Fro-Yophoria at Currier

BY NOW THE BUZZ has spread across campus, at least among those in touch with the culinary aspects of Harvard life. Currier House, long disparaged as the lowliest of houses, the Quaddest of the Quad, has recently acquired a frozen yogurt machine, sparking fits of jealousy among low-fat fanatics as well as less cal-conscious fans of soft desserts. Currier residents, like the first family on the block to get a color TV or a '57 Chevy, jump at any opportunity to express their pride. Chris Baker '96 goes so far as to predict that application to Currier house will experience a "drastic change" this year.

The fro-yo campaign was started by Zach Buchwald '96, who has since been elected House Committee Chair. "I love going to Temptations," he recounts, "but it's so far away." With the support of the House Committee, he talked to Dining Services director Mike Berry and orchestrated the purchase, at a bargain price, of a machine that the Bio-Labs Cafe was going to put in storage. The House Committee provided a small percentage of the funds and Dining Services paid the rest. "It's amazing how much you can accomplish just by talking to Mike Berry," says Buchwald with a modesty which softens the mythic aura surrounding this so-called "fro-yo czar."

Only weeks after its introduction, this much-anticipated fount of sweetness has already made a dent in the life of Currier residents. Its popularity is evidenced by the high consumption rate which, according to Currier Dining Hall Supervisor Charlie Lambert,averages about 15 gallons per day. More than justproviding a tasty desert, fro-yo has affectedCurrier life in subtler ways. With names asstimulating as "Blissful Banana," "RadicalRaspberry" and "Just Peachy"--or "Simply Vanilla"for the mild at heart--the daily changing of theflavors adds extra flair to mealtimes...andbedtime. "It's better [than ice cream] forspreading on bodies," says one junior. "You know,milky smooth." And, since you can pick either ofthe two flavors or swirl them together, one isgiven the perfect freedom of always having achoice but never being forced to choose.

The presence of frozen yogurt in the Curriercommunity, however, has had some negativeconsequences. In some cases, pride has turndedinto jealous territoriality. One tutor complainsthat other Quad residents come to Currier Housejust for dessert. "Let's kick them out!" hegrumbles, "or at least charge them a dollar."

Currier House's fro-yo experience can also beseen as a case study in the seductive power oftechnology, as revealed in the types of praisesome Currierites heap on "the machine." "Itprovides automatic gratification," says RashidaJones '97. "All you have to do is pull down thelever." Edward Shen '95 delights in the fact that"no matter what flavors they have, you can alwaysget that little twist in the yogurt when it comesout of the machine."

Have these individuals fallen prey to charminggimmicks and the appeal of efficiency, losingsight of the true gastronomic splendor of thedessert experience? What about the honest,rewarding work that goes into carving rock-solidice cream out of a bucket with a sticky scooper?If this seems hyperbolic, observe one student'ssuggestion that "Currier House should be renamed'Fro-Yo House,'" Casual joke or flagrant idolatry?The same student calls the process of servingfro-yo a "creative outlet; you get a chance tosculpt and relax at the end of your meal time."The simple act of trying to get a serpentine ropeof frozen desert to curl around the bottom of thedish seen as an act of aestheticexpression...Marjorie Garber, where are you?

Currier has not been completely overcome byfro-yo fervor; there are a few skeptics. CathyHultin '96 put chocolate frozen yogurt into hercoffee and observed that "it separated into twolayers. It makes you wonder what chemicals are init." Dan Grossman '95 refuses to believe thatfrozen yogurt contains no fat. And some peoplejust don't like the stuff; for thesetraditionalists, fortunately, there is still goodol' ice cream.

But for the most part, Currierites areunquestioningly loyal to their machine. Perhapsthe craze is nothing to be worried about; perhapsit is only a fad. Just remember: that's what theysaid about TV