Cuisine class takes field trip to Independence Square

As+Ms.+Kathy+Stock+listens+in%2C+Seniors+Jayden+Richardson+and+Shannon+Jefferies+talk+about+the+glazed+donut+soda+Richardson+chose.+It%E2%80%99s+the+newest+flavor+Polly%E2%80%99s+Pop+offers%2C+developed+in+collaboration+with+Donutology.+The+International+Cuisine+class+spent+the+day+on+the+Independence+Square+visiting+food+businesses.

As Ms. Kathy Stock listens in, Seniors Jayden Richardson and Shannon Jefferies talk about the glazed donut soda Richardson chose. It’s the newest flavor Polly’s Pop offers, developed in collaboration with Donutology. The International Cuisine class spent the day on the Independence Square visiting food businesses.

Story by Joel Huntebrinker, Editor/Reporter

International Cuisine students visited Polly’s Pop and the City Market on Oct. 5 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. International Cuisine teacher Kathy Stock finds the trip valuable.

“This is the seventh year we’ve gone to Polly’s Pop and the City Market,” Stock said. “It’s local so, it’s a lot cooler.”

Polly’s Pop is a local soda bottling company founded in 1923. It was shut down in 1967 and reopened in 2016. Polly’s Pop uses old fashioned equipment to bottle it’s craft soda made with cane sugar.

Plant production manager Michael Hahn gave students a tour of the bottling facility, describing the process and history of Polly’s Pop. Hahn let them take a free bottle of soda at the end of the tour.

Before heading to the City Market, Senior Zarec Waggoner chose a bottle of Rootbeer, one of twelve flavors Polly’s Pop offers.

“I would rather drink it than most sodas but I don’t drink soda very often,” Waggoner said.

After touring Polly’s Pop they rode in street cars to the City Market. Senior Jessica Jones has been to the City Market before and was excited to return again.

“I’ve been to the market maybe once or twice besides the trip, but I love it,” Jones said. ”I’ll definitely go again.”

The City Market has been running since 1847 with 30 merchants operating year round and is well known for local produce and diverse restaurants.

“My group and I ate at Taste of Brazil, I had a churro and thought it was good,” Waggoner said. “We also ate at Burrito Brothers. It’s like Chipotle.”

The only change to the International Cuisine field trip Jones would prefer is more time.

“I’d change the amount of time we had,” Jones said, “I felt really rushed throughout the whole trip.

International Cuisine is a semester long class that gives students a taste of foods from around the world. The class is in the senior hallway in room nine and is offered to students who have taken Nutrition and Wellness one and two.