Our Food Stories

King cake feels like a hug during the dreary days of mid-February. The crystallized, colorful sugar on top crunches under my teeth as the suspense builds up. Will I get the baby? Despite the fact that we live 1000 miles away from NOLA Mardi Gras has always been a tradition in my family.

The best meal I've had was my first night in Torre Alfina, Italy. After a full day of travel, I was ready for a home-cooked meal at the farm we stayed at. I ate heaps upon heaps of pasta, and I quickly learned the "scarpetta" tradition of scraping your plate clean with bread at the end of the meal.

My family heritage is Palestinian, and when my Tata cooks for my family, I feel connected with my culture through the rich, soothing flavors. The food carries more than just a taste; it symbolizes my family's strength and resilience. Food is like a second home for my family as it connects us all.

My grandmother always makes me chocolate strawberries. Whenever I get my hands on one, it tastes like my childhood summers spent at her house. The creamy chocolate and sickly sweet flavors dance on my tongue each time without fail.

My favorite food tradition is eating paella with my family for special occasions like Christmas and Easter. My grandpa on my mom's side is from Spain, so my dad learned to make paella when I was young and makes it at least twice a year ever since. Sharing it with friends and family is the best.

A dish that tastes like home to me is dosa, which is a savory crepe of South Indian origin. When eating the dish, we often accompany it with a chutney, my favorite being the peanut. Unlike a standard crepe, the dosa ranges from soft to crispy, crackling as easily as a chip, despite its soft texture.

My parents had a root cellar where they stored food from the garden: potatoes, strawberries, tomatoes, lettuce, carrots, beets, onions, green and yellow beans, peas, squash, parsely, rhubarb, and corn. They also had a grape arbor. Mom canned the food to store. We had a 1940 model Frigidaire.

My favorite meal is a classic Thanksgiving spread. My mother, an immigrant from Taiwan who was more comfortable cooking Chinese food, always made a full turkey dinner for Thanksgiving. In college, trips home meant a turkey dinner even outside Thanksgiving. It was a testament of her love for me.

My family heritage is mostly UK, so the food I grew up with was nourishing but bland. Putting black pepper on anything was a bold move. That's why I will never forget my first visit to the West Side market, in my early 20s. The sights and smells made me dizzy with joy!