For our final issue of the Exponent for the 2014-15 school year—and my final issue as co-news editor before I graduate to greener pastures—our Editor in Chief, Sydney Stone, has been kind enough to allow me to fulfill my long time dream of publishing a dining column in which I review dishes served in the Strosacker Student Union.
I consider myself somewhat of an expert on the Union food, having eaten everything from the stir fry to the baked potato bar on countless occasions over the past four years (and long before Lang upped its game with Sushi Thursday’s).
Over a week’s time, I sampled several dishes from the dining hall and have chosen from the myriad menu items my personal favorite, of which I will offer a review. As the Union has implemented some important improvements this year, I finally feel the hallmark dining establishment of the Baldwin Wallace student body can bear the weight of a stringent and honest critique.
Without further ado, I give you the first and last of Jacket Kuisine with Kayse Schmucker.

Stack-a-bowl:4/5Buzzes
This long-time fan favorite, served at the East Grand Grill station on Mondays (now only available during the lunch hours of 11:00 am and 2:45 pm), is a complex combination of flavor and texture, varying depending on the customizable components.
For my dining experience, I went with the whole nine yards—whipped mashed potatoes, popcorn chicken, corn and gravy, all topped with shredded cheddar cheese.
I’ll admit, I have consumed a fair share of Stack-a-bowls in my time here, but each experience with this particular dish is like a snowflake and a box of chocolates all rolled into one—unique and unpredictable.On this specific occasion, East Grand Grill having died down after the lunch rush, the Stack-a-bowl was a bit of a mixed bag.
With a new batch hot and fresh out the kitchen as R. Kelly intended, each piece of popcorn chicken was  well-seasoned and crisp on the outside, tender on the inside (which, admittedly, is not always the case if you hit the Grill at a bad time).
Unfortunately, the potatoes and gravy left something to be desired. The supply was running low, leaving the two crucial staples of the dish lukewarm. Fresh gravy, in particular, would have provided the extra heat to give the cheese the proper melting temperature, giving the dish the versatility in texture that it deserves.
The final, most dependable element of the dish, provided the satisfying bite to the Stack-a-bowl, effectively putting the “corn” in “cornerstone.”
So how does the Stack-a-bowl stack up against the competition? As far as Stack-a-bowls go, it was only slightly above average, thanks to the freshness of the chicken. But in terms of the overall experience when checked against the other dishes offered in the Union, it receives a commendable four out of five Buzzes. The dish would benefit from more consistency in its ingredients, but as a hearty meal (if not necessarily healthy), it is a tasty success.