The rivalry between UC Berkeley and Stanford has been taken to a new arena: the kitchen. The Big Cookoff was held over the weekend in Cal's Pauley Ballroom, which was made over into an approximation of the Iron Chef's Kitchen Stadium, where fresh vegetables and other ingredients lined the walls. The two 5-student teams were allowed to bring in outside specialty ingredients, as well.

The secret ingredient - fresh tomatoes - was revealed 30 minutes before the official time began and the teams had to complete three dishes in 35 minutes, although they both made more. Cal's Cooking Club came up with a trio of soups: Gazpacho, Spicy yellow tomato and ginger, Roasted tomato, chipotle, and pancetta; panko and chili crusted chicken breast with three salsas; pizza on puff pastry with prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, tomato topped with mixed green salad and a sundried tomato vingairette; and a tomato, pineapple, mango, and lime wonton-ravioli drizzled with chocolate sauce and served with a spicy tomato sorbet. Stanford made panzanella salad with an aged balsamic vinegar reduction dressing, two tomato soups, and a tofu, goat cheese, crab and tomato custard as the main dish.

Taking a cue from the Axe that is up for grabs in the Big Game, the two teams competed for "the cleaver." The new trophy will be passed back and forth (if Stanford actually manages to beat Cal at some point) as long as the battle of culinary skill rages.

Go Bears!

The University of California, Berkeley just became the first US college to offer students food from an organic certified kitchen. The kitchen at the relatively new Crossroads dining commons was approved by the California Certified Organic Farmers, a trade organization that issues certificates to state and local restaurants and businesses based on their compliance of the USDA National Organic Program.

While some other universities do offer their students organic options, the certification of the Berkeley kitchen, which is separate from the other kitchens in the dining hall, means that every item served in their new organic salad bar is produced via environmentally sound farming practices. The certification process took about one year and the produce offered costs roughly 10 to 15% more than traditional produce. Some students reported that the food tasted the same as conventionally grown, while others thought it tasted better; the majority of the students who were aware that the certification had taken place were happy to see the change. Berkeley plans to offer more organic options in the future.

The previous post on Saveur's April 2006 issue highlighted a short article on how college students are dismissing their standard dining halls, even if they're serving sustainable, free-range, organically grown, slow food, and turning to things like taco trucks and food carts. Maybe they're cheaper, faster, easier to get to than trekking all the way back up the hill to the dorm. College was a long time ago for me, but the article still got me thinking about some of the great (dinners out in the Bay area), some of the not so great (joints around Berkeley), and some of the downright horrific foods (stuff I "ate" at home) that made up my diet, er rather gave me a reason to diet.

1. Instant ramen -- not even the kind you have to boil water in a pot on the stove top: this was the stuff that you add hot water to from the Sparkletts water cooler, cover, and wait three minutes.
2. Steamed white rice with canned tuna and soy sauce -- I have no words. It hurts me to think about it, too.
3. Top Dog -- one bird dog = not so bad. Two bird dogs with everything, plus a bite of someone else's hot link at 2 am = very very bad.
4. Fat Slice vs. Blondies -- with an occasional treat of Zachary's if I found someone with a car
5. The baked potato cart parked at the edge of Sproul Plaza -- I think it was called Spud Brothers. A baked potato doesn't sound so bad, until you add butter, sour cream, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses!
6. A full day diet of pure sugar -- starting with a bear claw (Go Bears! that was the excuse) from King Donuts, a sugar shake disguised as a "smoothie" from Fresh Blend (the store was later replaced by Jamba Juice), and then more sugar! Ice cream from Double Rainbow
7. Steve's Barbecue -- Wuan ordah numbah two! Dae-jee bulgogi when I really missed home, because steamed white rice with canned tuna doesn't remind me of home
8. Chez Panisse -- made up for four years of crap.

Now don't let me be the only one. I know you didn't eat grilled mahi mahi with pineapple mango salsa at 3 am in college either!