Dewinking: (verb) The act of consuming alcohol in Dewick. It was Spring Fling, so we figured we’d start our day off with some Dewinking.
The first time I heard someone use this word, I couldn’t help but laugh. It sounded like how a child still feeling out the English language might say “drinking.” But the person I was talking to was trying to figure out how to secretly sip rosé in the dining halls, just for the thrill of dewinking. (It also made it on the Daily arts section's Top 10 things you should do before you graduate!)
Now, I’m not about to endorse drinking alcohol in dining halls. For one, as I’m sure everyone and their mother knows, bringing in alcohol is a great way to land yourself in front of Mickey Toogood or one of his colleagues, aka, Judicial Affairs. But more importantly … "No outside food will be allowed to be brought in to any Tufts Dining facility," according to the Office of Campus Life's Food Policy.
Anyway, in brainstorming for this week’s column, I realized one topic was conspicuous in its absence from all my previous ones: what to drink and when.
Liquids are a lot easier to mix than making unorthodox recipes, so it was about time I made a foray into dining hall mixology. I’ve come up with a few drink options, as well as some food pairing suggestions (based primarily off conjecture but sometimes off science), that have the potential to leave your palate happy.
Before getting into recipes, a couple general (and scientifically agreed upon) suggestions:
- Citrus juices go well with salty or sweet dishes
- Tropical juices pair nicely with sweet or spicy dishes (think the orange peach guava juice)
- Apple- and berry-based juices complement sweet or leafy foods
- The sweetness of a soda, particularly a cola, goes best with the robust tastes of hamburgers and the like, but overpowers a lot of subtler tastes
Raspberry lemonade with lemon: I know it sounds repetitive and superfluous, but I find the raspberry lemonade, as it comes out of the machine, is too sweet. I like to remedy the situation by squeezing in a lemon slice or two. Try it with creole pork chops.
Cranberry lemonade: one part cranberry juice, two parts lemonade. Try it with a fish taco or a grilled chicken salad. (Substitute fruit punch for cranberry juice for a sweeter alternative.)
Apple cranberry juice: one part cranberry juice, three parts apple juice. Try it with spinach pie or as a dessert with a sugar cookie.
Cranberry orange juice: one part cranberry juice, three parts orange juice. Try it with grilled tofu with chimichurri sauce or creole pork chops.
College kid’s mocha: one part chocolate milk, two parts coffee. Try it with breakfast pastries, quiche or dessert.
If none of these options sound good, sorry you’re such a boring person (kidding, mostly). In all seriousness, and at risk of sounding like your mother, water is always a good option due to its palate cleansing properties -- it won’t compete with the taste of your food.
On the other hand, if you ever want to try one of these beverages and don’t trust yourself with the machines/would like to be waited on, I’ll happily mix you one in exchange for being swiped in. I won’t think you’re lame, I promise. But hurry, because the year’s almost over and I’m graduating.
