The Nameless Empanadas
đź“ť Levi Chen
Updated 11/7/2023
Empanadas at Ithaca Farmers Market
While adventuring through gastronomy scene in Ithaca, you can find a surprisingly wide range of different cuisines with a solid number of Asian restaurants, a couple of Tex-Mex establishments, and even a popular Ethiopian restaurant. Nonetheless, aside from the few dine-in Mexican restaurants and burrito spots, there seems to be a complete void of representation when it comes to other Hispanic foods.Â
That’s why as soon as I stepped foot into Ithaca’s Farmers Market, one of the first stalls that caught my eye was the one-word sign “Empanadas” — no branding or extra information needed, simply just Chilean empanadas. This felt like a breath of fresh air and a genuine attempt at showcasing other Hispanic foods other than tacos or burritos. At $6 dollars an empanada, the portion was considerable, coming with 2 sides of red cabbage salad and pico de gallo. Within the crispy and doughy fried shell, the fillings of the beef empanada contained a mixture of savory ground beef, onions, olives, and raisins, which I found to be perfect complement to the acidity from the lime juice found in the cabbage salad as well as the fresh tomatoes in the pico de gallo. If you are someone who’s mainly stuck to the classic Mexican go-to’s, I would recommend empanadas as a good stepping stone for you to expand your palette and discover even more hispanic dishes you’ll end up loving!
Seasonal Delicacies at L’AbenFant in Dijon
This November, I visited Dijon, France. About 180 miles southeast of Paris, the city seems like a quaint village compared to the French capital’s cosmic size. For lunch, we stopped by a popular restaurant called L’AbenFant. This restaurant specializes in vegetarian cuisine and changes its menu every day, so we were in for a real delicious treat.
Café Culture—a True Parisian Experience
Sssss, schwoop! I gazed down as the pastry chef finished preparing my strawberry tart and moved over to package it in a pretty, blue box with a ribbon. However, this dessert shop is not like a typical pâtisserie you would find in Paris—in fact, my little tart is completely inedible! This weekend, I visited the JellyCat Pâtisserie, a pop-up shop in the Galeries Lafayette that sells exclusive French pastries in a plush format. You can choose from six options for the Pâtisserie Experience: Collette the tarte au citron, Brigitte the brioche, Fleurette the tarte aux fraises, and three multi-colored macarons: Mia, Max, and Mona. Aside from the Paris-exclusive designs, you can also find hundreds of plush éclairs, mille-feuilles, and madeleines for sale in the store, each one sporting a cute smile and a pair of miniature, animated legs.
Coconut Curry Noodle Bowl
Hidden in the maze of Anabel Taylor Hall lies the key to celebrating Earth Day on campus—Anabel’s Grocery. As I walked the dim halls, encouraging signs guided me toward the back of the building. I knew I was nearing the store when I heard the hustle and bustle of students shopping for groceries after class.