Comfort food

The term, comfort food refers to a variety of familiar, simple foods that are usually home-cooked or eaten at informal restaurants.

Description

Comfort food is typically inexpensive, uncomplicated, and easy to prepare. Many people turn to comfort food for familiarity, emotional security, or as a special reward. The reasons a dish becomes a comfort food are diverse but often include pleasant associations of childhood. Small children often seem to latch on to a specific food or drink (in a way similar to a security blanket) and will repeatedly request it in high stress situations. Adults eat comfort food for a sense of continuity.

Comfort foods are typically composed largely of simple or complex carbohydrate, such as sugar, rice, refined wheat, and so on.

The term "comfort food" was added to the Webster's Dictionary in 1972.

Types of comfort foods

Various foods or snacks could fill the urge for a comfort food depending on a person's taste, but in any given culture or cuisine there are foods that become universally accepted comfort foods . Items such as mashed potatoes and tomato soup are generally accepted by everyone as comfort food. (In fact, it is quite common in popular psychology to label people dissenting in this judgment as being fundamentally "low-comfort" individuals.)

Comfort food has always been the staple of diners and other informal restaurants, as well as home cooking. Traditionally, there has been an emphasis on authenticity and low cost. One recent development, however, as chefs have explored the roots of American cuisine and tried to define it as a unique style, is the advent of fine dining comfort food restaurants that feature more careful cooking and presentation, higher quality and fresh organic ingredients, and consequently, higher prices.

Canada

Comfort food in Canada has many similarities with comfort food in the United States. However, distinctively Canadian comfort food exists. These include poutine, which originated in the province of Quebec and is considered a distinctive part of Québécois cuisine, as well as beaver tails in eastern Canada. The former consists of french fries with cheese curds and gravy, while the latter is a Canadian equivalent of fried dough. Kraft Dinner, tourtière and mashed potatoes are popular comfort foods in Canada.

India

Roti is a staple food in parts of India. It is a sort of unleavened bread that is taken with either a simple meal of lentils or other vegetables or meat. Along with rice, it could be considered comfort food, as it is simple and may bring back memories of many simple meals taken with the immediate family

For Punjabi Indians,Sarson da Saag (Spinach and mustard leaves pureed and sauteed slowly in clarified butter) with Makhi ke Roti (Cornflower unleavened fried bread) or Channa (Chickpeas in spiced tomato gravy with tamarind puree and clarified butter) with Batura (Fermented, deep fried wheat bread) are the stereotypical comfort foods eaten for breakfast and luncheon. These are often accompanied with lassi (shaken yogurt drink).

In South India, curd and rice is a popular comfort food. In Maharashtra Varan- Bhaat(Daal-lentil soup & Rice) would be comfort food. In Gujarat, another western Indian state, Kadhi-Khichadi is a comfort food. Bengalis find comfort in Maachi-Bhaat (fish & rice).

Japan

Japan has many types of comfort food, typically simple, hearty, inexpensive dishes like miso soup, ramen, onigiri, or Japanese curry.

Philippines

Filipino comfort food is synonymous with home-cooked meals. It is also associated with street food such as balut, isaw, mani, mais, and the ubiquitous dirty ice cream.

United Kingdom

In the UK the term "nursery food" has a similar meaning, although it also refers to food given to young children. It may refer to childhood favorites that are still enjoyed in adulthood, such as boiled eggs and soldiers (the soldiers being buttered toast cut into strips and dipped into the egg yolk). Traditional dishes that are often considered comfort foods in the United Kingdom include stews - especially in northern England, and "bangers and mash," meaning sausages and mashed potatoes. Rich steamed puddings, made from flour and suet and with considerable quantities of added sugar and spice, are also popularly considered to fall into this category.

References

• "Comfort foods" by Rachael Ray (ISBN 1-891105-05-1)
• "This Is Delicious! What Is It?: An Eclectic Collection of International Comfort Foods" by Robert Meyers-Lussier (ISBN 0-595-30505-9)

External links

• Gender preferences in "comfort" foods stem from childhood
• Comfort Food on Chefs.com Recipes and articles about comfort food.
• Comfort Food Article What is Comfort food?
• Comfort Food and you - A scientific look at comfort foods from the Science Creative Quarterly