Sophomores Alexa Mahabeer (left) and Sarah Relos (right) share some of their homemade traditional food with the rest of their fellow students during a Spanish celebration, while sophomore Lexie Simpson (center) brings milk to top it all off. Photo by: Elizabeth Gallardo

By Elizabeth Gallardo

From Australia all the way to America, food is made in many different ways but the best kind of food can be found at one’s home where it can be shared with the family.

Senior Mai Takeuchi said she makes “miso soup, white rice, natto, sushi and, okonomi-yaki” when she is with her family at home. When food is shared with the family, it can bring joy to certain individuals as they come together and make traditional meals. Junior Stephanie Boyle said, “some traditional food that we make during Thanksgiving [is] homemade pumpkin pie. We bake gingerbread men [and] Christmas tree shaped cookies. Basically we just bake yummy desserts as traditions.”

Traditional food can range about anywhere from fried plantains to tres leches cake. No matter what it is, it is  something to share with friends and family. Photo By: Isabelle Miller

Each traditional meal that is created could have been passed down in order to keep the tradition alive. Boyle said that the pumpkin pie and the Christmas cookies were “handed [down] from generation to generation through the family.” Sophomore Alexa Mahabeer said, “[pumpkin roll recipe] came from someone way back in the day long before I was born.” For others it is a start of a new tradition. Freshman Travis Owen said, “the first time my mom made sticky rice we all enjoyed it very much and now she makes it at least twice a week.” As time goes on, the meals that are made within the family can grow by combining old and new traditional meals.

By creating a certain meal that was taught by someone, it may bring them closer together. Owen said, “As I share this experience with my close family members, like my mom and dad, it makes me feel like I am building a closer relationship with them.” For Takeuchi it was her mother that taught her how to make ozouni, which is a certain kind of soup that she and her mother make during New Year’s Day in Japan. Not only can this meal be shared with family, but as well as friends. Mahabeer says that she shares the pumpkin roll recipe that her grandma taught her to her friends. By sharing the different kinds of traditional food with the people they love, it can sure bring a smile to their face.