2008 Woodie Awards
A SWEET FEAT
Kellie Woodhouse
Issue date: 4/28/08 Section: News
Freshman engineering major Nick Wagman was among the students "plugging away at it" alongside freshman biology major Landon Katz. The duo placed 5,000 cupcakes within the first two hours.
Katz, who worried that other volunteers weren't placing an equal number of cupcakes on each row, bravely crawled under tables stacked with cupcakes to fix mistakes and fill in gaps.
"Just the prospect of arranging 50,000 cupcakes is just extraordinary, incomprehensible, and, well, Marylandtastic," Katz said.
The two were driven by dedicated food service manager and pastry chef Jeff Russo, who was whirling around the tent during the preparations, giving orders and refusing to stop for a "lunch break" with the rest of the crew at 1 a.m.
"He's very passionate about the project," Wagman said.
The hours of work seemed to pay off the next day, as visitors flocked to the table to sample the delicious design.
"I think it's a unique challenge," said Elise Pittman, a senior geography information science major. "They're giving something back to us; it's a great way for the dining hall to be a part of the Maryland community."
Alumnus Derrick Harris called the arrangement "an impressive feat" and found the treats to his liking, calling his cupcake "good, soft, just right."
Despite all the money, effort and time that went into the sweet treats, not everyone in the crowd was impressed.
"Its a big waste of food, [and] the cupcakes were not that delicious," said graduate student Ben White, who attended Maryland Day with his family. "To be honest, it doesn't do justice to the true culinary capabilities that our university should be demonstrating. It's a waste of money. What could we have bought with that money instead of 50,000 cupcakes?"
woodhousedbk@gmail.com
Katz, who worried that other volunteers weren't placing an equal number of cupcakes on each row, bravely crawled under tables stacked with cupcakes to fix mistakes and fill in gaps.
"Just the prospect of arranging 50,000 cupcakes is just extraordinary, incomprehensible, and, well, Marylandtastic," Katz said.
The two were driven by dedicated food service manager and pastry chef Jeff Russo, who was whirling around the tent during the preparations, giving orders and refusing to stop for a "lunch break" with the rest of the crew at 1 a.m.
"He's very passionate about the project," Wagman said.
The hours of work seemed to pay off the next day, as visitors flocked to the table to sample the delicious design.
"I think it's a unique challenge," said Elise Pittman, a senior geography information science major. "They're giving something back to us; it's a great way for the dining hall to be a part of the Maryland community."
Alumnus Derrick Harris called the arrangement "an impressive feat" and found the treats to his liking, calling his cupcake "good, soft, just right."
Despite all the money, effort and time that went into the sweet treats, not everyone in the crowd was impressed.
"Its a big waste of food, [and] the cupcakes were not that delicious," said graduate student Ben White, who attended Maryland Day with his family. "To be honest, it doesn't do justice to the true culinary capabilities that our university should be demonstrating. It's a waste of money. What could we have bought with that money instead of 50,000 cupcakes?"
woodhousedbk@gmail.com
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Viewing Comments 1 - 5 of 5
Chel
posted 4/28/08 @ 6:25 AM EST
Why are my tax dollars being wasted on this kind of baking soda?
Pat
posted 4/28/08 @ 11:51 AM EST
What is the matter with you people? Can't the college and the kids do something fun and inventive without naysayers? Why does everything have to be sooooo serious. (Continued…)
cupcake eater!!
posted 4/28/08 @ 12:35 PM EST
don't hate on the cupcakes!!! it was spectacular!
Shawn
posted 4/28/08 @ 5:19 PM EST
Don't know why you ended the article on a negative note. this was an awesome project!
Anne Marie
posted 4/28/08 @ 8:19 PM EST
Money doesn't just evaporate just because you spend it on something like this. Dining hall workers, people who make cooking ingredients, store employees and so on got paid. (Continued…)
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