Lois Parks | Phoenix Staff

BY LOIS PARK

In print | Published December 3, 2009

It’s my fav-orite time of year.
I like how the air gets cold and crisp, and how I can see the train station through the bare-branched oaks from Parrish, how this is the season of chunky scarves and soft, oversized sweaters, of stuffed stomachs, and naps induced by overeating.

It’s nearing the end of the semester and the beginning of winter.

I remember how I once was telling a friend how my favorite time of the year was after Thanksgiving and before Christmas because the air just fills with excitement for the coming holiday – the atmosphere turns warm and cozy and I can just about imagine the smell of nutmeg and cinnamon fill the air. My friend reminded me that the time period coincided with finals period. My friend was right. We, as students at Swarthmore, have to overcome that barrier before fully joining the holiday festivities being prepared in the world outside the “bubble.”
In the meantime, here are a few snacks you can try while you haul through the final stretch!

Lemon and honey tea
It’s the season of cold (the thermal and the viral kind) and this is something that can help alleviate the pains of both.
Squeeze the juice of two lemon wedges (in the refrigerator located in the beverage area closer to the cereals) into a mug, add about 2-3 tablespoons (or more!) worth of honey (at condiments island), and fill mug with hot water. For those of you who don’t like sweetened things, just add a little bit of honey to neutralize the sourness of the lemon. This is a simple lemon-honey tea, guaranteed to be packed with Vitamin C (compared to lemon-flavored tea from teabags). This concoction will warm your cold body and soothe your sore throat. Aside from the fact that this tea is simple and perfect for this time of year, it has great flavor.

Crunchy, sticky, dirty snowball
… is the fancy name for a ball of cereal, melted marshmallows and chocolate syrup. Half smore, half rice krispie treat.
Fill a bowl half-full with your favorite crunchy cereal (I tried with corn flakes and cheerios – preferred the corn flakes), top with a handful of mini marshmallows (next to disposable cups left of the hot chocolate dispenser) and heat in the microwave for 15-20 seconds. Drizzle chocolate syrup (at condiment bar) and mix with a fork. You can get creative and add nuts or strawberry jam. Just eat it immediately to enjoy the wisps of sticky marshmallow. Leave it out too long and it’ll just harden.

Soup + x
Soup has always been a comfort food for sick people, cold people and emotionally awry people (as we can all get during this time of the school year). Make your soup a bit tastier by adding in something from the salad or condiment bar. Sweet corn, beans (at salad bar), and sour cream (a classic add-in, at condiment bar) are great add-ins to soup.

Be healthy – go bananas
Bananas are a good source of vitamins (especially B6 and C) and minerals (potassium!), and low in sodium. They are chock-full of other good things and even taste sweet! They are said to be the sweetest when the skin is completely brown (they become mushy, but that’s another issue), so no need to avoid the ones with brown spots. Try topping your cereal or oatmeal with a banana or put peanut butter, honey and bananas on a waffle or bread for a snack.

Rice cakes! – the perfect light dessert
When you’re too full at the end of a meal for that apple cobbler and scoop of ice cream, try this as a lighter alternative. There are rice cakes – disks of popped rice – in a basket at the salad bar (I used to find them next to the balsamic vinegar and oil but have found them near the soup these days). They have a fun texture but are a little bland if you eat them as is (which I do often!). Try topping a rice cake with a bit of peanut butter and honey or jam and nuts for a sweet and light snack or dessert.

I would love to hear about your culinary adventures at Sharples (and beyond) and share a meal with you!
Lois is a senior. You can reach her at lpark1@swarthmore.edu.

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