When I was home for break, I got to thinking one night after I had dinner: “I would really like an ice cream cone from Pittsford Dairy right now.” Cravings for ice cream come at a bad time for a student athlete at Nazareth like myself. I am trying to stay in shape for the season, however, I always squeeze in a “cheat day” one way or another. So here are some of the foods that I enjoy the most on my so called “cheat days.”
Expanding more on my sweet tooth cravings, one of my favorite places to get dessert is Insomnia Cookies, located in downtown Rochester. Insomnia Cookies are incredible! There are so many varieties and sizes, but my favorite features gooey melted chocolate that oozes out the center of your cookie after the first bite. I will warn you that it does get quite messy, but it’s totally worth every bit of laundry that you have to do as a result.
I’ve already mentioned Pittsford Dairy, the famous ice cream barn located only a couple of minutes down the road from Nazareth. They have the best ice cream I have ever had. They have so many different flavors and sizes, as well as waffle cones dipped in chocolate! I usually go with good old chocolate mint or chocolate chip cookie dough to satisfy my cravings. Pittsford Dairy is the perfect place for me when I am looking for dessert after dinner at the dining hall with my friends.
Every meal away from Naz reminded me of things from campus that I was craving – like an early morning cheese, pepper, and spinach omelet cooked fresh by my man Jimmy, who works in the kitchen in the Lourdes Dining Hall, or the quick “to-go” pizza when I am in a rush that always hits the spot. I missed the fresh late night, chicken wraps from the grill as well. Due to my sweet tooth, I found myself having withdrawals from the delicious cookies in the Lourdes Dining Hall. They are made fresh and warm in the mornings and always placed on the table next to the soft serve ice cream machine. I walk past it when I am taking my dishes to the cleaning station and, most days, I cannot resist and get a cookie for the road.
For those of you reading this that don’t know what a garbage plate is, just trust me when I say it is literally the perfect meal to eat after a night out or if you’re feeling something big and greasy! The garbage plate is a famous meal in Upstate NY. Most places that have garbage plates are open till 2 or 3 am and let you create your own plate. Some places will deliver to you right outside your dorm on campus, or you can drive about 2 minutes down East Ave and get it yourself at Hungry’s. The standard plate comes in a big takeaway container with mac salad, home fries, one or two burger patties with onions, ketchup, mustard and hot sauce if you’re into it (I’m not). There are so many other options you can throw in there like tater tots, meatballs, and french fries. Depending on how hungry you are, you can get single, double or triple servings, more than enough to fill you up and have leftovers for tomorrow.
There you have it, some of my favorite places to eat and items to get when I feel like breaking my diet, all within a short drive or even walk of Nazareth’s campus. Make sure to try them out when you’re in the area!