Filipino Cooking Demonstration Livens Up Spring Break at Carleton College
- by Peter Todaro
Cashier Phoebe Wilmot and Executive Chef Charlie Schwandt
Spring break is usually a time for students to get away, but this March, more Carleton College students than usual remained on campus due to the pandemic.
Phoebe’s Adobo chicken recipe
The Bon Appétit team at Carleton, along with the college’s Student Activities Office, resolved to keep the staycation exciting by holding a virtual cooking demonstration,
showcasing Filipino food with a beloved special guest: Cashier Phoebe Wilmot. Phoebe grew up in the Philippines, and has worked at Carleton for over 25 years in a variety of roles. Executive Chef Charlie Schwandt often relies on her culinary insights: “Whenever we do Filipino food in the dining halls, Phoebe is always my first go-to in terms of making sure we are doing authentic food, and doing things right,” he says.
Phoebe and Charlie kicked off the cooking demonstration with a spring roll recipe featuring lettuce from Living Greens Farm, and carrots from Open Hands Farm, both of which are just a hop, skip, and jump away from Carleton in Northfield, MN. Spring rolls, Phoebe explained, are “quick and healthy” and were often offered to family and friends visiting her house in the Philippines. Charlie and Phoebe then showed attendees how to make a classic Filipino adobo chicken recipe, with pan-fried sweet potatoes. Phoebe explained that Filipino black rice is a tasty replacement for potatoes in the dish. For dessert? A fruit cocktail, with cherries, pineapple, condensed milk, and cream.
As the demonstration wrapped up, Phoebe encouraged students to stop by Schultz Café in Carleton’s Anderson Hall, where she works, to ask any questions they have about Filipino food. After the event, students picked up meal-kits containing each of the dishes made by Phoebe and Charlie, with creative replacements for ingredients containing possible allergens.
Want to learn from Phoebe too? The demonstration was filmed by Carleton’s Presentation, Events and Production Support team, and can be viewed online. Phoebe’s recipes are also available in this booklet.