It rained on the 51st annual Michiana Mennonite Relief Sale.  Lightning lit up the sky and raindrops drummed against roofs this past weekend, as hundreds of people came together under tents and awnings to share food for a cause. Congregations from across Michiana sold food, crafts and more to raise funds for the Mennonite Central Committee’s relief efforts.  According to Dayton Freys, treasurer for the Mennonite Relief Sale, this year’s efforts brought in over $440,000. MCC will use the money for relief and development work around the world.  Everyone has a favorite food. Haystacks, Kenyan samosas, cinnamon rolls, pancakes and...

By Gabe Miller • October 2, 2019 • Features

“Welcome Students!” reads the new sign leading the Maple Leafs from the recently renovated Union Building lobby and into the sleek and modern dining room of the Leaf Raker Cafe, affectionately referred to as the “Fraker” by GC’s community.  After 35 years of the same interior design, the Leaf Raker Cafe, Goshen’s on-campus restaurant, officially reopened to students on Sept. 2 after almost a full year of renovations.  Since the grand reopening, it’s been difficult to walk through without having to elbow your way through a long line of people waiting to sample the new menu, featuring smoked meats and...

By Lauren Myers • September 21, 2019 • Arts

Goat enthusiasts and cheese-curious folks gathered for the first ever goat cheese-making class at Merry Lea on Saturday morning.  Ruth Mischler, assistant professor of SEED education, offered a milking demonstration and taught two goat cheese recipes to a class of 13. Mischler has been working with goats for 14 years, and says she is still humbled by the process of cheesemaking.  “I love seeing the transformation from sunlight to grass to milk to cheese,” she said. We sat in a circle in the kitchen for introductions. Some had driven from more than an hour away, while others were neighbors to...

By Gabe Miller • September 21, 2019 • Features

Moving into dorms, apartments, or intentional living communities comes with the challenge and freedom of cooking. Some students come to college as experienced cooks, others start from scratch, and everyone learns something along the way.  Student cooks take many forms. In Kenwood House, kitchen strategies vary widely among the 10 residents.  Khampa Stempel, a junior, prepares the week’s food on the weekend, and neatly stacks each meal in a tupperware container in the fridge. Harrison Gingerich, a junior, has cooked for years, and studies “The Food Lab,” a cookbook that reads like a food science textbook. Nick Walter, a senior,...

By Gabe Miller • September 12, 2019 • Features

The Leaf Raker is back with a sleek new look and tasty food designed to fit your schedule. A fresh menu features new flavors like the black bean burger and kale beet salad, and Haitian-inspired items like tostones and black bean soup. Other changes to the café include the addition of a meal-replacement plan, reusable carryout boxes, Starbucks coffee, and a modern interior makeover. The most exciting changes are on the menu. Old favorites, like chicken tenders, quesadillas, and burgers, aren’t gone. But food options have been upgraded to prioritize freshness and include elements of Haitian cuisine as a nod...

By Record • September 5, 2019 • Features

Emily Kauffman sat across from me at a booth in Maple City Market, where she’s worked for the last few years. To her left was a paper bag full of ingredients to make pasta for her and her roommate and a single red rose for herself because it was Valentine’s Day and self-love matters.   The contents of this seemingly ordinary grocery bag are telling of the important role food and community have in Kauffman’s life. She makes the effort to show compassion for those around her, to foster belonging.   Cooking became a de-stressing mechanism, creative expression and a...

By Anna Keller • March 7, 2019 • Features

Easy to mess up but delicious when they turn out, brigadeiro are a South American treat worth the risk. Growing up, I was always excited when my mom broke out the brigadeiro recipe from her childhood in Brazil. My mom described them as “a softer version of caramels,” but I would say brigadeiro are more like a chocolate truffle, only silkier. They have a sticky sweet consistency; they’re chewy without sticking to your teeth, and one is usually rich enough to satisfy the palate. Made from sweetened condensed milk, cocoa powder and butter, they’re not hard to make but take...

By Elsa Lantz • February 17, 2019 • Features

Maple City Market Food Co-op worked with Goshen College to show internationally-acclaimed filmmaker Steve Alves’ documentary “Food for Change” on Oct. 30 in Newcomer Center. Food co-ops across more than 50 cities in the United States are presenting screenings of the film on college campuses and Public Broadcasting Service shows for the month of October. October is National Co-op Month which became nationally recognized in 1964 by Orville Freeman, former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. All students, Maple City Market co-op members and the general community were invited and encouraged to attend the free screening. The film follows the food cooperative...

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MEGAN BOWER Staff Writer mnbower@goshen.edu On a quiet early Tuesday morning, Audrey Sanders, the only occupant of the Leaf Raker (commonly referred to as the Fraker) turned on the radio. As Carrie Underwood’s voice emerged out of the speaker, Sanders began cleaning the front counter. “Today’s kind of slow,” Sanders said. “Hopefully we’ll get a rush.” Sanders has been with AVI Fresh for over a year, but only started at the Fraker three weeks ago, after transferring from the University of Saint Francis in Fort Wayne. She typically arrives at 7:30 a.m. to prep for the day ahead. She starts...

By Megan Bower • March 29, 2018 • Features

Goshen College may be known for many things, but one thing that needs more attention from students are the Sustainability Potlucks. About three years ago, a film featuring Elkhart County’s food system was shown on campus and the faculty organized a potluck for that event. Eventually, those involved in this initial event realized a potluck would be a great way for students to connect, talk, and learn about sustainability, food systems, and issues concerning the community and agriculture. Every year the group of people involved in the sustainability potlucks keeps growing. One person who has been there since the very...

By Cecilia Garcia • February 15, 2018 • Features

Over 100 students came together at the International Student Coffeehouse to serve a meal and perform a show for the Goshen community on Saturday. The International Student Coffeehouse is an annual event that showcases food and talents from all over the world. The evening, hosted by the International Student Club, was led by Dona Park, Chrystopher Echavarria, both seniors, Achieng Agutu, Phil Chan, Hitesh Sharma, all juniors, and Sara Azzuni, a sophomore, alongside adviser, Skip Barnett. The event began with a dinner representing 13 different countries through food and drink. Dishes included cuñapes from Bolivia, masqati from Iran, pozole from...

By Abby King • March 23, 2017 • News

A burgundy sign hangs above the storefront display case. It says “Never Enough Chocolate” in black, curling font. In the window hangs a single strand of gold garland, a leftover decoration from the recent holiday season. Dan Spence’s shop sits nestled in the corner of the second floor of The Old Bag Factory, a Goshen hub for local artisans and vendors. The Chocolate Factory is only five years old, but Spence has had a rich history with the chocolate industry. At the age of 2, Spence’s father died. His mother was grief-stricken and became unable to care for her young...

By Riley Mills • February 23, 2017 • Features

Rebecca Shetler Fast paused mid-sentence as 1-year-old Madeline toddled up to the table, humming with joy. “Hi!” Rebecca said, beaming at her daughter. And with a smile of recognition that she had been noticed, Madeline left the table to explore the spice shelf. Shetler Fast and her husband, Paul, both 2008 grads of GC, publish a food blog called The Hungry Hounds (www.thehungryhounds.com), so it’s no wonder their daughter shows an interest in food. You wouldn’t know it by the looks of the blog, but Rebecca and Paul are currently publishing the blog from two different countries. They are expecting...

By Sadie Gustafson-Zook • February 9, 2017 • Features

Rocket Science is a unique ice cream shop that uses liquid nitrogen as their special ingredient. This shop is located at 401 East Market St. in Nappanee, in the Coppes Commons, just 16 miles from Goshen College. Rocket Science was voted one of the top 10 ice cream shops in the state earlier this year.  Two Goshen ice cream makers, The Chief and South Side Soda Shop, also appeared among the top 10 at visitindiana.com, but only Rocket Science applies liquid nitrogen. How exactly is this ice cream made? The first ingredient is important because the milk and sugar have...

By Sandra Camarillo • November 10, 2016 • Features

On a cool autumn evening, with a guest on hand to watch her at work in the kitchen, Naomi Gross, a senior, surveyed the counter top. The surface was covered in produce: celery, tomatoes, onions, and plenty of apples. This sight may seem challenging to some, however Gross greatly enjoys the process of cooking. Some of the vegetables had begun to show signs of going bad, from insects here and small rot there. Fortunately, she said, all of it was free. “Normally we get most of the food we use to cook with from the corner garden on 9th Street,...

By Josh Stoltzfus • November 3, 2016 • Features