Athens, Ga. – From comfort food to culinary classics, University of Georgia students will have their favorite dishes from home featured in University Food Services’ 24th annual Taste of Home event Dec. 2.
All four dining commons will serve selected breakfast, lunch and dinner recipes from students’ families. A Taste of Home will be served all day in Bolton, Oglethorpe, Snelling and the Village Summit dining commons. Meal prices will be the same as the current cash price: $8.05 for breakfast, $10 for lunch and $14.75 for dinner.
The menu features side dishes, appetizers, soups, salads, entrees, breads and desserts ranging from a “Strawberry French Toast Sandwich” (submitted by Barbara Slay of Norcross for her son Kyle) to a “Hamburger Tater Tot Casserole” (submitted by Greta Kelly Wright of Perry for her daughter Kellyn) to “Barley Mushroom Risotto with Balsamic Vinaigrette” (submitted by Pam Prochaska of Marietta for her son Michael).
This year, 923 recipes were submitted and 139 recipes were chosen. A total of 558 families sent in recipes, with 428 families sending one recipe and 130 families sending a total of 495 recipes.
“It’s just another way for us to make students feel like UGA is their home away from home,” said Michael Floyd, executive director of Food Services. “It’s also an opportunity for us to expose students to something new and different.”
This year’s recipe submissions offered a broader variety of ingredients (spices, grains, vegetables) than in past years, said Pat Brussack, a dietary specialist in food administration.
“In general the recipes submitted utilized cooking methods and flavor enhancement that avoided adding a lot of fat laden items,” she said. “There was also an increase in the number of recipes for vegetable side dishes, salads and vegetarian entrees.”
Conversely, some recipes submitted were for family special occasions. One standout was an appetizer named “Heart Attacks!” submitted by Andrea Boswell of Peachtree City for her son Paul. It’s a dish of smoked sausages simmered in brown sugar and will be served in the Village Summit on East Campus.
Family members with recipes selected for the event received an 11-inch commemorative black-and-white plate and a production recipe for 8,000 servings (the approximate number of students the dining halls serve on a daily basis). All family members who submit recipes receive two complimentary passes to the dining hall so they can eat with their children. Floyd said he typically sees approximately 1/3 of the families with recipes selected in attendance at the event.
Plates will be available for student pick-up beginning Nov. 15 so that they can be taken home to family members over the Thanksgiving or Christmas holidays.
Twenty-three families received a second plate this year. Eight families received a third plate. Marcia McNichols of Naperville, Ill., received her fourth plate for “Marg’s Fancy Baked Beans” submitted on behalf of her daughter Kelly. Laura Bennewitz of Watkinsville received her record-setting eighth plate for “Green Bean Casserole” submitted on behalf of her son John. Her other plates come from recipes submitted on behalf of her older son, Tom, who graduated in 2007.
A full list of winners, from around the state and across the nation, can be found at http://www.uga.edu/foodservice/tasteofhome/. Featured recipes are arranged by dining hall and recipe type.