When the Southside Café, formerly Rotunda dining center, opens in mid-March, it will feature a new Silo sandwich — a 5-inch tower of bread filled with a variety of meats, cheeses and vegetables that sells for $5-$7.WSU dining services wanted to develop a sturdy sandwich that could hold juicy meats, grilled vegetables and dressings without leaking or spilling.
Sustainability also was a goal. Silos are made with flour from Shepherd’s Grain — an alliance of eastern Washington farmers who practice sustainable agriculture.
Norma Espy, bakery supervisor, above, holds a loaf that will yield two Silo sandwiches, something like the one pictured below. (Photos courtesy of Dining Services)
The name and ridged outside shape of the Silo are intended to reflect the agriculture of the Palouse region.
The sandwich has been featured in Food Service Director magazineat www.fsdmag.com/index.phpoption=com_content&task=view&id=105459, and an article is planned in Restaurantand Institutions magazine.
How-to guide
A Silo is made from half of a ridged, tube-shaped loaf of bread. A cylinder inserted in the cut end of each half scoops out bread, which can be used later for croutons or cinnamon-sugar bites.
Ingredients are placed on a food chopping mat, which is rolled tight and inserted into the hollow in the bread. The ingredients are tapped out and the mat removed.
To eat a Silo, you gently squeeze it into an oval until you can get your mouth around it. Silos are eaten from the top down, somewhat like an ice cream cone.
Southside grand opening March 17
The Southside Cafe, formerly Rotunda dining center, is newly remodeled and will open for dinner Sunday, March 16, and for grand opening celebrations on Monday, March 17. It is the largest of WSU Pullman’s three dining centers. The others are Northside and Hillside.
A recent photo, above, shows the progress being made on renovation of the Southside Cafe. Find more photos at www.cpd.wsu.edu, then click on “CPD projects.” Also view a slide show by WSU Today intern David Arseneault at www.wsutoday.wsu.edu and search “Southside.”
Cuisine stations, or “platforms,” at Southside will include
• Stonewall Pizza – pizza, pasta, hot open face sandwiches.
• Big Cat Grill – burgers, chicken, grilled sandwiches, fries.
• Crimson Bake Shop and Deli – cakes, pies, cookies, wrap sandwiches and the new Silo sandwich.
• Chef’s Creations – breakfast, home-style entrées, international cuisines, carvery.
• Fields of Greens – two salad bars, soup, bread.
• Big Cat Grill – burgers, chicken, grilled sandwiches, fries.
• Crimson Bake Shop and Deli – cakes, pies, cookies, wrap sandwiches and the new Silo sandwich.
• Chef’s Creations – breakfast, home-style entrées, international cuisines, carvery.
• Fields of Greens – two salad bars, soup, bread.
