University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Dairy Store: Taste Nebraska’s History

As a recent graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and proud Nebraskan, I must pay tribute to the East Campus Dairy Store. As one of my favorite cafes in Lincoln, its menu is simple yet refined.

The UNL Diary Store has been selling its dairy products since 1917 and even more delicious than the homemade and local products are the Dairy Store’s ideals of assisting food-processing business in Nebraska and promoting the idea of value added products in our economy.

In my five years of college, I didn’t seem to have any of my classes on the University’s East Campus location. When the Dairy Store began selling its ice cream at the City Union during my sophomore year, there really wasn’t any reason for me to venture out. I found there was no better way to spend a rainy day, sunny day, game day, holiday or ordinary day, than with a dish of the Dairy’s Store’s ice cream. Their creamy, homemade ice cream was remarkably pleasing and became a special part of my everyday.

It didn’t take long for me to sniff out the mother ship. With my fiancé frequenting the University’s East Campus for classes, lunch breaks and studying, I decided I needed to scope the scene. One afternoon he invited me for lunch at the East Campus Dairy Store. I am not opposed to ice cream for lunch, but I suggested grabbing a sandwich somewhere first and heading to the Dairy Store for dessert. To my surprise, he raved on about the Dairy Store’s hot dogs, nachos and deli sandwiches among different daily deals and of course, ice cream! His overwhelming excitement had me convinced.

As I opened the doors to the East Campus Dairy Store, I stepped into a haven of fresh cheeses, milks, ice creams, soups, salads, sandwiches and sides. Ever since then, it has been my go-to lunch spot. My sister Ally is now a second-year law student and my twin sister, Anne, will begin Law School here at UNL in August. Today, Ally and I decided to treat her to the East Campus Dairy Store for a formal initiation as a Husker.

Anne and I first chose the fresh Garden Salad, a bed of lettuce adorned with homemade dairy store cheese, hard-boiled eggs, tomatoes, turkey and ham. We also enjoyed the Chicken Tortilla Soup, served with tortilla chips. It was spicy, creamy and deliciously cheesy.

Finally, we had to try the special of the day- Chicken Penne Pesto Pasta. It also had great flavor from its fresh and quality ingredients. The thick chunks of tender, grilled chicken could stand alone but were better off smothered in pesto and tousled with penne pasta. The three of us were absolutely satisfied with the Dairy Store’s premium ingredients that tasted great and made us feel great. It was then time for the main event.

Several spoonfuls later of taste-testing each flavor, my sisters both went with their usual favorites, Scarlet & Cream. This is the Dairy Store’s spin on the Strawberries & Cream flavor, with the addition of Nebraska pride. I also went with my favorite, Cookies & Cream, but I have yet to try a flavor I don’t like. The consistency of their ice cream is thick, soft, creamy, flavorful and remarkably light.

The Dairy Store also has the best happy hour deal around. Monday through Friday from 2:30pm – 3:30pm enjoy a different Daily Ice Cream Happy Hour Special! They have a wide spectrum of flavors from the Classic Vanilla and Chocolate to many unique and rotating flavors like Chocolaty S’mores and Margarita Sherbet.

The company is just as cool and fresh as its cuisine. We pulled up a table for three of our friends to join us on their lunch break from Dental School. Unfortunately they had to head back to class while we took our cones outside to enjoy them under the sun ☺.

Bison Witches: Bring Your Appetite, Bring Your Friends.

All throughout college, you could regularly find my roommates and I dining at Bison Witches, one of our favorite neighborhood hangouts in Lincoln. When we all reunited this past week, we absolutely had to eat there.

On Friday, we overslept and missed breakfast. Famished and in the mood for a relaxing, chill atmosphere with excellent food to match, Bison Witches was just the solution for our appetites.

As usual, Bison Witches had a packed house– the first sign of a great restaurant. However, they always do a great job of seating and serving their customers fast. Besides that, it is well worth the wait. Bison Witches’ assortment of hearty deli sandwiches as well as soups, salads, nachos and drinks is unlike any other restaurant around. For the sandwiches, they offer a spin on many of the classics as well as a handful of their own unique creations. They have certainly mastered the flavors and architecture of their sandwiches, as well as their soups, salads, appetizers and great selection of beers.

The gourmet deli sandwiches tower with fresh meat and ingredients between two, thick bread slices of your choice (white, wheat or dark rye). These mega-sandwiches are also served with your choice of chips. I recommend the tortilla chips and CCQ. That’s short for Chili Con Queso– their homemade cheese dip with tomatoes, onions and jalapenos. If you are hankering for more CCQ, try the Chili Cheese Nachos, or even the Chicken Cheese Nachos! They will complete your fiesta this Cinco de Mayo.

My favorite sandwich is the C.A.B.- two 4 oz. oven baked chicken breasts topped with avocado slices, bacon, alfalfa sprouts, and their honey based spicy Russian mustard. This combo is savory and sweet with delightful textures from the tender chicken, crunchy bacon and smooth avocado. If you want to go sweeter, try the Hawaiian- two 4 oz. baked chicken breasts topped with pineapple slices, melted provolone cheese, shredded lettuce and a side of BBQ sauce. It is marvelous.

However, a staple of mine is the Smoked Turkey- thinly slicked smoked turkey combined with sliced tomatoes, lettuce and house honey mustard. I also add on onions and peppers! This sandwich is simple, tasty and consistently satisfying.

What I love most about Bison Witches is their ½ sandwich and soup special. You can choose any one of the soups and combine it with any fresh deli sandwich and chips. The wonderful soup choices, besides the soup of the day are: Cream of Potato and Bacon, Wisconsin Cheese, Chili and …drum roll please… Portabella Harvest Grain. I have thoroughly enjoyed them all, especially the thick, hearty Chili to warm me up on a cold day. However, the Portabella Harvest Grain is phenomenal.

Served in a bread bowl, it is a thick, creamy blend of red and green peppers, corn, carrots, wild rice, barley, red wheat and portabella mushrooms. Packed with veggies and flavor, this wholesome soup gets better with each bite. As the bread bowl of soup begins to empty, tear off the pieces of soft bread and dunk them right in. When you get to the bottom and edges, scrape the soupy-soaked bread into each bite for a real indulgence.

The food is served on cafeteria-style trays- casual, fun and laid-back to match its hoppin atmosphere. I love that their drinks come in huge cups, sufficient enough to wash down such generous portions of food. Just like the food, the drinks are big enough to share...but only if you want to!

No matter how hungry I come, I most always leave in a food coma. Satisfied and pleased nonetheless. You must head out to Bison Witches for a serious sandwich that is seriously delicious. Located on 1320 P Street in downtown Lincoln, NE, Bison Witches is open 7 days a week. The kitchen opens at 11 am- 10 pm, and the bar stays open until 1am.

A Taste of Italy with the Sweetness of Friendship

La cuccina italiano, per me e la cucinna piu bella del mondo!

My best friend from Canada came to visit this past week. She played soccer with me here at UNL and is now in Physical Therapy school in Edmonton, Alberta. Her name is Selenia Iacchelli and if you can’t tell she is Italian and comes from a long line of expert Italian cooks. She and her family have been spoiling me with the most delicious authentic Italian cuisine for quite some time now, in particular, one special treat remains my favorite. It is called a Pizzelle, and as always she brought a suitcase full of them to share with all of her friends in Nebraska!

My illustration of this incredible Italian cookie doesn’t do justice so I have invited Selenia to share the Iacchelli family secret of this golden brown, decorative cookie that she has become famous for...

The name for these little Italian treats comes from “pizze,” the Italian word for round and flat. Its pronunciation is similar to “pizza,” a famous staple in Italian cuisine, but that is about all these two recipes have in common. Pizzelles are traditional sweet, Italian waffle cookies made from flour, eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, and are flavored with anise (a black licorice flavored seed, vanilla or lemon zest).

These delicious pizzelle cookies originated from the abruzzo region of south –central Italy. They can be made to be soft, thick and chewy, or thin and crispy. The difference is mainly based on the preparation method and ingredient proportions.

And now its unique design! I tell my friends my mom hand carved each cookie, but this may be a little bit of a lie. Pizzelles are cooked using a pizzelle iron. Just a quick 20-second squeeze in this hot iron does the trick, but a little patience and time is required to make a suitcase-full of them!

The supply of Pizzelles has nearly vanished in a week. I saw this coming and saved a stash for myself. If you are lucky, I might even share one with you. Otherwise, you will have to wait for Selenia’s next visit to taste the amazing Pizzelle. These authentic, homemade Italian cookies are a token of her friendship and love for Nebraska. I guess that makes her Italian, Canadian and an honorary Nebraskan.