Nicky Demitry ‘26, Andrew Allard ‘25
Law Weekly Royalty
As the Law School’s premier source of bad advice, the Law Weekly has some thoughts about how you should spend this finals season. Most law students, unlike other wild animals, do not hibernate through the winter. Nourishment is crucial during these stressful and (ordinarily) chilly months. As such, the very worst thing you can do is work on your outline, which nourishes neither your body nor your soul, and only barely nourishes your mind. Instead, we recommend making these low-effort, high-reward recipes for when hunger strikes, but inspiration escapes you. We hope they’ll support you through the final push of the fall semester!
“White Boy” Pho
• Beef stock
• Spice mix (star anise, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, coriander)
• Noods
• Shaved beef
• Optional (mandatory) accoutrements: cilantro, jalapeños, Thai basil, limes
UVA Law students love to talk stocks, so why not slurp on a good beef stock? This recipe is worse than true pho in almost every single way. But don’t let that fool you! This is a cheap, quick, and tasty alternative to takeaway from…where does one get pho in Charlottesville?[1]
The recipe for white boy pho is simple. Simmer your stock in a small pot with the spice mix to infuse. Be sure to inhale repeatedly. This isn’t part of the recipe, but once you smell the aroma, you’ll understand. I recommend using a high-quality beef stock (veggie broth if you love the planet or whatever).
If, like me, you want to lean into procrastination, you can make a beef stock yourself. And if you make a large batch, you can reduce it to a thick liquid, pour it into an ice cube tray, and have ready-to-go beef stock cubes in the freezer. Life hack?!
However you get your beef on, while the stock is simmering, prepare your noods. Rice noodles are the classic choice, here. They also cook quickly, which makes them a good option for this simple approach. But feel free to use whatever noodles you have on hand. This is already a highly adulterated product—I’m not really in a position to judge you.
We’re nearly done. For assembly, place your noodles in a bowl and top with some of your shaved beef, cilantro, and whatever other add-ins you’re using.[2] Using a strainer to remove the spices, pour the simmering stock into your bowl. Be sure that the stock is hot enough to cook your shaved beef. If you’re afraid of undercooked meat,[3] you can fish out the spices from your pot and cook the beef directly in the stock before transferring to your bowl.
Serve immediately. I like mine with some lime wedges, sliced jalapeños, and Thai basil. But again, not here to judge. Happy slurping!
Non-Recipe Recipes
I resent the implication that I will put together an actual recipe during this time. Here are my contributions regardless, and the only important recipe here is that they’re a recipe for success.
Stress Meal 1: the european
Glass of wine, 45 bar olives, 7 pieces manchego cheese
Stress Meal 2: homegrown
Annie’s mac and cheese, full stop. Optional mods: add tomato soup in with cheese when pasta is cooked. Don’t knock it. Alternately, get microwavable frozen broccoli/other veggies and add them in at the end. Health.
Stress Meal 3: if everything else went wrong today, at least I ate this
Soup dumplings from Trader Joe’s
Stress Meal 4: nostalgia
Tortilla or bread, peanut butter, banana slices, mini chocolate chips, drizzle honey
Stress Meal 5: quick nostalgia
Spoon (or fork) and jar of peanut butter
---
tya2us@virginia.edu
ncd8kt@virginia.edu