Cultural Comfort Foods

CULTURAL Originally hailing from Lexington, Kentucky and then relocating to Arizona, Henderson understands the strong connection to home and how food can help students feel better at Cornell. COMFORT “Soul food is the food that I try to recreate on this campus for other people. Whether it’s Korean food, whether it’s soul food, whether it’s carribean food, I just try to provide those things FOODS on campus every once in a while for those students that might have those feelings or emotions attached to them.” People came from all over campus to my one dorm in Ujamaa food can change depending on who you ask. Since Cornellians come from all different backgrounds, I wanted explore comfort foods across different cultures and how Cornell students cook their comfort foods for others at Cornell to expose them to their cultures. As an African-American woman coming from Syracuse, New York, I had a wide range of food options across different cultures, such as fried chicken, collard green, mac and cheese, and candied yams coming from home. In Ithaca, it is hard to find restaurants that serve soul food, my comfort food. It is also difficult to find Caribbean restaurants and African restaurants. As a freshman on campus, I learned how to cook oxtails in my dorm’s kitchen. People came from all over the dorm to the kitchen to tell me how good the food smelled when I was cooking. Food draws people together and oxtails reminded me of home when I was missing family. During my freshman year here at Cornell, I learned quickly that students became their own personal chefs and cooked food themselves. Whether they sold plates of food to other individuals, or they incorporated it into their events, they created their comfort food out of their dorm kitchens to bring people together. William Henderson Cornell ‘22 in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences studying International Agriculture and Rural Development, has found a way to create his comfort food at Cornell by cooking it for himself and others. “Invested in my culture is that soul food, where I come from, it’s candied yams, collard greens, mac and cheese, fried chicken, and so many more,” said Henderson. “Everytime I see that food on a plate, instantly it clicks for me. This is home. This is comfort. This is me. This is why I feel that.” to have William’s carribean food, soul food, and more in By Aliyah Kilpatrick order to get a taste of their cultural comfort food. Clubs and organizations would also have William make food for them because they knew he would be able to create a sense of home

Home. Warmth. Family. Culture. The definition of comfort

“You have to have a little bit of heart, some form or emotion, or feeling connected to that movement,” said

for other students. Henderson. “I really see how much people love my food, and I love to feed people. I love seeing the smiles on their faces when they’re enjoying the meal I prepared for them.”

Henderson continues to cook, and he showcases his food on

his instagram page “@soulofthesouthcooking”.

PHOTO: Robert Brooks (food from Coin & Candor)

Many other clubs also provide food for others as well. For example, beef patties were made by the Haitian Students Association, jerk chicken was made by the Caribbean Students Association, and empanadas were made by the Dominican Students Association for welcome back to school meals.

Another student that enjoys cooking for her others at Cornell is Yomaris Hernandez Cornell ‘23, studying Sociology and Economics in the College of Arts and Sciences. For Hernandez food and comfort food is deeply ingrained in her culture.

“Food is a way you show love in my culture,” said Hernandez.

Coming from the Bronx to Ithaca, Hernandez decided to cook more of her comfort food here at Cornell for her and her friends. Her traditional Dominican foods such as rice, chicken and beans, cooking on campus mader her feel at home.

After only cooking for a year, after cooking for her friends Hernandez said it was a special experience. “It turned into a redefining moment, developing a hobby. I started to realize that people liked my food,” said Hernandez. Cooking on campus gave Hernandez a sense of home here at Cornell, whether it was sharing it with her friends or herself, it helped her create a home away from home.

PHOTO: Mimi Li (food from Simeon ’s on the Commons)

PHOTO: Mimi Li (food from Simeon ’s on the Commons) In the new world of the Covid-19 pandemic, more people are home. This means that they are cooking for themselves and their friends so that they can have comfort food outside of a dining hall.

They are cooking for each other in times of need to process grief, loss, and to bring themselves joy and happiness.

Now more than ever, I have seen an increase in appreciation for food and cooking.

I have used cooking as a way to express my love and appreciation to my family. When I came home from college for the first time, my family had me cook oxtails for them. Despite the hardships of a pandemic, it was a way to lift our spirits and have our own comfort food together, as family.