During finals week I was really craving a cinnamon roll from Windsor. Since I am an out of state student, I knew I would be separated from them for a while. Being back home for a couple of weeks has caused me to reflect on one of the times, back in January, when I was able to eat a Windsor cinnamon roll.
The cinnamon rolls were always a good decision -- even when their size was unpredictable (like that one time when they were significantly smaller than usual). Most people do not opt to have a cinnamon roll for lunch, but Windsor welcomes the occasion. In my book, Windsor’s signature cinnamon roll ranks as a close second to the notorious Cinnabon cinnamon roll.
Walking into the dining court, the faint scent of dish soap and cinnamon greeted me. Depending on which area I walked through, the dining court gave off scents of fruits, spices, yogurt, peppers, hot dogs, and French fries. The occasional clattering of dishes to the floor gave a slow and irregular beat to every meal. The soft roar of friends sharing stories about their holiday breaks merged with the early eighties music playing throughout the rooms.
Once I picked my cinnamon roll out of the bunch, it looked a tad dry at some points and was freckled with spots of cinnamon spice. The roll itself gave off a light doughy scent with a touch of cinnamon, of course. Because the roll had been untouched since I plucked it out of the batch, the edges had hardened a little, but the inside remained soft and fluffy. The baking cup peeled off very easily and as I began to unravel the cinnamon roll, the inner sides revealed a sticky cinnamon sauce.
Although the outer edges of the cinnamon roll were dry and chewy, the inner edges of the roll were smooth and soft. The cinnamon roll offered plenty of flavor and a very appetizing smell.
In the end, the dish soap smell that comes along with visits to the dining courts was unpleasant mixed with the scents of all the different foods once I walked in. But as usual, the cinnamon roll did not upset. Even if the sides were a little hardened, once I began to unravel the dessert, it increasingly improved, revealing a gooey and warm center that made up for the initial disappointment.
The cinnamon rolls give Windsor that special extra something that gives meat eaters a reason to visit the dining court with the least meaty options. The cinnamon rolls are a delicacy that should be treasured every seemingly random time the bakers decide what will be on the menu.
