Stephanie Marshall: The best thing I ate over break were jalapeño cheddar cheese cornbread fritters from the Maple Tree Inn Restaurant in Blue Island, IL. Fluffy and soft like donuts, but with the soft heat of jalapeño cornbread, dipped in the raspberry preserves that came on the side…they were magical. And probably took 5 years off of my life.
Abigail Reisinger: Any trip to Ohio means a trip to Jeni’s — a Columbus, Ohio original and one of my absolutely favorite places. Made with grass-grazed Ohio milk and only the freshest, most delectable natural flavors, Jeni’s makes me proud to be from Ohio. My spring break scoop of choice? One scoop of Wildberry Lavender in a waffle cone that I enjoyed while walking through the Short North on my mother’s 50th birthday. The only thing tastier than the ice cream was spending my break somewhere that, while not exotic and breathtaking, was full of family and the very delicious feeling of home.
Tara Longardner: I went on a backpacking adventure over break. They fed us carbs, cheese and trail mix — lots and lots of trail mix. But guess who happened to have the best idea up her sleeve? This girl. Prior to the trip, I made homemade honey-roasted peanut butter, Nutella and some infamous cookie butter. I brought little mason jars full of these three and ate them by the spoonful throughout the week. Upon returning from our backpacking trip, I did three things: shower, laundry and cook. Oh, and toast with one of my fellow backpackers to the fact that we made it through the 16-hour drive back relatively unscathed. *Cue the mojitos.* It’s possible they tasted so good due to our serious lack of sleep, but I don’t believe it for a minute. Forget the $15 cocktails served on the beach by hot waiters. DIY drinks are always a good idea.
Hannah Kliot: While in Macau, a region of China, my mom and I explored Chinese, Macanese and international cuisines. My personal favorite restaurant was The Eight, a three-Michelin-starred Chinese restaurant located in the Grand Lisboa, one of the many amazing casino hotels in the region. I had the ribs topped with an orange-flavored sauce — they were tender and fell right off the bone, and combined with the strong citrus flavor of the sauce, it was definitely a dish I won’t forget.
Photo by Hannah Kliot
Leanna Smith: Home fries meet hot sauce in a traditional Spanish dish served tapas style known as patatas bravas, which translates to “angry potatoes.” I had some at a small tapas joint in Madrid. The potatoes are soft and smooth and pair perfectly with some mild tomato aioli.
Lauren Feld: I went to Anguilla and we took a boat to this small island called Scilly Cay. The family that owns the island has been there for over 15 years and they are the only restaurant on the island. They only have three items on the menu: lobster, crayfish or chicken. I had the lobster, and even though it was ridiculously expensive, it was so worth it. It was the biggest lobster I’ve ever seen, seasoned with their own homemade sauce which was amazing. Definitely one of the best lobsters I’ve ever had!
Photo by Lauren Feld
Arielle Cooper: After flying into Paris early that morning, I spent the first Saturday of break wandering the streets of the city of lights with my friends. I was hungry and fighting off jet lag, but my friend who is studying abroad in Paris wouldn’t let us stop until we found “this one creperie” — and I’m so glad she didn’t. I ordered a sugar and butter crepe, and not only was it great to watch it be made before my eyes, it was perfect: not too thick or too sweet, and the butter and sugar let the flavor of the crepe itself shine through while adding a sweet crunch.
Photo by Arielle Cooper