The first weeks of fall always seem to carry an air of relief. As students settle into their lives at Midd, it feels as though all things temporarily misplaced have suddenly been reclaimed. Along with yearnings for the magnificent landscape and warm atmosphere, there is yet another craving that can only truly be satisfied at Middlebury: its homemade granola. The “Granola Gang” (formerly known as the “Granola Girls”) is a student group that has provided Middlebury’s dining halls with fresh granola since the spring of 2008.
Shannon Engelman ’11 has been part of the project since its inception. During her freshman year, Middlebury stopped purchasing granola from a local vendor and gave student bakers a try. The switch, she said, saved the school over $20,000 per semester.
“Students were eating way too much,” said Abby Leathe ’11 with a laugh.
The students work afternoon shifts Sunday through Thursday. The magic happens in the Proctor bakery, where an endearingly tattered and syrup-stained recipe guides the team through the process. First, the dry ingredients, including 12 full gallons of oats, are mixed separately from the liquids, which are boiled together. The bakers then mix the entire batch by hand. Next, they load it onto 15 baking sheets in preparation for 40 minutes in the industrial oven, interrupted every 10 minutes for flipping. The result: 16 gallons of the sweet, nutty dining hall staple — and that’s just one day’s work.
Though a massive undertaking, granola production is a cherished part of daily life for the student bakers.
“We love it,” said Liana Fong ’11. “It’s the best job on campus you could possibly have.” The Gang has especially appreciated the opportunity to develop close relationships with the dining staff, sharing jokes and pulling pranks on a regular basis.
“It’s great to be able to meet different sorts of people in the community,” said Leathe. “You don’t really have that much interaction with the dining hall staff every day, so it’s nice to get the backstage pass.”
“And we’ve gotten stronger,” Fong added, bringing to mind the enormous cookware that could give some of Middlebury’s best athletes a workout.
For Engelman, who was already an avid baker in her free time, it was a win-win. Throughout her Middlebury career, she has helped to modify the recipe on occasion in response to commentary from the student body. She is glad to report that despite losing Gang members to study abroad programs and graduation, there has never been a shortage of enthusiasm for granola making. “We have to turn so many people away,” she said.
As the seniors prepare for their departure this spring, they hope to begin training new bakers shortly in order to facilitate a smooth transition into next year. With this legacy in place, it is safe to say that Midd kids will be looking forward to Proctor breakfast for many summers to come.
"Granola Gang" continues legacy
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