When you live with 13 people,
it gets a little hard to coordinate
family-style dinners. You may
have stopped reading after “13
people.” Trust me, I understand.
But it somehow works — and
so can making a family style
dinner big enough to feed the
Von Trapp family on a budget.
Gathering with others for a
meal is a deeply rooted tradition
in our society and within my
own experiences at school. For
many reasons, which vary from
table to table and group to group,
a family-style dinner is one of
the beloved and pure customs
that bind us together. Ever
heard of blue zones? Those are
the few and ostensibly thriving
locations in the world whose
populations live to the age of
150, because they eat almost all
of their meals together (don’t
fact check that).
As graduation quickly and
menacingly approaches (if you
haven’t guessed from the tone
of that statement, I’m nervous
about it, but so is everyone,
right?), the pressure is on to
make the most of the time spent
with friends, who will soon
be fragmented by the reality
of adult life (read: jobs, for
many). With time, and likely
discretionary income, running
out, how does one take full
advantage of this short period?
My answer to this inquiry,
as with most things, is food
of course. Though making a
reservation for a large party
at a great restaurant on a
bustling Friday night can be
enjoyable, it’s not as memorable
as spending some extra quality
time with friends cooking a
meal together. And though
that seems daunting (again,
refer back to my current living
situation), it can actually be a
lot easier and cheaper than you
may think.
Behold: the meal guide of all
meal guides. Below, I’ve listed
a few easy recipes inspired by
a spur-of-the-moment family
dinner I made with a few
friends and some of my own
hybrid recipes. So, if you’re
either intrigued because you’d
(A) rather be reading this than
thinking about how another
school year has raced by and
graduation is imminent, or (B)
you’re genuinely interested in
this proposed guide to uniting
with friends around a meal,
then read on.
First, the pizza:
This one’s a no-brainer. Pizza
is easy to make (if you buy the
dough, but don’t tell anyone
you bought it) and feeds a
large group. Depending on the
number of people partaking,
two balls of dough should
suffice for about 10 — and you
can buy them at Trader Joe’s for
under two dollars.
Full disclosure, this is maybe
less of a recipe and more of a
suggestion. Once you roll out
the dough on a floured surface
and transfer it to a greased (and
I mean greased) parchment
paper lined baking sheet, it’s
basically a free-for-all.
While a simple marinara
sauce (oil, garlic, and canned
tomato sauce brought to a
simmer) or the jarred variety
can be used for a traditional
pie, I’ve found that plenty
of olive oil or a thin layer of
heavy cream provide a good
base for cheese and veggies.
For the cheese, I like to use a
mozzarella (fresh or shredded
will work) and parmesan blend.
After spreading a thin layer
of sauce over your rolled out
dough,
sprinkle
generously
with cheese and top with your
preferred variety of ingredients
(I would suggest mushrooms,
bacon and spinach).
Herbs — a hearty blend of
oregano, fresh or dried basil,
red chili flakes and salt and
pepper — will elevate the
pizza to restaurant-level. Pizza
is typically a crowd pleaser
and, unless you find yourself
arguing with your friends over
what toppings to use, they’re
pretty fun to make. The dough
package should contain baking
instructions — otherwise, bake
at 10-15 minutes (until the crust
is slightly brown and the cheese
is bubbling and golden on top) at
about 500º.
Next, is the Sage and Brown
Butter Pasta:
(Recipe adapted from The
New York Times)
Pasta and butter are as cheap
as cheap gets. They also happen
to be delicious when combined
using the following method.
Before starting that tasty pizza,
bring a large pot of salted water
to a boil and cook a package (or
two) of your desired noodles
(I prefer rigatoni) just until
almost al dente (not cooked
all the way, so the pasta is still
firm). While the pasta is boiling
and the pizza is baking, begin to
brown that butter. Throw in the
sage and cook until the sage has
shrunk and the butter is a deep
golden brown.
Drain the pasta, reserving
some of the pasta water to add to
the sauce. Add the pasta to the
butter and sage, increasing the
heat to medium before adding
the pasta water and stirring to
combine. Add parmesan, salt
and pepper, and that’s it! For a
dairy-free version (we all have
those friends), olive oil can be
substituted. Heat the oil in a
large skillet, add minced garlic
and sage and the cooked pasta.
Top with a squeeze of lemon
and the parmesan.
Now, on to my favorite part —
the garlic bread:
By now you may be thinking
that this dinner is pretty carb-
heavy, and you’re not wrong.
Bread, and other flour-based
products are incredibly cheap
and easy to prepare in large
quantities for a big group of
people. And there’s nothing
wrong with that.
The preparation is simple.
Heat butter and olive oil in the
microwave until the butter
has melted. Stir in about 1-1½
tablespoons of minced garlic
(depending on the size of your
loaf), salt and pepper, oregano
and dried or fresh chopped
parsley. Slice a baguette in half,
spread the mixture over evenly
and top with parmesan cheese.
Bring the oven temperature
down to 400º and bake until
the cheese is bubbling and the
edges of the bread turn golden
brown (about 10 minutes).
And to break up the copious
varieties of carbs in this meal,
here’s a simple salad:
In a bowl, massage (yeah, I
said massage) a large container
of pre-washed baby kale with
olive
oil
and
lemon
juice.
Let rest for a few minutes
before adding salt, pepper and
parmesan cheese, tossing to
combine.
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Arts
Friday, April 7, 2017 — 5
‘Vice’ explores amateurism
HBO
When
the
NCAA
was
established
over
a
century
ago, its central mandate was
to ensure to the sanctity of
“amateurism” in the realm of
college sports. The attitude
remains stubbornly unchanged
today. While the
general philosophy
of what upholds
the
NCAA’s
existence
is
relatively laudable
— on paper, non-
professionals
being treated as
professionals likely dampens
the integrity of student athletics,
sure — the general bone to pick
regarding the organization’s
operations lies in the fact that
the social and cultural fabric of
American sports has changed
dramatically in the century
since the NCAA came to being.
College sports used to be an
intramural outlet for American
collegiate students looking to
spend their free time somewhat
productively.
Recruitment
wasn’t
exactly
a
reality.
Professional athletes made a
pittance,
oftentimes
playing
for teams started by factory
workers that could barely stay
afloat in the long-term. But the
reality now? The NCAA rakes in
absurd amounts of money, with
its most recent broadcast deal
with CBS Sports and Turner
Broadcasting being penned at a
valuation of $10.8 billion. Is this
the same world of amateurism
that
the
NCAA
sought
to
regulate in 1906? It’s a point of
contention for many, but none
more so than the athletes, both
former and current, that enable
the NCAA to sign such deals.
College
sports
has
transformed into a money-
making
body
that
allows
university
football
coaches
to be the highest-paid state
employees, while the athletes
under
their
tutelage
aren’t
even allowed to see a dime. It’s
a bizarre reality that “Vice”
correspondent Gianna Toboni
intimately and comprehensively
explores in recent episode,
“The
End
of
Amateurism.”
Talking both to a variety of
former athletes who have been
calling for institutional justice,
and current collegiate athletic
directors (many of whom are
vehemently in support of the
status quo), Toboni constructs
a laudable and
steady-handed
look at a subject
of debate that is
(more often than
not) painted as
being far simpler
than reality.
Titled
“The
End
of
Amateurism,”
the
episode openly notes that the
end isn’t particularly nigh.
Rather, a lot of the episode’s
focus lies on the fight to bring
upon that end — the rhetoric,
its pitfalls and the struggle’s
main protagonists — largely
former athletes who have been
wronged and forgotten by the
system that promised them
a share of their own spoils.
The episode also comes at a
pointedly opportune time, with
March Madness having just
concluded and the NFL Draft
just on our horizons — sports
are fresh on the mind of the
American psyche, so it’s only
fair for “Vice” and HBO to
strike when most effective.
While many of the viewers
this episode may have appealed
to probably have a fair handle
on the fundamentals of the
amateurism debate, rarely are
audiences afforded as intimate
of a look into the issue as
“Vice” provides here. One of
the most sobering moments of
the episode comes on the heels
of Toboni following former
Auburn running back Peyton
Barber alongside his draft day
travails. Projected to be a sixth-
round pick in the draft, viewers
watch as Barber agonizingly
waits until the draft concludes,
with no team having called his
name. Barber left Auburn as a
sophomore due to the possible
financial incentives he could
offer his family — a common
gamble
by
many
college
athletes who see it as the only
bonafide route toward a better
life for themselves and their
kin. But as said, such a move
is still a gamble, and, as seen
through the eyes of Barber, a
rather sad one at that. “No one
ever considered he wouldn’t
get drafted,” remarks Toboni.
That much is clear to Barber
and
his
immediate
family.
Earlier on, Barber notes that
he probably wouldn’t have left
Auburn so early had he seen
some form of compensation as
a student athlete. Now he is in
a situation far more tenuous
that he could’ve expected — and
he hopes that doesn’t remain a
reality for athletes that come
after him.
For a topic touted so often
in the public sphere, “Vice”
and its sobering, constructive
take on the issue seems to
be a rare example of what
public discourse regarding the
amateurism debate should look
like. Student athletes have a
tenuous journey ahead of them,
that much we know. Never
letting
the
spotlight
waver
on their issues will do them
more good than venerating
their athletic successes. “Vice”
ensures we don’t forget that.
ANAY KATYAL
Managing Arts Editor
TV REVIEW
SHIR
AVINADAV
The quick and dirty guide
to a family (friend) dinner
FOOD COLUMN
“The Last Word” is written
in such a way that’s it is almost
certain first-time screenwriter
Stuart Ross Fink knew a version
of Shirley MacLaine’s (“Bernie”)
Harriet Lauler in real life. Only
that would explain his script’s
blind lionization of a deeply flawed
character and implicit accusations
that anyone who sides against her
“just doesn’t get it.” In his haste to
paint a picture of this seemingly
perfect woman, he forgot to make
good on a premise with some
charm and instead focused his
energy on characters that never
once rise above boring and drama
that
somehow
continuously
outdoes its own one-notedness.
Its
talented
performers
are
completely stranded in some of
the most predictable, trite baloney
to hit the silver screen this year.
The story involves Harriet
Lauler, an elderly woman who
wants a say in how her obituary
is written and hires the local obit
writer (Amanda Seyfried, “Pan”)
to ensure a suitable job is done
before her death. There’s some
promise to this story, particularly
in its originality and potential for
dark comedy, and
initially it appears
it will make good
on
that
promise.
An early montage
of people, including
a
spiteful
priest,
saying nothing but
negative
things
about
Lauler
is
genuinely laugh-out-loud funny,
and MacLaine play Lauler with
the wit and nuance her character
needs.
MacLaine is hands-down the
best part of the movie, but she
can only hold a script like this
afloat by will alone for so long,
especially when her character
is the flick’s biggest problem.
Lauler is portrayed as an overly
controlling force of nature who
makes life miserable for everyone
around her. You would think that
this character arc writes itself.
You would be wrong. Instead,
Fink decides that it isn’t Lauler
that is the problem; it’s everyone
else.
She’s
only
controlling
because
she’s
perfect
and
knows
better
than
everyone
else
how
they
should live their
lives.
Everyone
who
complains?
They just don’t understand that
she’s “trying to help them reach
their full potential.” She’s like the
end-all-be-all, the perfect human
specimen, a god with a drinking
problem.
And none of this makes for good
drama. When the main character
of a film is so overwhelmingly
flawless
and
only
nominally
human, it becomes impossible to
relate to anything that’s going on.
The brunt of the burden falls on the
supporting cast, which crumbles
as well. Seyfried co-headlines
as the obituary writer Lauler
hires, and the actress quickly
finds herself in a role that forces
her to be completely passive, lest
she accidentally share or even
– Heaven forbid – steal Lauler’s
spotlight. She is relegated to be yet
another one of the older woman’s
pet projects and friend, despite
an entirely one-sided dynamic.
AnnJewel Lee Dixon, in her
onscreen debut, rounds out the
main trio in a role that forces her
to take on a bevy of problematic
stereotypes. With that in mind,
the weakness of the resulting
performance is more forgivable.
If Lucille Bluth from “Arrested
Development” was given a feature
film and the writers didn’t just
ignore that she’s a fundamentally
domineering,
narcissistic
alcoholic of a character but
actively glorified those qualities
while stripping her of most of the
wit that made her funny, it would
look something like “The Last
Word.” No drama can arise from
such
monotonous
characters,
yet the audience is continually
asked to root for them even when
anyone who has seen any movie
in the last hundred years can
guess exactly where this one is
going from the first ten minutes.
Without anything to relate to,
“The Last Word” may not be a bad
movie, but it is a dreadfully boring
one that lacks the humanity for
which it strives.
BLEECKER STREET
FILM REVIEW
‘The Last Word’ could be
charming, settles for less
JEREMIAH VANDERHELM
Daily Arts Writer
Gathering with
others for a
meal is a deeply
rooted tradition
in our society and
within my own
experiences at
school
“VICE”
Episode 6
HBO
Fridays at 7:30 p.m.
College sports has
transformed into
a money-making
body that allows
university football
coaches to be the
highest-paid state
employees
“The Last Word”
Ann Arbor 20 +
IMAX, Goodrich
Quality 16
Bleecker Street