Photo Credit via Pixabay
(From left to right, clockwise) Soft, buttery mashed potatoes in a bowl. (Pic 2) Freshly baked chicken pot pie. (Pic 3) Baked mac and cheese with a layer of
crispy breadcrumbs on top. (Pic 4) Oven baked ham with a sweet glaze on top to bring out more of the flavor.
Marc Bain
Contributing Writer
Holiday season is right around the corner, and although seeing family and friends is the key to the holidays, there is no better way to celebrate It than having your favorite foods at the table.
Food is a central part of many holidays, but it is especially significant around this time of the year. Whether it’s a long-lasting family recipe, or just something found on the internet, the dishes made around this time are something to be shared with the people you love.
Food can vary from family to family, and different backgrounds can have signature dishes during their holiday season.
We decided to interview some ESU students and see what holiday dishes their favorites were and what they were excited to eat over break.
Junior Danielle Stoll, a biology major from Milford, Pa, shared with us that her favorite dish is mashed potatoes because “it’s the one time of the year I get to see my grandmother and it’s a tradition for us to make them together. We each take turns doing different parts of the cooking.” Mashed potatoes seemed to be a fan favorite among students, as several others also stated that their favorite dish is mashed potatoes.
Junior Kate Walton, a psychology major from Scranton, Pa, also told us that her favorite holiday dish is mashed potatoes because “my mom only makes mashed potatoes around the holidays, so it is something I look forward to it every year since it’s the only time I’ll get them.
Senior Liliana Macotela, a physical education major from Edison, N.J, shared one of her favorite holiday dishes is a signature pot pie that her aunt makes.
She stated how “My aunt takes all the leftover dishes from everyone and bakes into a pot pie that is so good. It’s nice because it’s not something you typically think about around the holidays but for me, I always look forward to it.”
Senior Jordyn Reid, a social work major also from Edison, said that one of her favorite holiday dishes is baked mac and cheese. She said it’s her favorite because it’s something she makes herself for her family every year around the holidays and she loves the cheesiness of it.
Junior Lily Li, an education major also from Edison, shared that her favorite holiday dish is ham because “my mom makes it every year and is a really good cook, so it’s nice to go home to such a nice home cooked meal with my family.”
It is clear to see that with almost all of these dishes, there comes a special tradition or bond attached to it. All students were able to share what these foods mean to them and how they impact their holidays.
Many dishes involve a deeper meaning and students were able to show the background about why these dishes are their favorite.
The holiday season is the perfect time to come together with friends and family and gives students the opportunity to enjoy these dishes that many wait all year to enjoy again.
