Comfort Food

Before eating, always take a little time to thank the food.
--American Indian Proverb

When it comes to food, I generally make healthy decisions. I've always been particularly fond of vegetables and fruits, and I will mindlessly eat celery in much the same way as some people down potato chips. But there are times when food is no longer just food. It takes on the role of the familiar friend, and we eat not only to sate our hunger, but to reconnect to a memory or a sensation of happiness. Comfort foods can be dangerous stuff, especially since many are loaded with calories and fat. That having been said, I will still go for my old familiar favorites when I feel nostalgic.

The picture above is one of the classic cold-weather foods of my childhood: Grilled cheese and tomato soup (yes, I took a picture of my dinner and yes, I have purple plates). There was a bit of a twist in this version, since I used pepperjack cheese instead of American, but the feeling was the same. The warmth of the soup was deeper than just the physical sensation; I was remembering cold winter afternoons spent building snow forts with my brothers, or exploring the ice mounds on the shores of Lake Erie. It hasn't snowed yet this year, and we hardly had any snow at all last month. I wanted grilled cheese and tomato soup because I really want it to snow. I enjoy having four seasons, and I am a bit disturbed by this unusually warm winter, but I digress. I am wandering off topic.

My comfort foods all have a deep connection to my childhood, and I have no doubt that this is the case for most people. When I miss Mom, I make tuna noodle casserole or meatloaf; when I miss Dad, I go out for Texas hots or a McDonald's sundae. I crave sauerkraut and German potato salad when I think of my paternal grandparents, holiday punch and turkey when I think of Mom's parents. Macaroni and cheese, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and home-made soup are all foods I turn to when I think of home.

Oddly enough, there is only one sweet that is on my comfort food list--fresh-baked gingerbread with warm vanilla pudding. I enjoy chocolate, particularly the bittersweet dark varieties, but there is nothing quite like this dessert. The whole experience is filled with memories. The scent of the baking gingerbread pulls me back to the days when Mom was teaching me how to cook. Stirring the pudding reminds me of cooking experiments that included such disasters as burned peanut brittle and a flour-water-marshmallow mix that my mother dutifully tasted (I was four at the time). When I eat this dessert, I am back in my parents' living room, sitting in front of the fireplace and dreaming up the confused fantasy adventures that only a child can comprehend.

I wrote this blog to share my list of comfort foods, so now I'd like to pose a question to you: What are your comfort foods and what memories do they hold? You might be pleasantly surprised by what you discover.

--Gaia_song