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The tastiest part of the College of Agricultural and Life Science’s Ag Days event lineup was the North Idaho Chili Cook-off and Agriculture Student Affairs Council and Clubs Food Fair Thursday.
Between the College of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences building, smells of barbecued beef, burgers and numerous chili arrangements wafted between booths hosted by the expected candidates for Ag Days and a few surprise guests.
“I didn’t actually hear about this,” University of Idaho senior Ryan Squires said. “I rode by it on my bike. I’m supposed to be in the library studying.”
Only having been at the event for 10 minutes, Squires sized up the fare he had already acquired from the row of food-dispensing tents.
“This burger came from the Block and Bridle Club,” he said, motioning toward the club’s sunny table on the lawn. “This chili came from the Food Science Club and the milkshake from the Dairy Club.”
The Student Idaho Cattle Association (SICA) was a group of familiar faces at the Ag Days event. SICA hosts a booth every year during the annual event and holds claim to the best dish at the Food Fair. Elizabeth McShane, a junior, is a SICA member who represented the association Thursday.
“We promote beef and cattle,” McShane said. “We help the Idaho Cattle Association and help with student events and (football) games.”
McShane advises giving beef a chance. SICA displayed free information about the health benefits of beef and meat products along with recipes. McShane said SICA wants to show people beef is a part of a healthy diet, contrary to recent attitudes.
The booth’s main course, barbecue beef sandwiches, proved to be popular.
“We ran out of buns,” McShane said.
Sitting side-by-side, representatives from the Ag Ambassadors and Food and Nutrition Club presented desserts and baked goods by the dozen.
“I was really surprised how much people like muffins,” senior Michelle Alexander said.
Alexander said the baked goods, such as their whole-wheat blueberry muffins, were homemade and donated by club members.
“You can get just about anything you’ve ever wanted here,” senior Amelia Naher said. “SICA has the best sandwich, but the best desserts are over here.”
At the end of the day, one table kept busy. Advertising only with a simple sign reading “Puerto Rican Food,” the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) sold Puerto Rican rice, fried rice and cream cheese flan: a delicious semi-gelatinous dessert. Each dish was homemade by ASABE member Manuel Diaz.
“I’m from Puerto Rico and I like to cook,” Diaz said. “We got rid of all the rice already, so now we’re working on the flan.”
ASABE President Dallace Sevier said the club is involved in things the average student may not be aware of. ASABE participates in an annual inter-collegiate tractor pull, competing against schools like Texas Tech University and others in the Midwest. Sevier said the proceeds from the Food Fair would first go to club funds, such as those for the tractor pulling, but also to a paintball tournament to which eight campus clubs are invited.
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