourmet Edition
D-Hall is not given enough credit on our campus. In addition to cooking gooey mac and cheese and reliable tacos on Tuesday, they often produce creative menu offerings that spice up the food scene here at Exeter. However, after too many plant-forward options, many students find themselves going back to a simple bagel or sandwich. To provide alternatives to these dull entrees, I present to you a couple of D-Hall recipes or hacks that are sure to please your palette.
Gourmet PB&J
Everyone knows the classic PB&J: peanut butter and jelly haphazardly smashed between two pieces of white, sleek sandwich bread. I, like most other people, treasure this excellent childhood snack. But every once in a while, I enjoy creating a bit more of an elevated—gourmet, if you will—PB&J.
To start, we need to pick out the best buns for the job. Every week, Weth gets either braided challah or sweet Portuguese bread, both of which work perfectly thanks to their superior, full-bodied tastes and exceptional toasting abilities under the hot, smoking panini press. Cut two thick pieces along the fullest side and generously butter up the outsides to your liking.
Next, we need to create a better, more tantalizing filling by combining either strawberry or raspberry jam with the fresh fruit of your choice—often found in either the sandwich or salad aisle. Mash, mix and pound to your desired consistency, spread on the unbuttered sides of the sandwich and begin toasting in the panini press. Make sure to not add peanut butter until the toasting is complete as to not cross-contaminate the press. Cut your golden, mouth-wateringly thick sandwich into two halves.
Next, smooth together the viscous honey and the superior newly ground Weth peanut butter, and spread on one of the puffy slices. Place the other sandwich slice on top, and you’ve created a sneaky tease of a gourmet PB&J.
Chocolate Waffles
Do you miss chocolate chip pancakes? The intoxicating smell of these fluffy, sumptuous cakes would pack a sweet start to any day and used to be served more frequently in both D-Halls. For a similar taste for your eager tongues, try chocolate waffles. To start, you must leave the warmth of your room and trek across campus to Weth, where a smoking hot griddle will greet you any morning of the week. Next, you can prepare the silky batter by collecting a cup and adding Hershey’s chocolate sauce to richen the color and taste.
Don’t be afraid to pour liberally—really let yourself go, admiring the way the deep chocolate drizzles down into the cup, overflowing, relishing in the joy of the chocolate sheen. Now you may proceed as usual, and after the beep of two minutes, your chocolate waffle will be ready. Make sure to add plenty of whipped cream and maybe strawberries or peanut butter, all to your pleasure.
Can’t Believe it’s D-Hall Butter
Do you often find yourself trying to scoop out rock-solid butter from either dining hall? Try this easy trick for spreadable golden goodness. Fill a mug with piping hot water from the coffee machine and let it relax for around a minute. Afterward, drain the water and place a dollop of butter in the cup, letting the warmth of the mug melt away the tension of the lipid’s bondage. Wait for 30 seconds and there you go: alluring, sleek butter waiting to be spread to your liking!