Get your grub on

Let's get technical for a second: You don't actually have to go to class. You don't have to do your laundry. You don't have to go to Wilson, you don't have to cut your hair and you don't have to be nice to your roommate.

I mean, you should do all these things. We would like you to do those things. But you don't have to.

You do, however, have to eat. And drink.

Hence our first-ever food and drink issue, devoted solely to the festive repasts that Durham and its less glorious neighbors have to offer.

Whet your appetite on page 19 with our indispensible, completely biased guide to restaurants and bars. And since college kids aren't exactly dying to know which Triangle chophouse serves the best aged Kobe, TV explored area restaurants based on our 18-to-24-tailored categories. Bleary-eyed after a rough bender? Ease your pain with a place from our list of "Best Hungover Brunch" joints. In the mood to woo the girl next to you in Spanish class? Tempt her with dinner at one of our "Best First Date" locales, where candlelit ambience can at least help boost your cause.

And speaking of happy endings, senior writer Saidi Chen profiles a Duke alum whose specialty is the happiest of endings-dessert. Thirty-two-year old Will Goldfarb has made a name for himself in hot culinary circles for reinventing the post-meal tradition. Chen sat down with him at his New York café to talk about how his college years down South shaped his palate.

Finally, our cover piece this month takes an academic look at a decidedly un-academic, but wholeheartedly collegiate, topic-beer. Writers Sean Moroney and Lauren Kobylarz take us into the world of home-brewing, a hobby that captivates students and professors alike.

Bon appetit!