New Column: The Dorm Gourmet!

Mosh Pit Matt — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 07:01:31 +0000

I currently live in a fairly tiny box of an apartment, but I have been known to whip up some tasty meals on my single burner stove and with the aid of my microwave. Its not really rocket science, but it does take some imagination.

In this process, I looked back on all the times I wanted an excuse to bring a girl to my college dorm room and impress her somehow. If you can cook her a meal, I thought, it would be good, but I was perpetually frustrated by the lack of a decent kitchen. I myself like to eat well, and I was blessed by living in Cincinnati, which, despite its flaws, is a particularly good place to eat (though I got fat on Taiwanese food… hmm..)

After I had a nice big apartment (The Mosh Pit), I had the luxury of a huge kitchen and TWO fridges (albeit shared with the likes of culinary snob Thrasher, and Vegetarian Lothar, and pot-destroying Megadave). However, now, having returned to more caveman roots and needing to keep space-use to a minimum, I have again pondered how to eat well without breaking the bank, or the space limit. To that end, I bring you “The Dorm Gourmet.”

The focus is on building an initial stock of basic supplies and equipment (for you college readers this is read as “a list of stuff for mom to get you”), and then being able to prepare quality, impressive meals for 2-4 for under $20.

I will start with what you need to keep in stock. Most are long-lasting/non perishable, but some require the standard mini-fridge to keep.

In the interest of not cluttering up space on TMP.net’s front face, I will make the rest of this posting (an intro post as it is) a click-to-expand link.

What you will need to be a dorm gourmet:

Tools:
Hot Plate
750-800Watt Microwave
George Forman Mini Grill (2-4 pattie size)
Corningwear or similar ceramic vessles of 2quart
size that are microwaveable and bakeable
Large Spoon
12″ or 14″ Skillet
14″ Saucepan
Ziplock Sandwich Bags
ladle
pairing knife
large gnereal purpose knife
cutting board
two spoons
two forks
two knives
two big plates
two small plates
two cereal or soup bowls
two glasses
In the Fridge:

Milk
Mayonnaise (not Miracle whip unless you like it…)
Mustard
Ketchup
Tabasco (I use Chipotle and original)
Butter or Margarine
1 can of Cheap Beer
Parmesian Cheese
Grated Cheddar Cheese
Jam or Jelly
Bacon
Dill Pickles
Carrots
Salsa

In the Freezer:
Ice
Booze

In the Cupboard:

No Salt Mrs. Dash
Salt (sea salt in a grinder bottle is good)
Pepper (Black pepper in a grinder bottle)
Chinese Hot Chili Oil
Garlic Powder
Celery powder/Celery Salt
Oregano
Parsley
Sage
Rosmary
Thyme (thanks S&G)
Basil
Bay Leaves
Chili Powder
“Italian Seasoning”
Worcestershire Sauce
Oatmeal
Olive Oil
Apple Vinegar
Cinnamon

Cans:
Peas
Tuna
Chicken
Black Olives
Spam
Lipton’s (or similar unwatered-down) Cream of Mushroom soup

Packages:
Macaroni and Cheese
Angel Hair Pasta
Lipton instant side dishes
Chicken Cup-a-soup
Uncle Ben’s rice
Peanut Butter
Sliced Bread
Triscuits
Instant Mashed Potatoes in the single serving size (good lord they are crappy, but for sure don’t use FLAKES, the newer ones are edible and a few are tasty, and doing your own mashed ‘taters at home ain’t no small task, precious).

You should be able to fit all the needed supplies and equipment into one moving box and easily into the space above your desk in a dorm room.
WHERE you eat it is your choice, but in Calhoun Hall, open flame was not allowed in the dining hall (nor, I think in the bedrooms, though … I don’t recall as I tend to ignore restrictions on any type of fire.)

For some great ideas to get you started, check this out:

http://thehotplate.net/default.php

Thrasher and I will post our own ideas on this later as well.

No related posts.

Something we never knew we needed until now

Thrasher — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 23:32:51 +0000

Introducing… the Arkeg

Arkeg

I’ll say it: Why didn’t we think of this? We were all geeks, we drank (a lot), and we were all engineers at one point or another. Seriously, the keg combined with an arcade machine. It all seems so obvious now.

The Mosh Pit Anthem?

Mosh Pit Matt — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:15:46 +0000

West Side!….

The Mosh Pit will NEVER die… though my liver suggests that I might die.

Yeah, this could’ve been 10am the next morning at the ‘Pit, too

Thrasher — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 02:35:07 +0000

Someone’s having an “I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up” moment.

Worst Shopping Run Ever – Watch more Funny Videos

This is a fair assessment

Thrasher — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:24:28 +0000

The beer, on the other hand, is quite tasty.

Hat tip to Moonbattery.