Kitchen Dialogue
For many of us here at Harvard, the closest brush we have with cooking is the occasional shoddily made turkey and cheese sandwich on the George Foreman Grille. But for those living in Jordan and DeWolfe, whose suites come complete with kitchenettes, culinary experiences are as common as peas and carrots. FM invited inhabitants of the two overflow dorms to tour and analyze each other’s kitchens.
the people:
Jordan:
Jared M. Seeger '05
Eric Wehrenberg-Klee '05
Dave R. Ferris '05
DeWolfe:
Anna Greenberg '06
Lindsay Alpert '06
Anna and Lindsey on Jordan
Initial Reaction: Whoa! Their kitchen is a lot suckier than ours (physically)!
General synopsis: These people really like Asian food—it seems they have hit up the oriental marketplace. They might be coffee snobs, too, judging by the fancy expresso machine and coffee grinder. They’re definitely sophisticated about food and cooking, and they aren’t that into alcohol.
Favorite foods: Coffee and Asian.
Favorite restaurant in the square? Penang.
How many times is the kitchen used per week? Two to three.
What do they cook? Asian specialties—things that involve currants and bamboo shoots. Maybe some sort of bamboo-currant stew?
Messy scale (1=pristine to 10=a disaster): 5.
How often is this kitchen cleaned? Two times per week.
Parties? Intimate dressy gatherings, sometimes with Margaritas.
What music plays in this kitchen? Jazz, musicals, Madonna.
Favorite television program? Will and Grace.
Describe this kitchen in three words: Asian coffee extravaganza.
If this person asked you over for dinner, as a date, what would he/she cook for you? Some sort of yummy noodles with an espresso to top it off.
Other comments? They have a nice variety of knives. It’s kind of scary. They were probably a gift from someone’s mom. And their oven is adorable.
Jared and Eric about their own kitchen in Jordan
Your room’s favorite food(s): Japanese, Thai, Italian, burgers.
Favorite restaurants in the square? Cambridge Common, Noch’s, Spice, 7-Eleven.
How often do you cook? Our roommate, Dave, cooks twice a week and gives us scraps. We are big on Ramen.
Describe your culinary ability in three words: Compensating for HUDS.
What do you like to cook? Instant soup, coffee, tea, beer, vegetarian Asian delights.
How often is the kitchen cleaned? Once very few weeks.
Parties? A few dinner parties and the requisite sticky floor debacle.
What kind of music plays in kitchen? McCoy Tyner clashing violently with The Police.
Favorite TV show? “Ivory Tower” or “Making of the Band.”
Describe your kitchen in three words: Mao gets hammered.
If you asked someone over for dinner, as a date, what would you cook for him/her? Spicy-ass Asian food, ramen noodles and fresh ground coffee in the morning.
Jared and Eric on DeWolfe
Initial Reaction: This is a legit kitchen, and pretty organized. They’re really artsy and probably wear black mascara. They have a dishwasher. Unfair!
General synopsis: They have lots of strategically placed empty bottles and Natty Lites in the fridge—these girls aren’t picky drinkers—they drink to get drunk. Lots of spotless glasses and lots of cleaners (Cascade, Fantastik)—they must be pretty anal-retentive.
Favorite foods: Standard college student fare with requisite ethnic touches.
Favorite restaurant in the square? Pho Pasteur, ABP, Daedelus.
How many times is the kitchen used per week? Seven.
What do they cook? They bake, cook eggs, noodle dishes, mixed drinks.
Messy scale (1=pristine to 10=a disaster): 3.
How often is this kitchen cleaned? Two times per week.
Parties? HRDC after-parties, Andy Warhol-esque soirees following Carpenter Center openings.
What music plays in this kitchen? Bjork, Madonna, Joan Baez, Frank Sinatra, The White Stripes.
Favorite television program? “Trading Spaces,” “VH1 Behind the Music.”
Describe this kitchen in three words: Retro, quasi-artsy, clean.
If this person asked you over for dinner, as a date, what would he/she cook for you? Penne with herb sauce, salad, wine, cookies for dessert.
Other comments? Those Asian popsicles look like dildos.
Lindsay and Anna on their own Dewolfe kitchen
Your room’s favorite food(s): Chocolate, yogurt, tea, sauce, salsa, chips, cheese.
Favorite restaurants in the square? The Quincy Grille (for the atmosphere).
How often do you cook? One time every few weeks.
Describe your culinary ability in three words: Sort of okay.
What do you like to cook? French toast, eggs, nachos, Croatian sauerkraut soup.
How often is the kitchen cleaned? Once a week.
Parties? Mostly small gatherings
What kind of music plays in kitchen? A lot of Latin and rock, but many other genres as well.
Favorite TV show? No TV.
Describe your kitchen in three words: Snacks snacks snacks.
If you asked someone over for dinner, as a date, what would you cook for him/her? Wine.