By Justin Rampert Memories of my childhood are always flooding into my brain. Growing up in the Hudson Valley was incredible for my youth and outdoor skills. Hot sunny days reminisce upon my senses and I can remember one invasive weed that always intrigued my senses. The plant appeared as grass but its blades were hollow and scented with onion. I picked it and played with it until I couldn’t bear the smell. Fast forward and that plant would be revealed to me as Allium Vineale

by Victoria Cymbal It’s an icebox outside and the end-of-year stresses are starting to pile up. What could one possibly do to de-stress and get toasty at the same time? Turn on your stove top, heat up some water and let’s find out. The conversation of marijuana is still seemingly controversial throughout the country and across the world; however, there is more ease when shifting the focus to hemp and cannabidiol, also known as CBD. Hemp itself has a deeper history with Americ

By Taylor Dowd The initial bite of a warm chocolate chip cookie creates a healing experience for anyone lucky enough to sample one. The rich and intricate flavors of chocolate combined with a chewy, golden base create a moment of bliss when eaten fresh out of the oven. For me, baking has always been a therapeutic process. It alleviates stress and allows me to concentrate on a simple manual task. Something as simple as a cookie is incredibly rewarding. As an avid cookie baker,

by Annemarie Durkin When you’re feeling under the weather: Try a sick tea (also called a medicine ball). This specialty tea is jam-packed with feel-good ingredients like peach, mint and lemon that will help you kiss that nasty cold goodbye. Make sure to ask for honey for maximum healing benefits. For a little holiday treat: Ask for a hot latte with Irish cream syrup, whipped cream and red holiday sprinkles on top. This ‘holiday’ drink is lesser known than the caramel brulee o

By Taylor Dowd Few foods make for a better autumn meal than this vegetable soup. Its low cost, great flavor and versatility make it a staple in my home. The assortment of veggies allows for a nutrient-dense meal suitable for a variety of diets. With fresh veggies, a good knife and some aromatic spices, a delicious comfort meal is just a couple hours away! Tips: This recipe includes homemade broth, the base of the soup, made by saving the scraps and peels from preparing onions

by Amanda M. Gordon Cooking is the one chore I take pleasure in doing and it’s not just for the sake of eating. Whether it’s the simplicity of boiling water on the stovetop to turn pasta dough into succulent tender bits of goodness, measuring out the spices required for a certain dish or attempting to slice up the ingredients to precision, it’s easy to get lost in thought but every detail of the process can be admired. I feel the need to add this disclaimer before I go on any

by Amy Lynn Tompkins It started when Jen Herman and Madeline Henriquez began meal-prepping for themselves as a necessary lifestyle change. That turned into a side hustle, meal-prepping for others while they were each pursuing master’s degrees in social work. Then the partners realized there was a way to make their a business and bring their healthier habits to larger audience. Earth, Wind and Fuego was born. “I was having some health issues. So was my partner – and I sort of

by Gabriella Rivera This column is dedicated to the farmer’s market every Thursday on Excelsior Concourse. I focus on creating dishes and drinks centering around a key ingredient from the market and a few simple ingredients from the supermarket to create appealing courses that are as engaging to the eyes as they are to the pallet. While trying to figure out a recipe for this issue embodying the word “comfort,” I spotted this gorgeous baguette from the Bread Alone* stand and d

by Marissa Ammon Kugel is a Kosher dish originating from Central Europe, sometimes referred as a noodle casserole or “noodle pudding.” It’s my favorite dish for every occasion: international nights, Rosh Hashanah and Hanukkah, but it’s not just limited to Jewish holidays. Thanksgiving is one of the annual meals served in my Ammon Thanksgiving home, and my personal favorite. Not only can it be served as a dinner, but also as a delicious dessert. Most of my friends, who are not

by Emily Fego For most students, college is the first taste of freedom before entering the “real world”. This step toward obtaining independence brings up one question: how long can you survive off of boxed mac and cheese before you learn to shop and cook for yourself? But the realization that processed foods are not a sustainable choice for your body does not mean your job is over. In light of concern regarding climate change, eating sustainability for the sake of the Earth’

by Amy Lynn Tompkins The Hudson Valley has a thriving food industry that’s driven mostly by farm to table and vegan establishments that happen to be owned by women – like Agnes Devereux. But Devereux doesn’t call herself a chef. “Chef means leader in the kitchen and obviously I do lead my kitchen, [but] it’s really kind of [a] strict, ego-driven male idea to be at the head of the kitchen, which is not the way I really function,” Devereux explained. “I try to be more like a te

by Morgan Hughes Fall is absolutely the best season of the year and one of the very best things about it is all the great foods that come with it! From pumpkin pie to Thanksgiving turkey to literally any soup, you just can’t go wrong when it comes to fall foods. But one problem for students living on college campuses is bringing these classic fall foods into their dorm. We can’t exactly bake a whole pie or cook a turkey for dinner, so what fall food staples can students keep

by Amy Lynn Tompkins When Agnes Devereux closed The Village Tearoom, located in New Paltz, for the last time, she thought she was done owning a brick-and-mortar establishment. After 15 years, it was time for a break. “All along our plan was to stay for our kids to get educated in New Paltz and then we would – we didn’t want to be in the restaurant business forever. This is a full restaurant that was open for breakfast, lunch and dinner,” she said. “That was a lot.” “Catering

by Taylor Dowd photography by George Catechis As fall rapidly approaches, I decided to bake something to prepare myself and my kitchen for the upcoming season. My interest in testing the limits of plant-based food inspired me to attempt a caramel apple tart two ways, vegan and traditional, to see which would taste better, and determine whether vegan ingredients truly make a difference. Results, based on my (and some non-vegan tasters’) opinions: Vegan version: tastier apple

by Gabriella Rivera The Hudson Valley’s agriculture is rich and ripe with possibilities for fresh, delicious dishes. By shopping for produce as in-season as possible, you can provide yourself with the best ingredients while reducing your carbon footprint. Produce Currently In-Season: Fruits: Apples, Blackberries, Blueberries, Cantaloupe, Grapes, Nectarines, Peaches, Pears, Plums, Raspberries, Tomatoes, Watermelon Vegetables/non-fruits: Arugula, Beets, Bok Choy, Brambles, Broc

by Morgan Hughes The Halloween season is officially upon us! What better way to celebrate than to curl up, watch scary movies and eat some delicious no-bake treats? There are three different Halloween creatures you can turn your eerie Oreo truffles into! These eerie Oreo truffles are spookily easy to create – requiring no oven, only two ingredients and less than thirty minutes to finish! Ingredients: 8 ounces plain cream cheese One package of Halloween Oreos Directions: Take

by Gabriella Rivera This column is dedicated to the farmer’s market every Thursday on Excelsior Concourse. I focus on creating dishes and drinks centering around a key ingredient from the market and a few simple ingredients from the supermarket to create appealing courses that are as engaging to the eyes as they are to the pallet. I used superfoods that I collected from the farmers market to create a dish that I felt would embody the word clarity including: beets and quinoa.

by Gabriella Rivera This column is dedicated to the farmer’s market every Thursday on Excelsior Concourse. I focus on creating dishes and drinks centering around a key ingredient from the market and a few simple ingredients from the supermarket to create appealing courses that are as engaging to the eyes as they are to the pallet. I used superfoods that I collected from the farmers market to create a dish that I felt would embody the word clarity. The inspiration for this dis

by Gabriella Rivera In the aftermath of my close friend’s 21st birthday we had leftover ice cream cake, almond milk, Bailey’s and bananas. From these few ingredients, the Sloppy Sundae was born! It’s an interesting combination of flavors and the banana and cinnamon really compliment the chocolate. It’s a drink that pleases your inner child as well as your outer adult. Sloppy Sundae Serves 4 Ingredients A large piece of Carvel ice cream cake ½ cup of Bailey’s (optional but not

by Leija Rothenberg When I think of some of my favorite ways to spend time with friends at home, surprisingly, going to the supermarket comes to mind. However, we don’t frequent just any supermarket– we hit up the Asian supermarket. Specifically, we love H-Mart. Not every town or city has an H-Mart, but many towns have local, smaller Asian grocery stores. If you’ve never been to one and don’t speak any Asian languages, these stores can initially seem intimidating to peruse, b