Hey hi, all! Once again hoping you guys had a restful (and hopefully not stressful) break, especially those of you who returned home. It’s been a while since I’ve written!
As suggested by my dear friend, this blog title has two working implications, which are:
“Seasonal Depression: dealing with Oregon winters for the first time”
And
“Seasonal Depression: the lack of seasoning on the Bon food is detrimental to the dining experience”
Both provoke something in me, so I figured that I would cover both. So, thank you Kay for your endless creativity, wit, and terrible puns.
OKAY! So, “Seasonal Depression” (first meaning). Now, I come from Utah, where I consider it to be considerably more “wintery,” whatever that means. It certainly gets colder there, and certainly gets more snow. I mean, I guess “Greatest Snow on Earth” isn’t our slogan for nothing?
That being said, I would say that the non-”wintery”-ness of Oregon may be the reason for my rendition of seasonal depression this year. Without the snow and bitter cold of my hometown, I’m finding it difficult to feel the full season change, even though it’s still technically fall. Usually, I’d make my way outside regularly to revel in the stark white snow that frequently falls down. I’d make myself cups of tea just to look out the window. One of my favorite feelings is actually doing my work in the warm inside while it snows outside. Somehow, it fuels my productivity and brightens my mood. Here, I find that I’m leaving my dorm less and less often. Really, I only leave for class or to go to the Bon. I miss making snowmen and chucking snowballs at my friends. I’ve also found that without snow, it’s been harder to get into the holiday spirit. Whatever the case, winter in Oregon is a completely different experience.
And now, “Seasonal Depression” (second meaning)(written with the most lighthearted intentions). Honestly, I find that the Bon food I look forward to the most is the potatoes served at weekend brunch. They’re always spiced somewhat adequately. Well, at least they are spiced.
My problem probably lies in my own forgetfulness. At the beginning of the school year, I purchased a gargantuan container of salt from Fred Meyer, along with a more reasonably sized container of pepper and one of cayenne. I figured that those three spices could get me through whatever dishes the Bon threw at us, regardless of the blandness. However, I seem to forget them every time I go to the Bon, making that purchase a bit useless...
I do have to give it to the Bon, the food is alright for me, though I know many students cannot say the same. While I’m sure the seasoning of the dishes is at the bottom of the priority list, I’m sure everyone’s lives would be better for it.
Speaking of the Bon... it’s time for For the Love of Soup!
This week was the Bon’s miso soup! Which...I was not expecting, if I’m being honest. Maybe I just don’t pay enough attention to the Bon’s online menu, but I had never seen miso soup on it before. As someone who craves miso soup almost daily, it was a welcome (though frightening surprise). What if it was bad? Or, more surprising, what if it was good?
Luckily, it was leaning more toward the latter. It was actually pretty alright (just one man’s opinion), though there were missing elements in it. There was no tofu, wakame, or scallions. The broth itself tasted alright, but it wasn’t completely miso soup.
Soup Review: 3.8/5 stars
That’s all for now! Wishing you all a successful (and calm) pre-finals week!
-Mack
(they/she/he)
email: mwille@lclark.edu
insta: @mack_mae11