I love baking, so I immediately volunteered to help prepare the olive oil cake. I had never made this kind of cake before, so I was intrigued. The hand mixer sent clouds of flour billowing into the air. I quickly realized that the hand mixer setting was perhaps a little too high, as we soon had to dodge projectile cake batter. In another corner, other guests were hard at work making a salad, while flour was being poured on a table to inevitably start the pasta.  

Once the cake had been slid into the oven and a timer had been set, I made my way to the pasta station. I had attempted homemade pasta back during lockdown in 2020, but I had never used a pasta cutter machine like this! Nichi expertly kneaded the pasta dough, which seconds before had been a pile of flour with raw eggs sitting on top. After many folds, kneads, and sprinkles of flour, it was ready for the pasta cutter.

Everyone “ooh”-ed as we saw the first strands of pasta come out the other side. As we grappled with the pasta roller, the scent of cake started wafting around the room. I peeked into the oven and was shocked to see how tall the cake had risen, high above the top of the pan. Poached pears and whipped cream were being made to accompany the cake, and I knew the juxtaposition of juicy fruit and fluffy cake would be delectable. 

The window was letting in a chilly breeze, necessary to combat the heat from Columbia’s incessant radiators and the oven working overtime. The chatter and excitement grew as the courses got closer to completion. After an hour or so, we had more than enough pasta draped on a handy pasta-drying rack. We carefully brought it to the kitchen, where Nichi took charge boiling it and whipping up a creamy lemon sauce.

Finally, the time came to eat our creations. We started with a french bistro salad. I’ll admit, I’m not usually a salad fan, but I found that the combination of parsley, tarragon, and pickled shallots was perfectly complemented by a simple lemon-olive oil dressing. Next was the pasta - “pasta al limone,” to be specific. I was unsure of how I would find lemon and cheese together, but it exceeded my expectations. I envision this dish as a perfect summer meal - light, refreshing, but still rich from the cheese and cream. Of course, anything will taste better if you yourself made it, and this was no exception. We all savored the noodles we had helped roll and prepare, but considering the considerable time it took, I am sure store-bought would be perfectly satisfying as well. 

The olive oil cake ended the night with a sweet bite. The cake had formed a crisp crust all around it, but the inside was fluffy. Warm poached pears and homemade whipped cream elevated each plate so much, I swear they could have been on the cover of a magazine. We also had a surprising realization: Jonah Reider, a 2016 Columbia graduate and current chef and food writer, had held supper clubs in the exact apartment we were now cooking in. Talk about a full circle moment. Besides just eating, prompts were read out loud, and we all got to know each other a bit - favorite concerts, the best meal we’ve ever had, and more. To the latter, I said anything that my parents make. Similarly, Nichi decided on anything that his mom makes.

The dinner was served on paper plates, followed by a cardboard box of forks sent around the table. Some may raise eyebrows at the cutlery, which obviously did not match the effort we put into the meal, but I think it was a perfect juxtaposition. After all, we are all only college students. Even though the plates weren’t the world’s finest china, the meal was made with heart in a dorm full of laughter. What could be more delicious than that?

Cecelia Fatta is a sophomore in Columbia College majoring in Neuroscience and Behavior. Hailing from West Virginia (not Virginia), she loves baking, jump rope, and traveling. She hopes to pursue a career in food science or sustainable agriculture.