Comments on: The 17c grad student meal http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/18/the-17c-grad-student-meal/ Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made Sat, 26 May 2012 21:58:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Eszter http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/18/the-17c-grad-student-meal/comment-page-1/#comment-140065 Eszter Fri, 20 Jan 2006 03:45:52 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=4222#comment-140065 YRC, lalala, but that's almost too basic to count.:) I rarely had time to cook for myself, but the cherry soup is actually a pretty inexpensive yet very yummy option. For anyone interested, the <a href="http://eszter.com/recipes/cherrysoup.html" rel="nofollow">recipe is here</a>. (Thanks, Mom!) YRC, lalala, but that’s almost too basic to count.:) I rarely had time to cook for myself, but the cherry soup is actually a pretty inexpensive yet very yummy option. For anyone interested, the recipe is here. (Thanks, Mom!)

]]> By: lalala http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/18/the-17c-grad-student-meal/comment-page-1/#comment-140064 lalala Fri, 20 Jan 2006 03:21:03 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=4222#comment-140064 IIRC, you always maintained your chocolate habit, Eszter. And made cherry soup occasionally. But this does not speak to the everyday. IIRC, you always maintained your chocolate habit, Eszter. And made cherry soup occasionally. But this does not speak to the everyday.

]]> By: RS http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/18/the-17c-grad-student-meal/comment-page-1/#comment-139815 RS Thu, 19 Jan 2006 05:04:54 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=4222#comment-139815 I found bulk ramen noodles combined with scraps from the soup-bin vegetables, with some curry for taste, to be quite a good deal. Not sure what the cost was, but I was living on 6K a year at the time... Ah, graduate school! I found bulk ramen noodles combined with scraps from the soup-bin vegetables, with some curry for taste, to be quite a good deal. Not sure what the cost was, but I was living on 6K a year at the time… Ah, graduate school!

]]> By: vivian http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/18/the-17c-grad-student-meal/comment-page-1/#comment-139811 vivian Thu, 19 Jan 2006 02:57:17 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=4222#comment-139811 Chris (#1): My mother-in-law tells of her lab-mate at U Manchester who hit on the idea of living on porridge oats for two meals a day to save money. Somewhere in the second week she discovered the noxioux gas problem, and unable to solve it, gave up. I'll pass on the history you provide. Chris (#1): My mother-in-law tells of her lab-mate at U Manchester who hit on the idea of living on porridge oats for two meals a day to save money. Somewhere in the second week she discovered the noxioux gas problem, and unable to solve it, gave up. I’ll pass on the history you provide.

]]> By: JR http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/18/the-17c-grad-student-meal/comment-page-1/#comment-139770 JR Wed, 18 Jan 2006 20:43:52 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=4222#comment-139770 When I lived alone in one room with no money, I used to buy liver, at 25 cents a pound, and keep it in my little freezer. At dinnertime, I would hold the liver over the edge of the kitchen table and whack it with a hammer. A chunk would break off and skitter across the floor. I would retrieve the chunk, thaw it under the tap (while rinsing off the dust bunnies), broil it in the toaster oven, and eat it on rye bread with store-brand ketchup. When I lived alone in one room with no money, I used to buy liver, at 25 cents a pound, and keep it in my little freezer. At dinnertime, I would hold the liver over the edge of the kitchen table and whack it with a hammer. A chunk would break off and skitter across the floor. I would retrieve the chunk, thaw it under the tap (while rinsing off the dust bunnies), broil it in the toaster oven, and eat it on rye bread with store-brand ketchup.

]]> By: Simstim http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/18/the-17c-grad-student-meal/comment-page-1/#comment-139765 Simstim Wed, 18 Jan 2006 19:59:41 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=4222#comment-139765 No-one appears to have mentioned that staple of the British student diet: beans on toast. Especially as supermarkets tend to sell baked beans and white bread as loss leaders. No-one appears to have mentioned that staple of the British student diet: beans on toast. Especially as supermarkets tend to sell baked beans and white bread as loss leaders.

]]> By: otto http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/18/the-17c-grad-student-meal/comment-page-1/#comment-139756 otto Wed, 18 Jan 2006 17:55:34 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=4222#comment-139756 Absolutely correct on EUI coffee - though they had a disappointing inclination towards serving the espresso in plastic mini-cups, to save on the washing I suppose... Absolutely correct on EUI coffee – though they had a disappointing inclination towards serving the espresso in plastic mini-cups, to save on the washing I suppose…

]]> By: Eszter http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/18/the-17c-grad-student-meal/comment-page-1/#comment-139752 Eszter Wed, 18 Jan 2006 17:34:11 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=4222#comment-139752 <i>I just want to point out that I am neither causally nor morally responsible for any years-long blanks in Eszter’s memory.</i> :-) You're off the hook, as I said, it's all a big blank, at least regarding meals. I like to think I retained something in other realms. And although you'd be too modest to realize, in the intellectual realm you are at least to some degree causally even if not morally responsible. I just want to point out that I am neither causally nor morally responsible for any years-long blanks in Eszter’s memory.

:-) You’re off the hook, as I said, it’s all a big blank, at least regarding meals. I like to think I retained something in other realms. And although you’d be too modest to realize, in the intellectual realm you are at least to some degree causally even if not morally responsible.

]]> By: Henry http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/18/the-17c-grad-student-meal/comment-page-1/#comment-139751 Henry Wed, 18 Jan 2006 17:30:51 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=4222#comment-139751 Ah, the EUI mensa ... about as decent as university food can get, I think. Certainly, the coffee was unparalleled (albeit the service extraordinarily surly, until Francesca had decided that you merited a minimum of politeness - as my supervisor noted, this was the moment when you truly arrived in San Domenico). Ah, the EUI mensa … about as decent as university food can get, I think. Certainly, the coffee was unparalleled (albeit the service extraordinarily surly, until Francesca had decided that you merited a minimum of politeness – as my supervisor noted, this was the moment when you truly arrived in San Domenico).

]]> By: duane http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/18/the-17c-grad-student-meal/comment-page-1/#comment-139747 duane Wed, 18 Jan 2006 17:15:52 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=4222#comment-139747 Jam or Vegemite on Weetbix. Luxury version: with butter. Surprisingly good if you are hungry enough. Jam or Vegemite on Weetbix. Luxury version: with butter. Surprisingly good if you are hungry enough.

]]> By: C.J.Colucci http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/18/the-17c-grad-student-meal/comment-page-1/#comment-139746 C.J.Colucci Wed, 18 Jan 2006 17:15:48 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=4222#comment-139746 Spaghetti carbonara was filling, nutritious (when supplemented by a salad), and cheap. I had it several times a week. Spaghetti carbonara was filling, nutritious (when supplemented by a salad), and cheap. I had it several times a week.

]]> By: otto http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/18/the-17c-grad-student-meal/comment-page-1/#comment-139736 otto Wed, 18 Jan 2006 16:59:15 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=4222#comment-139736 It's one of the oddities of US universities that - despite their enormous resources- there's no cheap eatery/mensa type system to make sure everyone gets 1 or 2 good honest meals a day at next to no cost. The meal plan at e.g. Harvard is $10+ a meal, whereas at e.g. the European University Institute in Florence (and, I think, lots of other places in Italy and indeed Germany) you can have 2 good courses for $3-4. Alas, on all other criteria, you'd better getting getting your PhD in the states. It’s one of the oddities of US universities that – despite their enormous resources- there’s no cheap eatery/mensa type system to make sure everyone gets 1 or 2 good honest meals a day at next to no cost. The meal plan at e.g. Harvard is $10+ a meal, whereas at e.g. the European University Institute in Florence (and, I think, lots of other places in Italy and indeed Germany) you can have 2 good courses for $3-4. Alas, on all other criteria, you’d better getting getting your PhD in the states.

]]> By: rc http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/18/the-17c-grad-student-meal/comment-page-1/#comment-139720 rc Wed, 18 Jan 2006 16:46:34 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=4222#comment-139720 One can pay considerably more than 17c per serving if it's called "salade de pieds de cochon panés, boudin fermier et pissenlits". One can pay considerably more than 17c per serving if it’s called “salade de pieds de cochon panés, boudin fermier et pissenlits”.

]]> By: yoyo http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/18/the-17c-grad-student-meal/comment-page-1/#comment-139717 yoyo Wed, 18 Jan 2006 16:42:09 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=4222#comment-139717 Earlier this week I actually priced out how much it would cost to live per day (ie price per 3,000 calories) on some of the staples i buy. flour was the cheapest at $1.22, so i've decided i should be making more bread. $1.87 rice $2.24 olive oil $2.25 beans $2.50 tortillas $4.17 eggs $4.50 potatos $5.70 bananas $5.73 milk $5.73 almonds Earlier this week I actually priced out how much it would cost to live per day (ie price per 3,000 calories) on some of the staples i buy.

flour was the cheapest at $1.22, so i’ve decided i should be making more bread.
$1.87 rice
$2.24 olive oil
$2.25 beans
$2.50 tortillas
$4.17 eggs
$4.50 potatos
$5.70 bananas
$5.73 milk
$5.73 almonds

]]> By: dasmoment http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/18/the-17c-grad-student-meal/comment-page-1/#comment-139709 dasmoment Wed, 18 Jan 2006 16:34:36 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=4222#comment-139709 cheapest I managed was: free. so i was doing an MA in norwich when the dollar first took a dive against the pound. suddenly all of my money for the year was gone--sucked into the abyss of uneven exchange. I made adjustments (changed dorms, started volunteering at the grad pub for free beer and crisps, etc) and moved to beans on toast full-time. then salvation arrived by way of an ad requesting test subjects for a medical student's graduate work. To study the absorption of various vitamins and minerals, I was fed a controlled diet for a week, followed by one day of meals laced with some kind of trace elements. This happened 3 times, with a week off between each 'session'. and the food was good! damn good. better than I'd ever eaten on a regular basis. and it was delivered to my door daily. which was easy, since they were coming to pick up my own delivery for them at the same time. see, they didn't just take blood (tho they did plenty of that). During each week of free food, I had to collect absolutely everything that came out of me. Fluids were easy, and hell, solids weren't even that hard, what with the contraption they gave me. But I did have to attend classes with two different sterile containers in my bags. oh, and during each week of free food I also couldn't drink, or let anything else into my system other than what they gave me. that was the hardest part. cheapest I managed was: free.

so i was doing an MA in norwich when the dollar first took a dive against the pound. suddenly all of my money for the year was gone—sucked into the abyss of uneven exchange. I made adjustments (changed dorms, started volunteering at the grad pub for free beer and crisps, etc) and moved to beans on toast full-time. then salvation arrived by way of an ad requesting test subjects for a medical student’s graduate work. To study the absorption of various vitamins and minerals, I was fed a controlled diet for a week, followed by one day of meals laced with some kind of trace elements. This happened 3 times, with a week off between each ‘session’. and the food was good! damn good. better than I’d ever eaten on a regular basis. and it was delivered to my door daily. which was easy, since they were coming to pick up my own delivery for them at the same time. see, they didn’t just take blood (tho they did plenty of that). During each week of free food, I had to collect absolutely everything that came out of me. Fluids were easy, and hell, solids weren’t even that hard, what with the contraption they gave me. But I did have to attend classes with two different sterile containers in my bags.

oh, and during each week of free food I also couldn’t drink, or let anything else into my system other than what they gave me. that was the hardest part.

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