A real concern I had going into college in Pennsylvania was the questionable presence of avocados. Everyone I talked to on the east coast was not nearly as devoted to the delicious fruit (yes, an avocado is a fruit) as I was. And given that avocados made up a good portion of my diet, I was distressed at the thought of living a life without them. I mean, I have paid extra for guac all these years, that level of devotion doesn’t just slip away.
To my surprise, avocados do play a role in life on campus. The market sells them and guac is offered at a few on campus locations both in east commons and at the hub. I remember clearly the first time I tried this well traveled guacamole, flown from Mexico all the way to my bowl from “The Blue Burrito.” It looked questionable, but I eagerly took a bite. Hoping for the best.
What I encountered that day was nothing more than an avocado imposter. The color? Too green. The taste? Too bland. The texture? Too unlike any avocado I had ever tasted before. Disappointment and anger rose up in my chest; this guac had just catfished me.
Me and my mom had a similar dilemma trying to order beef that came cooked truly medium. At one burger joint we ordered our burgers rare, and alas, they came out grayer than a stormy sky. For some reason, the citizens of Pennsylvania just like their meat well done, as flabbergasting as that may seem.
I’m not going to lie, Los Angeles has some pretty amazing food. I miss the Mexican and Asian cuisines very much. And it seems that on every corner of hip neighborhoods stands a “Pressed Juicery & Kombucha” store, or a gluten free bakery, or any number of over priced gentrified cafes. Don’t get me wrong, I love eating like a hippie. But it’s not the most genuine of lifestyles.
With this in mind, I assure you that although there will be obstacles to your stomachs adjustment, (like my experience with guac and over cooked meat) people here sure do know how to eat. Insomnia cookies puts Mrs. Field’s to shame. The Penn State Creamery produces by far the best ice-cream I’ve ever tasted and their chocolate milk and lemonade are divine as well. And a few weeks ago I bought the most delicious mini apple pie from an Amish lady at a farmers market downtown. That would never happen in LA, and believe me those west coasters are missing out.
I assume that if you moved from California to Penn State you wanted to experience something different. And food, as simple as it sounds, most definitely falls under that umbrella. My friends that grew up in Harrisburg or New Jersey are not so different from myself. But they come from different traditions, cultures, and habits. In many ways our tastes in food exemplify these differences. And so, I may learn about different cultures in the classroom, but I also learn about them at the dinner table.
So, my fellow Penn State Californians, don’t fret. Although you might have to kiss some of your old habits goodbye, you really are broadening your horizons, and there is value in experiencing other peoples norms. So be on the look out, there are hidden gems all around you. You’ll be surprised by what you find.
And hey, I’ve heard the food's a whole lot worse over at Ohio State.
Coming from Washington State I can very clearly see what you mean by the food differences. I've never been big into guac so that part didn't affect me but the few times I have gotten meet at any of the commons it was so overcooked that I'm wary to go back (which is sad because protein is good for you and everything else is purely carbs). This has been bothering me since I had that first overcooked hamburger, but do you think the food at Penn State represents the taste differences between the west and east coast as a whole or do you think it might also taste different because it is made with cheap ingredients for college students or…