Whether it is just to provide sustenance, food is life. During the winter season, many cultures celebrate food, especially dishes of comfort. Some do have influential significance, while others developed their popularity from hardships or not so convenient times and just simply became a favorite. Here are a few of the Connection Editorial Staff’s favorite winter cultural food selections.

Ramen

Arguably the BEST comfort food with a rich broth and curly noodles, ramen is a Japanese cuisine that has become a favorite to all broke college students. Originating in 1800s China, the wheat-noodle based soup traveled with Chinese immigrants to Japan, which was adapted into the ramen we know today. The soup, however, did not become a staple food until the second World War and was coined as a working class meal to aid in surviving the food rationing system then. Common flavors include soy sauce and miso with toppings such as nori, scallions, a soft boiled egg, sliced pork, etc. Ramen received another adaptation in 1958; “instant ramen” made from cheap ingredients and was super inexpensive, but filling. 

Yule Moon Spell Cookies

Yule Moon Spell Cookies are crescent moon cookies that Pagans make to celebrate and bring in the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year. Most use these cookies to bring in wishes or serve them on an offering plate to their ancestors. Moon cookies are simplistically delicious, usually made with lemon zest and lots of butter. They are close to a shortbread and covered with confectioners’ sugar. The beautiful part of moon cookies is the room for individual interpretation. There are no boundaries to the creativity of making Yule moon cookies. 

Cannoli

A Cannoli is a beautiful and flavorful fried pastry that many Italians bake to celebrate incredibly special occasions, such as holidays or weddings. A Cannoli pastry is filled with a delicious, sweet cream filling and is usually garnished with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar and mini chocolate chips. A Cannoli can be garnished with whatever delightful treats the baker chooses, as it is really the fried pastry and sweet cream filling that steals the show. Enjoying a Cannoli is a wonderful way to enjoy and celebrate a holiday. 

Chocolate Brownie Trifle

A Chocolate Brownie Trifle can make an excellent once-a-year type of dessert that can be a lovely treat at the end of a holiday meal. These desserts are English in origin and made up of multiple layers, ingredients and variations of sweet things. The chocolate brownie trifle is first built on a layer of rich brownie spread around the outline of the container, making a base for the rest of the dessert. Layered above the brownie is a creamy chocolate pudding, complemented by another layer of whipped cream above it. The layers continue until reaching the very top of the container, where the decadent dessert is finished off with a few chocolate shavings to complete the delicious creation.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Nothing beats a warm hearty bowl of chicken noodle soup to thaw you out from the cold weather. Chicken Noodle Soup originated in Southeast Asia approximately ten thousand years ago and has continued to be a staple of culinary intuition to this day. Making chicken noodle soup takes anywhere from thirty minutes with store bought broth to a few hours if you’re making your own chicken broth. On the other hand, you can always go with the tried and true canned chicken noodle soup, a common favorite for college students on a time and financial budget.

Totino’s Pizza Rolls

There’s no doubt that the best comfort food is Totino’s pizza rolls. Originating in 1930’s New Jersey, pizza rolls are bite-sized pockets filled with pizza-like toppings. There are a variety of different flavors, including the most popular, cheese and pepperoni. They can be found in the frozen section at the grocery store, and are incredibly easy to prepare. Arguably, the best way to make them is to bake them in the oven, but if in a hurry or out of desperation you can use the microwave. 

Mac n Cheese

Ahhhh Mac n Cheese… Arguably the best pasta meal. This traditional Italian dish is curated in the saucepan first then the cheese casserole is baked to perfection in the oven. As a mac and cheese connoisseur, it is well known that the type of cheese you use is so crucial. The smell of mac and cheese perfectly wraps up the holiday season. 

Rice with Ground Lamb

Sometimes it’s just a family favorite recipe that is passed down through the generations that provides comfort such as rice with ground lamb. The dish is a winter favorite and enjoyed typically on Christmas day. It consists of white rice, vermicelli noodles, pine nuts, ground lamb, seasonings and topped with a yogurt sauce. They say that once someone is gone, their dish never tastes the same. Every year though, each generation gets a bit closer to perfecting the dish. It’s a piece of family history you can never forget.