Illini 411: What was the medieval-looking place that served wassail at Christmastime?
Question courtesy of Rachel Kapelski, MMUS ’98
Etc. Coffeehouse located in the Wesley Foundation building in Urbana. (Image by Ryan A. Ross) Question courtesy of Rachel Kapelski, MMUS ’98
A: For many years, wassail was a speciality of Etc. Coffeehouse, the cozy hangout spot inside the Late Gothic Revival, decidedly medieval-looking Wesley Foundation, at the corner of Green and Goodwin in Urbana. According to a Daily Illini article, the Etc.’s hot, cinnamony, delicious concoction was an old, secret recipe, and the students who volunteered there were not allowed to see how it was made. Along with wassail, Etc. patrons could purchase cookies, the cheese dip Ortz, coffee, tea, hot chocolate and lemonade, all on a student budget.
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