I think it was destined at birth for me to be the ultimate fall baby. Born on a blustering  Nov. 26 morning, my birthday, like many other babies in the Nov. 22 to 28 range, has blessed me with the chance to be crowned as the patron saint of Thanksgiving. With this beloved role, I seek to be the fitting image of comfort and warmth, or at least in the context of food that is. I find there is no greater joy than sharing food with others. From a hot meal to a quick snack, that bond and connection formed from a humble action that keeps us alive fills my heart and fuels my soul.

These overly-sentimental praises may seem hyperbolic, but they are truly ones that guide my life. In my family, food is a beacon that guides the way. My mom is a brilliant cook, she whips together dinners ranging from French onion soup to a perfectly balanced Mediterranean meal. From her I learned what good food tastes like, and how to turn a basic need for life into a package of love. Other Issaquah High students seem to mirror these sentiments, like senior Emma Gruby who says, “ Tina (Shigeyama, senior) and I have “Tea Time.” It’s an Instagram page and we’ve had it since freshman year, so it’s been a while. We are still really strong friends, and I think that’s been something where it really shows. She’s Japanese and I’m Irish-German, so it’s really fun to share recipes with each other… and it makes both of our lives a bit more special.”

Another way that food has made an impact on many people’s lives is in the beloved form of comfort food. For junior Mason Stewart, he describes the ultimate comfort food as being “something like ice cream, fluffy like marshmallows,” while freshman Bella Mitchell says, “It has to be something you had a lot as a child. Usually I think it’s something that your parents made for you, like when you were sick.” Ultimately, what guides the perfect comfort food is a heavy dosage of nostalgia and ingredients that are good for the soul, but often bad for the heart.

As the air has begun to carry a sharper chill, there is nothing nicer than being able to cozy up with a classic comfort food. Foods like cakes and sweets or mountains of cheese and potatoes are an instant cure to the cold. Because of this, I have put it upon myself to gather multiple recipes from students, and the reason why this food is so precious to them. So feel free to scroll through, and read till something catches your eye, and you can make it a reality.

Emma Gruby: “I got it from a friend’s mom, so it’s been in their family for a long time. When I first heard of the recipe, I was like, ‘It can’t be as good as my family’s cookies.’ But then we made them and they totally were!” Chocolate Chip Cookies

Bella Mitchell: “My dad has this really good meatloaf that he makes… It comes from his days living in the south, it has oats, meat, tomatoes, sausage, ketchup, and I would call it one of my comfort foods too.” Bella’s Meatloaf

Adam Hansen: “This is the only recipe my dad would let me share, but it’s still a great one.” Nancy’s Snickerdoodles

Mine: “I love baking bread. It really is just a soul healing experience. However, my second favorite part about baking bread is sharing the bread with someone else. I usually make a loaf every other month, split it into thirds and give a part of the loaf to some teachers. It is a nice way to stay connected.”

Crusty French Bread