To many, it would mean food which is quintessentially casual and unfussy, perhaps what we call ghar ka khana. It may also connote food that may be filling and induces a feeling of satiation and contentment. For me though, the definition that has the greatest resonance is in a book by
one of the great international cookery writers and broadcasters, Nigella Lawson. In ‘Nigella Bites’, she writes, “If I am being honest, for me all food is comfort food, but there are times when you need a bowlful of something hot or a slice of something sweet just to make you feel that the world is a safer place. We all get tired, stressed, sad or lonely and this is the food that soothes.” In her chapter on comfort food, Nigella includes traditional favourites like mashed potatoes, salmon fish cakes, chicken soup and rice pudding. In doing so, and in including dishes that are really identified with school and childhood, in effect nursery food, she had hit upon something.
Comfort food is a state of mind. All food to a greater or lesser extent induces some measure of comfort. In this respect, comfort food is the opposite; it is food to be eaten for the sake of comfort and not to give you a size eight figure.
For many, there is a tendency to rebel against these new notions of food and a desire to recall the simplicities of the past when there was food and special occasion food such as that served at festivals and weddings. There was no desire to taste Beluga caviar with a glass of Krug, those decadent tastes were reserved to a few highly westernized families.
For the baby boomers, the generation born after Independence, memories stretch back to a golden era when the sole criterion to judge a dish was its taste.
Often the food recalled was the food served at home or at school, a simple dal, a spicy chicken curry, food shared and enjoyed with family around a table,
such is the stuff of nostalgia and memories of times past, it is to these memories that we return and the food we call comfort food is not only delicious but comforting as well, in that it recalls happy times and an innocent past.
Comfort food is in essence gastronomic nostalgia.
SOURCE FEMINA MAGAZINE feb 2007
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one of the great international cookery writers and broadcasters, Nigella Lawson. In ‘Nigella Bites’, she writes, “If I am being honest, for me all food is comfort food, but there are times when you need a bowlful of something hot or a slice of something sweet just to make you feel that the world is a safer place. We all get tired, stressed, sad or lonely and this is the food that soothes.” In her chapter on comfort food, Nigella includes traditional favourites like mashed potatoes, salmon fish cakes, chicken soup and rice pudding. In doing so, and in including dishes that are really identified with school and childhood, in effect nursery food, she had hit upon something.
Comfort food is a state of mind. All food to a greater or lesser extent induces some measure of comfort. In this respect, comfort food is the opposite; it is food to be eaten for the sake of comfort and not to give you a size eight figure.
For many, there is a tendency to rebel against these new notions of food and a desire to recall the simplicities of the past when there was food and special occasion food such as that served at festivals and weddings. There was no desire to taste Beluga caviar with a glass of Krug, those decadent tastes were reserved to a few highly westernized families.
For the baby boomers, the generation born after Independence, memories stretch back to a golden era when the sole criterion to judge a dish was its taste.
Often the food recalled was the food served at home or at school, a simple dal, a spicy chicken curry, food shared and enjoyed with family around a table,
such is the stuff of nostalgia and memories of times past, it is to these memories that we return and the food we call comfort food is not only delicious but comforting as well, in that it recalls happy times and an innocent past.
Comfort food is in essence gastronomic nostalgia.
SOURCE FEMINA MAGAZINE feb 2007
For the best in sweets recipes & Desserts, Subscribe to..
