The Retreat
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The Retreat
SPECIAL HOURS
- Café Closed August 19-25
- Gordon Commons is open 730am- 8pm for summer intercession! The retreat will be reopening on August 26th!
View/Print Weekly Menu
- Breakfast Served from 8:30 am - 11:30 am
- Lunch 11:35 am - 4:00 pm
Weekly Schedule
- Breakfast Mon-Fri, 8:30 am - 11:30 am
- Lunch Mon-Fri, 11:35 am - 4:00 pm
Located in the College Center, The Retreat is cashless and only accepts debit, credit or V Cash.
SERVING STUDENTS WITH FOOD ALLERGIES AND CELIAC DISEASE
The dining services team is well-trained in food allergy awareness and offer a number of options for students with food allergies and celiac disease. This includes communication about and modification to existing menu items, special preparation of menu items, and access to special products as agreed upon with students.
Daily menus for each café can be accessed at vassar.cafebonappetit.com. Menu items that are appropriate options for most students with celiac disease are labeled as “made without gluten-containing ingredients” and can be filtered to streamline searching using the dietary preferences filter. Top-9 allergens are included in menu names and/or descriptions whenever possible. For more on eating with a food allergy in our café, visit this page and view the guide on Food Allergies and Celiac Disease at Vassar College. Further questions about ingredients can be answered by our trained managers/chefs on-site.
DINING WITHOUT THE TOP-9
We understand that our guests with special dietary needs, albeit food allergies, celiac disease, lactose intolerance, or any other medically necessary diet simply want a safe place to make food choices, quickly. To allow guests to have readily available options that meet their needs, we offer OASIS — a destination in Gordon Commons where all meals are prepared without the use of top-9 allergens plus gluten and sesame* through the sole use of whole foods.
*Sesame is now the 9th major allergen. However, manufacturers have until 1/2023 to update package labels. Our platform will exclude added sesame in the form of seeds, tahini (sesame paste), and sesame oil, but sources of sesame may not be detectable on package labels. Please speak with a manager if you have a sesame allergy.
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For questions about these services or to request food allergy accommodations, students should contact:
Steve Scardina | Resident District Manager
Stephen.Scardina@cafebonappetit.com
Daniele Rossner, MS, RDN | Regional Nutrition and Wellness Manager
daniele.rossner@cafebonappetit.com
(860) 538-3708
Eat Right — For You
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Wellness
When it comes to wellness, Bon Appétit’s focus is on simple, delicious food — that happens to be good for you. To support long-term health, we are bringing more plants to menus every day in a craveable way, while emphasizing healthy cooking techniques. When healthy food tastes good, nourishing your body and mind becomes the easy choice.
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Food Allergies
We serve thousands of guests with food allergies and sensitivities safely in our cafés every day. Our chefs, managers, and dietitians work closely with our food-allergic guests to create reasonable solutions to help them eat what they love. If you have questions about eating for your dietary needs in our cafés, reach out to us: we’ll gladly meet with you.
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Sustainability
Wellness also includes the health of the animals, the workers, the community, and the Earth. They’re all connected. Bon Appétit has been committed to “food service for a sustainable future” for decades, and we’ve led the food service industry in tackling many important issues, such as cage-free eggs, antibiotics in animal production, and farmworker rights.
Tell Us What You Think
Common Questions
- I’ve been trying to eat a healthier diet. Will I be able to find a healthy food choice in my café?
- Can you tell me how many calories are in the foods in my café?
- How will you handle my concerns about a food allergy?
Catering
Whether you’re ordering lunch for a meeting, planning a reception for 200, or stressing out about a five-course dinner for a visiting VIP, we offer the complete range of services to ensure your event is a stellar success. Our chefs are culinary all-stars, and they love making custom menus, as well as classic comforts, that are not just healthy and delicious, they’re locally and humanely sourced. Our experienced staff can execute your vision with unparalleled service and taste.
Explore our kitchen hacks for regrowing your vegetables! (Yep, you read that right!) 🌱
One of our favorite ways to save money other than using nontraditional vegetable parts like beet greens is to use stems that are often tossed away to grow new vegetables!
It`s a simple equation:
Properly cut vegetable
+ Water
+ Sunlight
+ Love
= Regrown lettuce, celery, romaine, leeks, green onions, potatoes, and even bok choy!
Here are more in-depth examples to try at home:
1️⃣ Lettuce and bok choy | Leave 2-3 inches at the base, stand it in the sun in a mug, glass, or jar with water halfway up, and make sure you change the water daily.
2️⃣ Green onions | Keep 2 inches of the base with roots intact, fill a mug, glass, or jar with a 1/2 inch of water, and place the onions in root end down near a window for sunlight. Change the water daily.
3️⃣ Basil and mint | After purchasing from the store, trim the stems and place the cut ends down in a jar of water on the counter. Leave it there long enough, and the roots will start sprouting!
Although you can leave them in the water and harvest that way, you can also transfer them into soil after they have more fully developed in the glass. #KitchenHacks #SaveMoney #GrowYourFood #ZeroWasteKitchen #FightFoodWaste
This snack? 👈👀 Or that snack? 👀👉
No preference is wrong; tell us your favorite late night eats in the comments!
1️⃣ Popcorn or mixed nuts?
2️⃣ Cereal or peanut butter toast?
3️⃣ Chocolate or cheese?
4️⃣ Leftovers or a sandwich?
5️⃣ Vegetables with hummus or fruit with yogurt?
#ThisOrThat #LateNightSnacks #SnackChoices
Venture outside this spring with these foraging tips! 🌱
YOU NEED
1️⃣ a basket (or other container)
2️⃣ a hand trowel
3️⃣ a pocket knife or kitchen shears
4️⃣ a field guide to local plants
Swipe through the carousel or read on below for four common spring foraging finds 🔍
🌱 Ramps have bright green leaves with glowing white bulbs, and are often found in large clumps near creeks, gorges, and wooded lots. They can be used interchangeably with any recipe calling for garlic.
🍄 Morels have pitted, spongy heads, smooth stems, and hollow interiors. (Be careful! There is a "false" morel that is poisonous! Always consult an experienced mycologist when foraging for mushrooms on your own.) Morels are commonly found around decaying trees after adequate rainfall. Cook `em up how you would a mushroom from the store.
🌻 Dandelions have sunny flowers and spiky greens that really need no further explanation. (Dandelions do share many look-alikes, none of which are toxic.) Finding them is also not a problem, but they grow on lawns and in gardens, parks, meadows, and disturbed areas. Each part of the plant is usable! The greens are arugula-like and often used in salads and the flowers are sweet and often used in jellies and teas.
🍽️ Burdock is a root vegetable beneath a rhubarb look-alike plant with large, dark green leaves in a heart shape at the base tapering toward a point. You can easily find this plant alongside walking paths. Just peel and roast them like you would any root vegetable, add them to stir-fries, or pickle them.
Consulting a local foraging expert is always a good idea before striking out on your own. Always be a good steward when foraging. Take only 10% of what you find so other foragers can also enjoy your find.
#SpringForaging #ForagingTips #RampsForaging #MorelsForaging #DandelionsForaging #BurdockForaging #ForagingAdventure
Need to prepare a meal for family or friends with allergies? Try out this Chimichurri Chicken with Apple Cider Vinaigrette Spinach Salad, which is free of the major 9 allergens. 👏
Makes 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
For the chimichurri:
1-1/2 cups fresh flat leaf parsley
1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
For the chicken:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
For the salad:
1 pound fresh spinach
4 ounces red cabbage, shredded
2 medium carrots, shredded
1-1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons whole grain mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
DIRECTIONS
Preheat a grill or oven to 350 degrees F.
Place parsley in a food processor and lightly pulse to rough chop. Add olive oil, garlic, crushed red pepper, red wine vinegar, pepper, and salt. Pulse until mixture is just combined and resembles a thick sauce. Pour half of the sauce into a separate bowl and set aside.
Spoon remaining sauce over chicken and bake or grill until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, turning over halfway and basting with sauce. Remove from the oven or grill and top with remaining chimichurri sauce.
To make the salad, combine spinach, cabbage, and carrots in a large bowl. Whisk together vinegar, olive oil, mustard, salt and pepper until completely combined. Toss with spinach just before serving and top salad with sliced chicken.
#AllergyFriendlyFood #FoodAllergies #FreeFromAllergens #AllergyFriendlyRecipes
The number of people with food allergies and intolerances is on the rise and, whether this is due to better diagnostics or more people developing them, they should not be treated lightly.
What is a food allergy? An adverse health effect that occurs, reproducibly, on exposure to a given food that can show up as hives, tingling of the lips and throat, whole body flushing, difficulty breathing, or significant digestive distress and can be life threatening.
A food intolerance or sensitivity, on the other hand, isn`t usually life threatening but still serious and can be life altering. They can cause significant digestive distress, migraines, skin disorders, or joint pain, among other symptoms.
Even if you don`t suffer from a food allergy or intolerance, here are seven ways to help others feel safe:
1️⃣ Know that this isn`t their choice. Don`t give folks a hard time or coerce them into trying foods they are avoiding.
2️⃣ When hosting a friend or family member that needs to avoid certain foods, rise to the challenge and provide foods that are safe for them to consume.
3️⃣ Don`t be afraid to ask if a food is safe for someone to eat.
4️⃣ Be flexible. Allow someone with a food allergy or intolerance to select where you`re dining.
5️⃣ Do research. Find somewhere to dine that works for all of the folks you are dining with.
6️⃣ Understand the severity of the allergy. If an allergy is so severe that airborne particles can cause a reaction, modify meals to accommodate that.
7️⃣ Take the time to learn what to do in an emergency.
#FoodAllergies #FoodIntolerances #AllergyAwareness #FoodSafety #FoodAllergySupport
What are these? Explore the underappreciated beacons of spring with us! 👇
🌱 Arugula is especially popular in Italian cuisine. Featuring a peppery, spicy, and slightly tart flavor,
arugula is frequently eaten raw in salads, but it can be cooked down like spinach.
🫘 Fava beans are one of the oldest known cultivated plants — dating back to 6000 BCE! These beans are buttery and nutty with a trace of light bitterness; whether dried or fresh, they can be substituted into any dish you would use beans in.
🌼 Burdock may not look similar, but it is related to the daisy! With an earthy, nutty flavor that ranges from mild to pungent, this often foraged spring bloom features edible roots and leaves; the roots are commonly used as a substitute for a potato.
🥧 Rhubarb is sometimes called a “pie plant,"" but it also pairs nicely with savory pork and poultry dishes with its puckery-tart flavor.
🍃 If you’re lucky, you might be able to forage this final entry in our list: sorrel! With a bright and tangy citrus flavor, sorrel pairs well with fish, cream, yogurt, and cheese, and is often cooked with spinach or Swiss chard.
#SpringForaging #SorrelSeason #SpringCuisine #EdiblePlants #ForagedFlavors