Week 5: Northern Michigan University

Week 5: NMU

This week started slowly at NMU, with a lot of time for me to work on my many computer-related tasks. I completed a few PowerPoint’s for my nutritional programs on “Plant-Based Protein”, and “Gluten-Free Diet Awareness Month,” and am excited to hear how they go in the fall. Then, on Tuesday, things really picked up as Robin and I had several tours planned for the week. Tamaki and Tea, the sushi eatery at NMU was on our to-do list for the day. Robin wanted to bring me along to do allergen training for the chefs at T&T. 

But, before we started with the real work, we ran into Tom Izzo, an NMU alum and the current head coach of Michigan State  men’s basketball.

On Wednesday, Robin and I had the chance to tour a hoop house run by the local food co-op. The hoop house began in 2009 and has been teaming up with NMU and the Marquette Food Co-op to provide research findings and educational opportunities to farmers, both new and experienced, and the greater Marquette community on the value of extending growing seasons by utilizing hoop houses to their fullest potential. We saw some of the ways the hoop house was capitalizing on their very small space, including square-footage gardening, and growing tomatoes vertically by hanging them on a rope. In the near future, Robin and I will be visiting the Food Co-op to attend a “Getting to Know Your Co-op” class, and I am interested to see how they work with the local hoop house.

On Thursday, I was in the kitchen for the majority of the afternoon preparing marinades for menu testing on Friday. Kathy Gischia, one of the full-time chefs, has been appointed to assist me in the creation and execution of the menu for my picnic at the end of the internship. The picnic is scheduled for the end of July, and both Kathy and I are extremely excited. I made some gluten-free cheesecakes as well.

On Friday, Kathy and I were in the kitchens again, but this time we were able to sample all my hard work from the day before. We tried several marinades for chicken, salmon and tofu. We also tried our quinoa salad, coconut rice pudding, grilled peach halves, and three different toppings for the cheesecakes. The fig reduction sauce for the cheesecake didn’t turn out like we had hoped, so we decided to go with the raspberry reduction. I can't believe the picnic is less than a month away, but I am ready to get the menu solidified and send out invitations!