By Kaitlyn Ngo, Zion Zhou, and Madison Bullard
Since the beginning of time, our brains have coded food into a way to continue existing. But in this modern age, food isn’t just for survival. Food is something more. Food is comfort.
Comfort food shouldn’t be confused with safe food. Safe food, as Daisy Angeles, James Logan freshman, describes it, is “something that, the moment [you] see on the menu, [you’re] like… well, if [you] can’t find anything else, [you’ll] go back to that.”
But comfort food is something else, not completely different, but still distinct: a meal, a snack, or a type of food that is inherently safe and always brings joy. It’s something that you reach for after a particularly hard day. When you get it, a real smile is on your face.
Kaitlyn: To start off, Cup ramen was a classic in my own household: simple, comforting, seven-year-old me. You could get a pack of 24 chicken-flavored cups of noodles at Costco for ten dollars (recent prices), microwave a cup of water, or put the water in the cup and microwave IF it says it’s microwaveable, (from personal experience, it might just make it explode), and boom! A quick, fulfilling meal or snack that’s been great since I was young, it’s easily a 7.9 (not the healthiest, but still delicious!)
Madi: Throughout my childhood, pho was the thing my mom made when I felt sad or I just needed some extra comfort, so it just resonates as a comfort food for me. You can get pho from Pho Mama, Pho 99, etc. The nice warm broth and noodles make you feel warm inside, and they can remind you of warmth and comfort. With many different types of pho, the meat, broth, and noodles all combine to create a delicious soup. I would rate this a 100/10 because it’s amazing.
Zion: Ice cream is probably the best dessert to eat when the weather is hot, and can still be enjoyed when it’s cold. The ingredients are very simple, and there are more toppings and flavors you can choose with ice cream than with any other dessert. It’s just a simple, cold, and sweet dessert that could cool off the heat and your stress. I would rate this 9.9/10 for having perfect flavors and varieties. You can get ice cream at Baskin-Robbins, Coldstone, or trucks that come in front of the school.
Kaitlyn: Creamy, rich sauce with a zing, al dante noodles, and perfectly tender shrimp. Alfredo pasta is famous and is great in its own right. However, shrimp scampi is the equivalent of its cooler older sibling. While the sauces are similar, shrimp scampi isn’t so cheesy that it makes you tired of eating it. Shrimp Scampi is lighter, simpler, and easier to make and eat. What’s not to love? A good place to get Shrimp Scampi is near James Logan at Baldie’s Cafe, or you could try making it on your own with a recipe (Allrecipes on YouTube has a good one!) Overall, I’d rate it a solid 8.5/10.
Madi: A popular snack, especially for the Colts, popcorn chicken and boba go hand in hand with each other; a combo rivaling the likes of PB and J. Now this meal is a favorite of many, and with this simple salty and sweet treat, it’s perfect for a hangout with friends, and it brings memories of happiness and friendship. Crispy chicken and a cold, refreshing sip of milk tea to wash it all down, it’s a great combo, and I rate this a 8.67/10. Popular places to get this combo are places like Green Bubble and CAFE:iN.
Zion: Gumbo is a soup or a stew tied to southern culture, being the official food of Louisiana. The taste is quite complex and is not easy to describe, but it would definitely give a new, unique taste for anyone who has never tried it before. There are many different varieties of gumbo, and the one we specifically tried was the seafood gumbo, but you could also have a chicken or sausage version instead. The seafood gumbo we tried was absolutely amazing, with the rich and savory flavors making it the perfect complement to the seafood, served with rice. I would rate this 10/10 for having the perfect combination of taste, with great varieties, and high cultural significance as a comfort food. Gumbo was a standout dish and is one of the best foods we reviewed. I recommend anyone who has never tried Gumbo to give it a try.
Madi: Rice. One of the simplest things to make. The key component for plenty of dishes, the perfect side dish. To some, however, rice is not only a side dish, but a full meal. The simplicity of it is one of its greatest qualities, and it’s very easy to make. Overall, it’s a plain meal, but it brings comfort and familiarity to anyone who eats it. An easy 7/10 rating for this dish.
For every dish we reviewed, there are hundreds more. Comfort food is the way we connect and find warmth when we are sad or just need a break. Finding good food for a depressing day is important. Overall, all these comfort foods were delicious and the perfect meal for when you needed a calming and happy snack.
