Salmon is one of my favorite foods, and it was particularly well done tonight. I liked how the spiciness of salsa contrasted with the rich flesh of the fish, as well as the brilliant red color that it lent to the dish. The sliced cucumber and minced parsley were both artful and delicious garnishes.

The vegetable side was also a standout; it defied the reputation of zucchinis as flavorless vegetables and demonstrated their full culinary potential. The key, I think, was that they were roasted just the right amount of time: long enough to make them tender-crisp and to bring out their savory flavor, but not so long as to destroy their integrity. That timing in combination with some superb seasoning made for a tasty side.

The pesto-tossed pasta with roasted vegetables, in the rear of the dish, was also excellent. I loved the earthy flavor of broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, and asparagus that dotted the pasta, as well as the bright, savory flavor of the fresh pesto. Its almost a metaphor for the Maine spring; at the same time having elements of both winter (the roasted vegetables) and summer (the basil pesto).

Altogether, I’d say that tonight’s great meal was one fitting with which to close the year. This dinner was a classic example of the delicious and healthful food that distinguishes Bowdoin’s foodservice.

I’ve had a great time writing the Bowdoin Gourmet, and your readership has made it a particularly special experience. Thanks for reading, for commenting, and for your interest in Bowdoin’s dining services and food at colleges in general. Campus dining is experiencing a sea change nationwide, and I’m thrilled to have been able to chronicle some of the leaders of that change right here at Bowdoin.

As I close out this blog’s last post, I’d like to offer a final thanks to the Bowdoin Dining Service employees. I’ve spent most of the space here this past year writing about the food, but my experience has taught me that its the employees in Thorne and Moulton that are ultimately responsible for Bowdoin’s great dining experience.

Julie’s original suggestion called for greens, sliced grilled chicken, sliced apples, shredded cheese, sunflower seeds, craisins, balsamic vinegar, and a pesto topping. I mostly followed Julie’s suggestions in making this salad, but I substituted raisins for craisins (no craisins in Moulton), omitted the sunflower seeds (I have a strong aversion), and left out the balsamic vinegar (I wanted to try the salad first without this very strong flavor). The net result:

What a brilliant mix of ingredients! I honestly didn’t have high expectations for this eclectic combination, but it really does make for a great salad. The pesto topping in particular was delicious and I especially liked it with the red apples. When I make this at home in the future (and I will), I think I’ll trade the red delicious apples you see in the picture for my personal favorite variety – the pink lady. The pink ladies are sweeter, crisper, and have the added bonus of not browning after being cut. Their almost magic. Like this salad.

Now when the Moulton chefs said blueberry and apple raisin sauce, they probably assumed that students would pick one or the other.  They both looked really good to me, so I just grabbed a bit of both.

The dish was surprisingly delicious.  The pancakes themselves were substantial and independently flavorful; the mixed-in oatmeal gave the pancakes the flavor and texture to hold their own against the two sauces.  The sauces in turn were not to sweet, as fruit sauces often are, but instead balanced, semi-sweet complements to the savory pancakes.

Starting with the steak, I particularly enjoyed the presentation and taste of the Dijon sauce. The sauce was piped in a neat criss-cross over the steak, which was then sprinkled with some sliced green onions – very appetizing. I can’t recall ever having steak with a Dijon sauce, but now that I’ve tried it I realize that it makes perfect sense. I have Dijon mustard with roast beef sandwiches all the time; why not apply the same savory, spicy condiment to steak as well? I should also mention that the steak itself was very good (it was so tender that I was able to cut it with the standard-issue, safety-first knife, which is essentially a butter knife.)

The mussels were also very good. I enjoyed both the spicy Thai sauce and the generous sprinkling of onions and tomatoes in with the mussels. The sea-water brininess of the mussels, the spiciness of the sauce, and the bright, fresh flavor of the vegetables were all made more delicious by their suggestion of the coming summer.

“It is truly a privilege to spotlight [the Ivy Award winners]. These operations set standards of excellence the entire restaurant and foodservice community recognize and respect.”

I’m thrilled for Bowdoin’s Dining Services and I believe that the recognition is very well-deserved. R&I’s profile of Bowdoin also perfectly captures why the college’s foodservice is so great; its managed and staffed by excellent people.

The profile highlights how conscious Dining Services is of students’ input, which I agree is one of the great qualities of the program. Consider, for example, the ubiquitous comment cards that are posted outside of every dining operation on campus. The staff reads, responds to, and publicly display every single comment that students write; the staff’s openness and responsiveness dramatically improves the dining experience for students and invests us in the success of the operation.

The profile also discusses how involved the Dining Services staff is with the greater foodservice community. Dining Services invites local chefs to offer lessons at the college and to prepare guest meals, hosts other college foodservice managers so that they can learn more about Bowdoin’s operation, and encourages the staff to pursue external professional training and certification. As students we don’t directly experience these activities, but the well-trained staff that they help develop are the ultimate reason that the food here is so good.

I think that we will really see the capabilities of the Bowdoin Dining Services staff highlighted in the next few weeks, as we approach the end of the spring semester. The staff will be preparing and serving food for a lot of special end-of-year events; hopefully I’ll be able to share some of those events on this blog.

Congratulations again to Bowdoin, to Dining Services, and to all of the full-time and student employees on the 2007 Ivy Award.

I thought that the main course – “baked fish with parsley sauce”, was very well done; the parsley in the sparingly applied white sauce accented the fish without overpowering it. The Thorne chefs continue to demonstrate great attention to detail.

The crisp, cool, and refreshing “tomato and cucumber salad” perfectly completed the warm day that we had up here in Maine (70 degrees!).

The falafel balls were the most surprising aspect of tonight’s dinner. I’d never had falafel before and, to be honest, I wasn’t necessarily expecting to like it. My expectation wavered when I cracked open one of the balls, exposing the bright yellow filling and releasing an appetizing, curry-like scent. I ascertained falafel’s true deliciousness with my first bite. I only learned after the fact, when I Googled falafel, that they are usually eaten as filling in pita sandwiches. I’ll have to give that a try next time.

True to the Italian culinary tradition, these courses highlighted and relied on the freshness of their simple ingredients. I especially like the tomato basil relish – the sweet tomatoes, tangy red onions, and herbaceous basil deliciously complemented the grilled chicken breast.

This is the “Starburst Combo”, featuring cucumber, tuna, and California rolls, and two giant spicy-shrimp rolls. The tuna and California rolls, which I’ve had before here, were pretty good. The cucumber rolls were OK, but they needed more actual cucumber. Look at them; they’re little more than rice balls wrapped in seaweed. Its one thing to skimp on expensive sushi-grade fish, but cucumbers?

The highlight of the selection was the pair of spicy-shrimp rolls. I’ve had a fair amount of sushi over the years, and I do believe that these were the single largest pieces I’ve ever encountered. These weren’t one-biters – they weren’t even two-bitters – they took three full bites to get down. Their size introduced some logistical troubles in picking them up with the chop sticks, dipping them in the soy sauce, and then eating them over several bites. In the end, however, I was willing to endure the awkwardness because the rolls were so delicious.