smthilén
Graduated from Coral Springs Christian Academy in 2011, and pursuing a dual degree in English and Journalism with a minor in Spanish at the University of Florida. An aspiring writer, photographer, chef, trilingual... to be honest, I don't quite want to decide. My roots lie in Finland, and I have spent all my summers in the woods of Tenala. I resolve to spend a part of all my days in two ways: cooking inventively and running intensely. I figure they'll balance each other out in the end.
smthilén's Latest Posts
Keep Calm and Choripán: Choripán con Chimichurri
I love reading days. By the Thursday prior to exam week, my term papers are all submitted, and there’s this easy feeling about campus – for most people, finals don’t start for another four days or so, and it’s easy to forget the storm that’s coming. I usually haul my books to the pool and [...]
But MOM! Broccoli Cheddar Soup for the Homesick Soul
“Mom?” “Yes, baby?” “Can I ask you a question?” “You want pancakes for dinner, don’t you?” “…Yes.” This is a common exchange in my apartment, and although I should mention that to my knowledge I currently have no biological children, I do have two beautiful roommates whom I love to spoil. (I certainly brag about [...]
How to Make the Undergrads Love You: Nutella Cookie Cake
Five ways to make friends in college: Leave your door open while you’re in your dorm room. People will enter. Trust me. (Disclaimer: you might want to lock it while you’re sleeping. Otherwise you might meet a few people who are already strangely familiar with you. True story.) Study in the common room. Interesting things [...]
Evolution of Tradition: Roasted Walnut Carrot Cake
Tradition – such a stalwart word – is really more of a loose and flowing concept. It evolves, in perception at the very least. But at the same time, tradition anchors us in something real. It is associative, and thus comforting. For me, it’s the irreverent (and vaguely illegal) lighting of a homemade pyrotechnics pontoon [...]
Better than Ramen: Garlic Carrot Couscous
Sometimes the Ramen option is tempting. When I’m grumpy and stressed out, chopping vegetables can be therapeutic. But I recognize that I am not like most college kids. Most college kids would probably rather order a pizza. Still, I’ve been there. There are nights when I simply can’t be bothered to cook. Sometimes I toss [...]
Hasty Halloween: Pumpkin Torte with Browned Butter Frosting
I didn’t think I was going to celebrate Halloween this year. It isn’t much of an issue at home – when it’s nice enough to revel in being cozy inside with family, and at least answer the door to miniature cowboys and excitable aliens – but in a dorm it’s depressing. I’ve missed out on [...]
Impress Your Relatives: Pumpkin Brûlée
My mother hates pumpkin pie. Every fall, one finds its way to her. Every fall, she takes a sizeable bite, convinced that this will be the year she moves beyond her issues with the pastry. In the past, I have watched her stick her head under the kitchen faucet, scrubbing her tongue and sputtering as [...]
How Avocado Pesto Pasta Became a Staple
There are meals that are tangled inextricably with memories. Last spring, on a cloudless Sunday, one of my closest friends was trapped in her bed with an aching throat and a wicked cold. And Sundays were our days: in the afternoons we would linger over lunch and traipse down to the lawn behind our dorm [...]
Battle of the Beans: Garlic Chicken Burritos
Today, for the first time, Katie Greene and I are having a cook-off. We agreed upon a theme (cooking with canned goods) and an ingredient, (canned beans) and we’re taking off from there. Now I don’t know about you, but black beans make me think of one thing, and one thing only. In my freshman [...]
Grilling in your Dorm: Chimichurri Marinated Chicken
I have a secret. I have never cooked anything on a grill. I know, in theory, I can master it. I’ve watched my dad searing steaks since I was tall enough to see past his elbow; and during the summers he occasionally relinquishes control enough to let me tend to the coals on our little [...]