In observance of Patriots’ Day and the University holiday, Hirsh Library will not be having online staffed hours on Monday, April 20th. We will resume normal hours on Tuesday, April 21st. We hope everyone has a restful and healthy long weekend!

Image by Jan Vašek from Pixabay

Couldn’t face the grocery store? Braved it but the shelves were bare? We asked our staff what they do when they’re in a pinch, and so we’re bringing you some suggestions, tips, and tools for how to eat well with what you already have in the house.

Our favorite recipes:

Pasta Carbonara: Easy, classic, and cheesy

Pasta con Ceci: A comforting meal Becky makes even when she can leave the house

Adas Polow: Persian comfort food–simple and delicious, lentils and rice (raisins, dates, saffron optional)

Egg substitution ideas from Amanda:

• Don’t have eggs? You can bake without them. Substitute applesauce (1/4 cup per egg) or bananas (1 mashed banana per egg). This works particularly well in muffins and brownies.
• If you wanted an egg as a glaze in a sweet/baked good recipe, make a sugar glaze instead. You don’t even need confectioner’s sugar to do it – just put your regular sugar in a food processor to chop it up more finely.
• Wanted to make meatballs and think you have to have egg as a binder? Au contraire! The meat will hold together without it. If you want a more similar texture, you can use any protein powder you have at home as a binder (just make sure if it’s flavored the flavor won’t be weird). You can also use flour and a little water or breadcrumbs.
• Wanted eggs for breakfast? Sadly, there’s no good substitute for a sunny-side up or poached egg, but you can use tofu to make a tofu scramble. Tofu picks up the flavor of whatever it’s cooked with, so just add whatever flavorings you think will make it taste awesome.

And a fun tool to help you brainstorm!

The site and app SuperCook lets you enter the ingredients you have and it will generate recipes you can make.

Buon appetito!

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https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2020/0111-usps-commemorates-lunar-new-year-with-year-of-the-rat-forever-stamp.htm

This Saturday (January 25th) marks the first day of the Chinese Calendar and the beginning of the Year of the Rat.  For the next two weeks, there will fireworks, feasts, family reunions and parades to celebrate the Lunar New Year. There are also a great many traditions associated with the Lunar New Year that are centuries old, such as the hanging of traditional ‘new years’ poems, cleaning the home, the receiving new clothes and getting one’s haircut.

And because our campus is located very conveniently in Chinatown, be sure to check out the Chinese New Year Parade! It’s the largest annual celebration in Boston’s Chinatown with lion dancers, music, and firecrackers—and if you haven’t tried the plethora of food options in our neighborhood, what a better time to venture out and celebrate? This year’s parade will be held on Sunday, February 2, at 11:00 am starting at the John F. Fitzgerald Surface Road . Here’s some more information about Lunar New Year festivities around Boston.

If you are celebrating Lunar New Year, we wish safe travels and  much joy and prosperity this year! 恭贺新禧  Happy New Year!

Further reading:

About the Lunar New Year

Chinese New Year Traditions

Stories about Chinese New Year (National Public Radio)

Image by congerdesign from Pixabay

As announced on June 21st, the Food4Thought Cafe will be closed until a new vendor is in place. But don’t despair! If you find yourself in need of a quick coffee or lunch, there are still a number of dining options you can access without having to go outside.

The following eateries are all in, or close to, the Atrium of Tufts Medical Center. To get there from Hirsh, just cross the 4th floor bridge that takes you to the 3rd floor of the Dental school  and go through one of the doors on your left. Follow that hallway down until you reach the sunny, circular hub known as the Atrium.

On that floor (the 3rd floor), you’ll find Chop’d and Top’d, which offers breakfast items, a variety of sandwiches, and a build-your-own salad option.

If you take the stairs or the elevators down to the 1st floor, there are two options. The first is Au Bon Pain (open 24/7!) which offers a range of made-to-order sandwiches, breakfast items, soups, salads, sweets, and snacks. They also have a number of grab-and-go options. The second places is the Fresh Life Cafe, which has rotating menu of hot food options.

And, of course, there is a Dunkin Donuts on the first floor of the Proger wing.

You can find the opening hours of all these establishments on Tufts Medical Center’s Places to Eat page. 

Bon appetit!

The Hirsh Library is committed to helping you get the training you need to succeed! Please take a moment to tell us how we can better meet your learning needs – and we promise – it’ll be quick!

Learning Opportunities @ Hirsh Library Survey