The official student newspaper of Vanderbilt University

The Vanderbilt Hustler

The official student newspaper of Vanderbilt University.
Since 1888
The official student newspaper of Vanderbilt University

The Vanderbilt Hustler

The official student newspaper of Vanderbilt University.
The official student newspaper of Vanderbilt University

The Vanderbilt Hustler

The official student newspaper of Vanderbilt University.

Hustler staff roundup: Foods we miss a waffle lot

As we settle into the spring semester, The Hustler staff is dreaming of all the food we miss from home, dishes to which dining hall food just can’t measure up.
food
Alexa White
Some foods from home just can’t even be compared to Campus Dining’s concoctions.

When I was forced to accept that my favorite pizza place from home was not going to deliver to an address 500 miles away, I had to satiate my craving with a flatbread from Commons. I was not satisfied. This got me thinking: what do other Hustler staffers miss from their hometowns? Their responses did not disappoint (and only left me hungrier).

challah
Gaze in awe at this home-baked Challah bread, courtesy of the Abel family. (Zoe Abel)

Challah Bread (Zoe Abel, Washington DC — Opinion Editor)

I grew up with food allergies, so my mom would make Challah bread at home every Friday. Challah bread is the twisted, sweet bread eaten by Jewish people to celebrate the Sabbath. My mom would make it every week and taught my siblings and I how to make it, and learning how to braid the bread is a favorite childhood memory. It’s even better with raisins!

sausage
Amelia holds up a sausage sizzle from Bunnings hardware store. (Amelia Simpson)

Sausage Sizzle (Amelia Simpson, Brisbane, Australia — Graphics/Multimedia)

A sausage sizzle is the go-to fundraiser for Australian community groups and amateur sporting teams, often held at hardware stores (a “Bunnings snag”) or elections (a “democracy sausage”). It entails cheap white bread, sausages, optional grilled onions and condiments of your choice for only $2.

pepp
Marvel at a greasy tray of AJ’s pepperoni rolls fresh out of the oven. (Jorie Fawcett)

AJ’s Pepperoni Rolls (Jorie Fawcett, Tiffin, OH — Life)

My inspiration for this article came from my insatiable craving for a pepperoni roll from my favorite pizza place back home. A pepperoni roll consists of six inches of dough stuffed with cheese and pepperoni. AJ’s is known for their sweet red sauce which you use for dipping with these delectable rolls. Although my friends from New York would probably roll their eyes at pizza from Ohio, I am counting down the days until I can stuff my face with a pepperoni roll once again. 

Seafood (Andrew Kolondra Jr., Fort Lauderdale, FL — Life Editor)

Campus Dining’s food trucks program is probably one of the only good things they did this year, and arguably the best yet. However, the seafood trucks are insanely sus. Yeah, yeah, people in these parts eat catfish, I know. But when you’ve grown up with ubiquitous access to mahi, grouper, swordfish, snapper … the list goes on. You just can’t trust fish (or shrimp) from a land-locked state anymore. Plenty of people will tell you this from firsthand experience. Believe them.

Wawa Hoagies and Mac and Cheese (Bobby Kent, Philadelphia, PA — Sports) 

I get my hoagies from the greatest convenience store on planet earth, Wawa. Freshly made sandwiches and mac and cheese hit different when they’re from Wawa. For anyone not from the East Coast, Wawa is 7-11 but infinitely better.

pizza
You won’t find a substitute for this cheesy pizza in Tennessee. (Samuel Hyland)

Pizza (Samuel Hyland, New York — Life) 

I hate coming off as the cliche “New York Pizza” dude but I feel like there’s something about pizza in the Northeast—no, it isn’t exclusively an NY thing—that feels a little more robust. That isn’t to say that pizza here lacks some of that quality (I also haven’t really tried much pizza here, so I can’t be an authority). Nonetheless, I have never finished at least half of a pizza pie from my local shop in one sitting. I’ve finished full pizza pies here. That’s saying something. 

crepe
You’ll never know the secret recipe for these crêpes made by the Tessier family. (Marissa Tessier)

Crêpes (Marissa Tessier, South Florida — Life)

Growing up, my family would always make crêpes for breakfast. We have a secret family recipe that’s been passed down along my father’s side, and it’s a tradition to make them whenever family comes to town. When I was younger, my brother and I used to have competitions to see how many we could eat for breakfast (my record is eight). The warm crêpes are best served with brown sugar and maple syrup; can’t get more Canadian than that!

soup
A delicious pot of Santiago family pork sinigang is irreplaceable. (Arianna Santiago)

Homemade Pork Sinigang (Arianna Santiago, Bremerton, WA — Life)

Pork sinigang is a Filipino sour tamarind soup/stew made with pork spareribs, baby bok choy, fresh green beans, radishes and sometimes taro! It is best served over white rice and some spicy peppers, but you can also drink the sabow (soup) from a mug. It’s the perfect, simple-yet-filling meal for cold days. We’d make a big pot that would last us for several meals at a time! I’ve tried making it with a friend’s Instant Pot, but definitely still need to work on my seasoning.

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About the Contributors
Jorie Fawcett, Editor-in-Chief
Jorie Fawcett ('25) is from Tiffin, Ohio, and studies secondary education and sociology in Peabody College. She previously served as Managing Editor and Life Editor. When not writing for The Hustler, you can find her teaching, reading or pretending to study at Local Java or Suzie's. You can reach her at [email protected].
Zoe Abel, Opinion Editor
Zoe Abel (‘24) is from Washington, D.C., and is a student in the College of Arts and Science. She is majoring in medicine, health and society and child development with minors in biology and French on the pre-med track. In her free time, Zoe loves distance running, good music, coffee and telling terrible dad jokes. She is also an avid Oxford comma advocate. You can reach her at [email protected].  
Alexa White, Former Graphics Director
Alexa White ('23) is from Traverse City, Michigan, and is double-majoring in secondary education and English. When she isn't writing for The Hustler, she is probably teaching, reading or creating art. After graduation, Alexa plans to be an English teacher and hopes to inspire kids to love reading, writing and exploring their creativity in all forms. She can be reached at [email protected].
Amelia Simpson, Staff Photographer and Graphics Staffer
Amelia Simpson ('25) hails from Brisbane, Australia and is a student in the College of Arts and Sciences majoring in public policy. Outside of her work in the Hustler’s multimedia sections, Amelia is a member of the club rowing and equestrian teams. You can reach her at [email protected]
Samuel Hyland, Former Magazine Editor
Samuel Hyland ('25) is a student in the College of Arts and Science majoring in English. When he isn't fighting off sleep at Stevenson Library, he can be found silently praising campus squirrels for their work ethic. You can reach him at [email protected].
Marissa Tessier, Former Staff Writer
Marissa Tessier ('24) is majoring in secondary education and English. When not writing, she can be found at a café reading the latest YA novel. She can be reached at [email protected].
Arianna Santiago, Senior Staff Photographer
Arianna Santiago ('24) is from Bremerton, Wash., and studying electrical and computer engineering in the School of Engineering. When not shooting for The Hustler or for freelance work, Arianna can be found leading campus tours, organizing events for University Catholic, attempting to study and procrastinating her lab reports. You can reach her at [email protected].
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