Comfort Food

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The term "comfort food" (first used, according to Webster's Dictionary, in 1977) refers to foods consumed to achieve some level of improved emotional status, whether to relieve negative psychological affect or to increase positive.[1] More generally, comfort food can be defined as food that brings some form or measure of comfort, sense of well-being, or easy satisfaction. Such food choices may consist of the simple and familiar. Dishes may be warm and filling such as a dish made with a staple food, or basically pleasing such as sweets or desserts. Some definitions suggest that home-prepared dishes are most typical,[2] or consumed in informal restaurants, but according to Wansink and Sangerman, Americans tend to select prepared foods and fast food for comfort uses, with ice cream, potato chips and chocolate ranking near the top. However, the term is meaningful not as a list of particular items, which will vary considerably from individual to individual, as well as culturally and by situation and emotional trigger, but as a psychological category of behavior.

My sister Beatrice is the one who was the specialist in the house when it came to making pastry treats. My mom believed that boys and girls MUST learn how to cook so that they can survive on their own without being forced into a situation because of hunger. So we all had our turn and a day of cooking for the family. I was enjoying my sister Beatrice’s day because she used to always make something new for us, and told us where that item was most eaten (Italy, Belgium, ….) Now that we are all married and living in different countries, when we talk on the phone we still relating to each other in a way that brings us closer and our spouses have joined in. Aime, my brother-in-law, likes to talk about wine. So when we visit them in Italy, he will take us places to taste the best wines in the country. His job have him travel all over the world studying the production of wine. In my family we love good food, and we talk about it. For me to eat bananas and peanuts is comforting. I can finish 25 pounds of bananas in one sitting while watching a football game (I mean soccer game). Once a year my mom Olive, mother-in-law, makes for Christmas a dish that involves grapefruit and shrimp. We all look forward to this treat. My sister -in-law Alua make the beignet filled with filling and Belgium waffles. My wife, Jacqueline, likes to make Pondu: It's a cassava leaves dish. I grew up eating Pondu. There are tons of recipes of making Pondu and all taste different.