Bon Appetit

During Long Lane Farm's annual Pumpkin Festival, members of the Wesleyan and Middletown communities learned about local organic farming and food politics while enjoying free veggie burgers, hot cider, vendors, live music, and various crafts, including pumpkin painting. "Pumpkin Fest is just the kind of event that provides a moment for residents and students to meet for food, music, and laughter," said farmer Elle Bixby '23. "Long Lane Farm's mission of providing a place for growing sustainable food in a community spirit is a perfect backdrop for reminding students that there is more to the Wesleyan campus than just classrooms…

Barbecue-smoked pork paninis, apple cider-brined turkey legs, clam fritters with fresh pickle aioli, and blue hubbard squash bisque were among the lunchtime tastings offered to Wesleyan students on Sept. 21. As part of the 16th annual Eat Local Challenge themed "limited miles, unlimited flavors," Wesleyan's food service provider Bon Appétit staff was charged with crafting a meal from products and ingredients harvested within a 150-mile radius of the campus without sacrificing flavor. The meal included produce, meat, dessert, and drinks from local farmers and fishermen. "Back home, I often shop very locally and care a lot about where my food…

Brooke Rich, a former employee of Wesleyan’s food service provider Bon Appétit Management Co., was honored posthumously with Wesleyan's 2020 Morgenstern-Clarren Social Justice Employee Prize. The award was created in 2009 in memory of Peter Morgenstern-Clarren ‘03, who pursued social justice while a student at Wesleyan. Morgenstern-Clarren’s activism included securing benefits for Wesleyan custodial staff, participating in the United Student and Labor Action Committee, and contributing his leadership to the campus chapter of Amnesty International. (more…)

On Sept. 24, Wesleyan's dining service Bon Appétit challenged itself by creating a meal using ingredients sourced within a 150-mile radius of campus. The result was the 14th annual Eat Local Challenge. This year's menu included steamed lobster, mussels, corn, potatoes, haddock tacos with curtido slaw, clam fritters, wood-fired rotisserie chicken, smoked pork sandwiches, blueberry crisp, pork belly, turkey, cucumber and tomato salad, barbecue seitan, fresh greens, butternut squash stew, and fresh fruit. Food was sourced from Horse Listener's Orchard in Ashford, Conn.; Maine Sea Salt Company in Marshfield, Maine; Mi Terra Tortilla Company in Hadley, Mass.; Lakeside Farms in…

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During the 13th annual Eat Local Challenge on Sept. 26, Wesleyan students, faculty and staff dined on a midday meal made entirely from local ingredients. The event challenged Bon Appétit Management Company staff to create a meal from products and ingredients harvested within a 150-mile radius of the campus. The meal included produce, meat, dessert and drinks from local farmers, ranchers, food crafters and fishermen. Food included house-smoked pork-belly bacon from Lucki 7 Livestock Co. in Rodman, N.Y.; Bloomsday cheese from Cato Corner in Colchester, Conn.; lobster, little-neck clams and mussels from Damariscotta, Maine; apple cider-glazed chicken and baked corn from…

On Sept. 29, Wesleyan hosted the annual Eat Local Challenge. This one-day only event challenged the Bon Appétit Management Company staff to create a midday meal entirely from products and ingredients harvested within a 150-mile radius of the campus. The meal included produce, meat, fish and other ingredients from local farmers, ranchers, food crafters and fishermen. The lunch menu incorporated items such as corn on the cob from Horse Listener’s Orchard in Ashford, Conn. and clams and mussels provided by Ipswich Seafood in Ipswich, Mass. Kenian’s Grist Mill’s fried haddock from Yuscabog, R.I. and Szawlowski Farms’ potatoes from Hartfield, Mass. combined…

Wesleyan's vegan fare continues to impress voters and critics: collegemagazine.org has named the school the ninth best vegan campus nationwide, and Wesleyan is looking to reach the final round in the People's Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) "March Madness"-style voting contest. According to collegemagazine.org: Wesleyan not only boasts its history of social justice activism, but also a wide range of mouth-watering vegan foods. Veggie chicken red curry is just one of these fine meals. Let your senses run wild with Bon Appétit, the campus’ food supplier. Their navy bean soup, garden burger and steamed parsnips will have you running back for more. Even…

On Sept. 23, Wesleyan celebrated the 15th anniversary of Bon Appétit's Farm to Fork program during the annual Eat Local Challenge. Bon Appétit, Wesleyan's campus dining provider, served a menu with all local ingredients. All food — including produce and meat — came from farms or suppliers within a 150 radius of campus. The menu included New England clam chowder, fried haddock and chips, clam bake, roasted pork, BBQ seitan with rosemary potatoes and mushrooms, wood-fired pizza, steamed potatoes and corn, farmhouse salad and strawberry and blueberry crisp for dessert. Students also voted for their favorite farm. The winner, announced next week, will…

The Wesleyan community celebrated the eat-local movement on Eat Local Challenge Day Sept. 24. Wesleyan's Dining Services and several local vendors provided meals made entirely from local ingredients harvested within 150 miles of the university. The menu included New England clam chowder, fried haddock and fresh cut french fries, whole spit roast pig with cranberry chutney, New England clam bake with steamer clams, corn and potatoes, vegan seitan hash, salad made from Long Lane Farm produce, wood fired pizza, blueberry and strawberry crisp, ice cream, apple cider, coffee and soda. Vendors included Pierce Brothers Coffee Roasters from Greenfield, Mass.; Sid…

Peta2 selected Wesleyan University as the 2012 “Most Vegan-Friendly College” in the small U.S. schools category. Wesleyan also won the contest in 2009. Tens of thousands of students nationwide voted for the nominees. According to Peta2, the number of vegan college students has more than doubled nationwide since 2005, and it only continues to rise as students learn about the routine abuse that animals face when killed for food. “When a school has chefs who specialize in vegan desserts on staff, you know you’re in for a treat,” Peta2 reported on Wesleyan's dining options. “This year’s (Halloween dessert) theme, Gotham…

Got milk? All-natural dairy products, farmed and distributed by two Wesleyan alumni, are MOOving into the university's Dining Services this semester. Rick Osofsky ’66 and his daughter Kate ’94 are owners and operators of Ronnybrook Farm Dairy in Ancramdale, N.Y. As second and third generation dairy farmers, the Osofskys pride themselves on their natural farming methods using a small herd of Holstein cows. "Our dairy products are bottled on site in the morning, and since we're located less than two hours from Wesleyan, they arrive fresh," Rick explains. "We're both so pleased to bring a bit of our farm back…

Fall Harvest Celebrated with Middletown Community at Pumpkin Fest

“Limited Miles, Unlimited Flavors” Theme of 2021 Eat Local Challenge

Rich Honored Posthumously with the 2020 Morgenstern-Clarren Social Justice Employee Prize

Bon Appétit Creates Meal Harvested from within 150-Miles of Campus

Bon Appétit Hosts Culinary Workshop for Children

Lobster, Clam Bake Highlight of Eat Local Challenge

Students Eat Local During Annual Food Challenge

Wesleyan’s Vegan Cuisine Continues to Impress

Farm-to-Fork Program Celebrated at Eat Local Challenge

Wesleyan Participates in Eat Local Challenge Day

Wesleyan Named “Most-Vegan-Friendly College”

Wesleyan’s Dairy Products Supplied by Alumni Farmers