95% of students here live on campus at Swarthmore, meaning more than 95% of students are on the meal plan (or eat on campus). This doesn’t always mean that you eat at Sharples 3 times a day (what is breakfast if not a blueberry muffin from Science Center?)–and some days you probably get away with out going there once (#FriendsWithCars)–but chances are you’ll catch more than the stray plate of pasta bar, turkey and mashed potatoes on the main line, or salad (spinach for dayyz) each week. So, for those who eat there on the daily, who brave the 12:30 to 1:15 lunch rush, or who only make it on Sundays for brunch: here’s a few things you may not have realized about our dear dining hall Sharples.
1.
We do baked goods really, really local. Those Firehouse Donuts? Their makers are within the range-of-call of our very own Fire Moose in the not-too-distant Wallingford, PA. Bonus points: the daughter of founder Kevin Carney is a Swattie, class of 2016.
2.
The pain au chocolat that pulls you through you’re Tuesday/Thursday 8:30? Those, along with most other pastries are delivered to the school from bakery distributors Petro’s Breads and the Philadelphia Bakery Merchants (located in Philadelphia and Havertown, respectively). They distribute baked goods from the likes Le Bus Bakery, Aversa’s Italian Bakery, Kaplan’s Bakery, and others (the sort of goods you could buy the Co-op).
3.
Kyj Bakeries–with 3 locations in Brookhaven, Chester, and Marcus Hook–are to thank for the perogies that periodically grace our plates. Potato, potato with cheese, sweet potato, jalapeño and cheese–they have all the bases covered. The flagship store in Chester was founded in 1954 by Wasyl and Lydia Kyj, then-recent immigrants from Ternopal, Ukraine, and has since become a baking institution.
4.
Our fruits and vegetables? Slightly less local. During the growing season (the end of spring semester and the beginning of fall semester) we’re lucky enough to order fruits from Beechwood Orchards, located in Biglerville, PA–about 136 miles form little Swarthmore College. You have them to thank for the plums and peaches gracing the end of the Very Vegetarian line each September.
Other sources for non-conventionally grown produce in Sharples include Sandy Ridge Farm, 40 miles from Swat in Doylestown, PA. They aren’t certified organic (it’s difficult to be a small farm and certified USDA organic), but you can read about their sustainable farming practices (three cheers for building soil) here. Sharples also purchases from the Common Philadelphia Market, which distributes produce from farms and dairies within 200 miles of Philadelphia to institutions throughout the Mid-Atlantic. Though Dining Services buys from these sources regularly while they have produce available, even in the growing season they aren’t the source for all Sharples produce.
5.
Who is, then?
Meet American Beauty Fish & Produce, located 18 miles form Swarthmore in West Chester, PA. Since Swarthmore is in the Mid-Atlantic and not Southern California (should have gone to Pomona), the growing season comes to an end mid-semester. Dining Services has to buy even more from American Beauty so that we can have spinach and tomatoes year-round.
So now you know a little more about food from Dining Services. We still have a few questions though. Is it possible to use the panini press without spilling cheese everywhere? And where do all the mugs go?
Thank you to Janet Kassab, Director of Purchasing for Dining Services, for graciously providing much of the information used for this project.
Cover image from Isabel Knight.