After yet another uphill kitchen last week in Houston Hall, I decided it was high time to switch things up and go all the way to the other end of campus to Tilton Hall to cook up one of my favorites: pierogies!
I had seen the Tilton kitchen before, but only briefly. As soon as I walked in, I was shocked by the state of the kitchen — it was beautiful.
First of all, the cleanliness of the kitchen was impressive. I commend all Tilton residents for their tidiness. The countertops were crumb-free, the fridge was stocked yet organized, the sink was free of any mysterious chunks and the stovetop was so clean I could see my reflection.
Needless to say, my cooking experience in the kitchen was wonderful. To go along with the cleanliness, the Tilton kitchen ranked high in the functionality department. A large island provided ample counter space to prepare the dough, and the sink was large enough to comfortably wash dishes without a wave of water spilling onto the user’s pants.
Unfortunately, I still struggle with using electric stovetops. I was wondering why my onions weren’t cooking, and as it turned out, I once again had turned the wrong burner on. I cannot blame the kitchen for this issue, however. This one can be attributed to user error.
Despite my praise, the kitchen did have three major drawbacks. The trash can was inconveniently located on the opposite side of the kitchen from where the food preparation was taking place, thus causing me to walk all the way around the ginormous island just to toss various food scraps and paper towels — paper towels that were provided by a friend due to Tilton’s lack of a paper towel dispenser, I might add, thus marking Tilton’s second major weakness.
The kitchen’s third flaw was its lack of an oven. I did not require one for this recipe; however, I cannot write a kitchen review without pointing this out. If you ever require an oven, do not count on Tilton to provide one.
On the supplies side of things, Tilton was strong. A cabinet full of various bowls and plates, which were washed thoroughly before use, proved to be helpful for holding the different pierogi fillings and ingredients as we assembled the meal (tip: If you ever need a tool to cut out pierogi dough, dining hall cups are the perfect size).
Where Tilton really brought it home, though, was in the vibes department. The massive size of the kitchen allowed for plenty of company as I cooked and group participation in the assembly of the pierogies, which made the experience all the more enjoyable.
Finally, the kitchen had plenty of dining space with booth-style tables nearby, as well as stools surrounding the island. We opted to stand as we ate, however, a reflection of our eagerness to indulge in this Polish delight.
Overall Scores:
Cleanliness: 10/10
Functionality: 8/10
Supplies: 9/10
Vibes: 11/10
Recommendations: Bring plenty of friends to fill up the space and a roll of paper towels for cleaning up. Do not come with intentions to bake.
