Campus cook: steamy Bergen delight
Michal Elseth
Issue date: 10/1/09 Section: Arts
Every Wednesday, junior Victoria Bergen cooks for 30 people. ??
She used to help her pastor's wife Tanya Briix make dinner for Bible study, but took over the cooking duties completely last semester while Briix was on bed rest. ?
"It's a joy to cook with her!" said Briix,whose husband Steve is the college and young adults pastor at Pine Ridge Bible Church.
"We work very well together in the kitchen."
While many people would be intimidated by the prospect of cooking for 30 people, Bergen said she appreciates the opportunity to be in the kitchen regularly since she has no kitchen in Koon Residence where she lives.
"It'd be nice if I had more time for cooking, maybe," she said.
"But I get in my cooking-ness on Wednesdays."?
Bergen started cooking at a young age on her family's farm, making dinner for her parents when they came in from the field. She said she learned to cook from her mother and sister from the time she was old enough to reach over the counter, then began improvising, and by the time she was nine was making dinner for herself. She said she uses smell and texture to decide what belongs in each dish.
Desserts are her favorite type of dish to make, she said, because she cares about the finished appearance of her food and dessert has the most potential to be beautiful. ??
Olds Residence House Director Mary Cobb said she remembers Bergen baking frequently in Olds her freshman year.?
As far as meals go, though, Bergen will try almost anything. She lived for two years with Senior Kaitlin Ogborn, whose gluten and dairy allergies challenged Bergen's love for baking. Fortunately for both girls, they were able to find a gluten-free recipe for peanut butter cookies, and also recently discovered Betty Crocker's line of gluten-free products. ??
"A whole new world of gluten-free cooking just opened up!" Bergen said. ??
Bergen claims one last ingredient as the key to all her recipes. ??
"A word of advice," she said.
"You have to make everything with love. It makes everything taste better!"
She used to help her pastor's wife Tanya Briix make dinner for Bible study, but took over the cooking duties completely last semester while Briix was on bed rest. ?
"It's a joy to cook with her!" said Briix,whose husband Steve is the college and young adults pastor at Pine Ridge Bible Church.
"We work very well together in the kitchen."
While many people would be intimidated by the prospect of cooking for 30 people, Bergen said she appreciates the opportunity to be in the kitchen regularly since she has no kitchen in Koon Residence where she lives.
"It'd be nice if I had more time for cooking, maybe," she said.
"But I get in my cooking-ness on Wednesdays."?
Bergen started cooking at a young age on her family's farm, making dinner for her parents when they came in from the field. She said she learned to cook from her mother and sister from the time she was old enough to reach over the counter, then began improvising, and by the time she was nine was making dinner for herself. She said she uses smell and texture to decide what belongs in each dish.
Desserts are her favorite type of dish to make, she said, because she cares about the finished appearance of her food and dessert has the most potential to be beautiful. ??
Olds Residence House Director Mary Cobb said she remembers Bergen baking frequently in Olds her freshman year.?
As far as meals go, though, Bergen will try almost anything. She lived for two years with Senior Kaitlin Ogborn, whose gluten and dairy allergies challenged Bergen's love for baking. Fortunately for both girls, they were able to find a gluten-free recipe for peanut butter cookies, and also recently discovered Betty Crocker's line of gluten-free products. ??
"A whole new world of gluten-free cooking just opened up!" Bergen said. ??
Bergen claims one last ingredient as the key to all her recipes. ??
"A word of advice," she said.
"You have to make everything with love. It makes everything taste better!"
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