Whether during an early break in the action or in the midst of the seventh inning stretch, belting out the tune of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” is a baseball tradition. Spurring the crowd to “root, root, root for the home team,” the song sums up well the baseball experience. Yet while it sings of the classic snacks of peanuts and cracker jacks, ballpark dining has undergone a revolution of sorts. Although these snacks remain staples, today’s parks offer the more adventurous and epicurean palates a diverse array of culinary options.

Even if hots dogs…

As American farmer and social critic Wendell Berry once said, “Eating is an agricultural act.” In today’s society, where fast food restaurants sit on every corner and advertisements for microwaveable meals penetrate the airwaves, Barry’s words seem to have lost their luster. Identifying the true agricultural components of the food we consume each day has become an almost impossible feat.

Many remain ignorant of the behind-the-scenes life of the farms, factories and manufacturers that produce the items on their dinner plates. However, for those in search of greater consciousness about their food, consumers have turned to farmers…

This post is part of the Food Matters Project, a cooking collaboration among participating bloggers. Each week, we will cook a recipe from Mark Bittman’s Food Matters Cookbook, which places an emphasis on mindful and sustainable eating. Follow along with us!

When I initially signed up to put my spin on Vegetables au Vin with Coq, I am not sure what I was thinking. Perhaps I can blame it on my lack of French skills or my immediate observation of the word “vegetables,” but the word “coq” in the title didn’t register with me. Once…

I don’t typically like labels. Terms like hipster, prep, and feminist tend to stereotype and more often have negative connotations than say anything worthwhile about a fellow student.

Likewise, Vegetarians get a bad rap. When I told my sister that I was becoming a vegetarian she warned me against becoming a PETA worshipping pacifist who subsists on salads alone. Despite her concerns, I reassured her that nothing would be changing about me other than my diet. Rest assured, I said, she would not have to worry about me forgoing everything besides leafy greens or protesting fur fashion shows with a can…

Well-known food writer Erma Bombeck once said, “Like religion, politics, and family planning, cereal is not a topic to be brought up in public. It’s too controversial.” How right she is!

Everyone seems to have his or her own cereal preferences for what makes the perfect bowl. I have always eaten my cereal dry (gasp, I know). I’m not lactose-intolerant, but no matter what brand I choose from the shelf, I prefer to eat my cereal sans milk. This habit has made for many awkward mornings waking up at sleepovers and explaining to my friends and their parents that I…

Last spring, I spent the semester living in the birthplace of the Renaissance: the city of Florence, Italy. My host mother was the sweetest, tiniest Italian woman, and, as could be expected, she was an incredible cook. At eight o’clock every evening, she would serve a delicious, two-course dinner beginning with some type of starch or grain, which was followed by a protein with assorted vegetables. Every meal at my host mom’s table reminded me of those Sunday mornings as a child spent…

SWEET: Nutella Truffles
MAIN INGREDIENT: Nutella
GREAT FOR: Potlucks, Bake Sales, Gifts

I have a confession to make: I do not like peanut butter. In fact, I detest peanut butter. Ever since I was a child I refused to allow my dad to pack me the cliché PB and J sandwich. Instead, I often requested simply a smear of jelly—only of the grape variety—between two slices of white bread. Of all my friends at the lunch table, I was the outlier.

For much of my childhood, eating anything with nuts, peanuts in…

Dish: Potato Skins
Serves: 4
Good for: Super Bowl Sunday
Shopping List: 4 medium potatoes, russet or sweet ($2.90/$3.28); 4-5 slices of bacon $1.10; 1 cup of cheddar cheese $0.94;
1/2 cup sour cream $0.99; 2 teaspoons of chopped chives $.15
Pantry Items: Olive Oil, Salt, Salsa (optional)
Total Cost: $6-7

If there is any day meant to be spent sitting on the couch for an extended period of time, Super Bowl Sunday is it. Although it is not officially a holiday, the Super Bowl is one of the biggest celebrations of…

If you were to ask around for a restaurant recommendation in Providence, Rhode Island, chances are high that you will be directed towards Al Forno. Regarded as the birthplace of the grilled pizza in America, Al Forno dishes up creative, high quality Italian cuisine in the Ocean State’s capital. While the restaurant’s pizzas and made-to-order desserts are extraordinary, its baked pastas are indulgent and incredibly satisfying.

Al Forno’s baked pasta dishes vary depending on the season, but most are prepared with heavy cream and multiple cheeses, sometimes up to five, and then baked…

Photo Credit: Isabella Cucchi

Last week, resolutions were all the buzz. But today, a week into the new year? Internet crickets. When the calendar changed from 2011 to 2012, many of us told ourselves that this new year would be different from the last. Time to finally start and stick to that diet; time to forget that guy who broke our heart six months ago; and time to get a 4.0 GPA in our classes. While there is nothing wrong with setting the bar high when it comes to New Year’s resolutions, the unfortunate…