Reflections: Comfort foods called that for a reason

Ed Hungness

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Ed Hungness

December 25, 2011

By Ed Hungness, Local columnist ---- The Record Eagle Wed Feb 08, 2012, 01:44 PM EST

I've always been a big fan of home cooking. Can anyone honestly say that they don't enjoy savoring a peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich on white bread along with an ice cold glass of milk? What's not to like about about a grilled cheese sandwich and a hot bowl of tomato soup on a cold winter afternoon? How about some fried chicken and a green bean casserole? Chocolate chip cookies anyone?

All of the above items are among the top 50 foods we affectionately call "comfort food." It is a term that is tossed about in casual banter whenever foodies get together and the subject of eating becomes the topic of conversation.

I usually found Mom in the kitchen when I got home from grade school. I think she loved the kitchen. She seemed to spend most of her time there. Missing were the modern-day conveniences of the microwave, toaster oven, blender and food processor. The tools of her trade consisted of pots and pans, some cast iron and others aluminum. She was proud of her Mixmaster, toaster and a percolator. Most of the conveniences of today's modern kitchen hadn't been invented in the 1950s. Mom cooked what she called "everyday food." Today we call it comfort food.

After recently devouring a generous portion of meatloaf and mashed potatoes, smothered with a ladle of rich brown gravy, I headed to the sofa to think about the apple pie baking in the oven. It would be awhile and I was pretty full at the moment.

By reclining on the couch I speculated that things might shift around and make a little room for the pie.

In the meantime, I returned to my reflections on comfort food. What exactly is comfort food and why do we call it that? Comfort foods are foods that calm the soul and bring back warm childhood memories. Chicken noodle soup, for example is in the top 50 comfort foods. For generations it has been prescribed by mothers to help cure a cold or soothe a sore throat. Even today, awhen I catch a cold, I still crave a steaming bowl of Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup and Ritz Crackers.

Comfort foods seldom fall under the gourmet food category yet we crave them. Macaroni and cheese holds an honored position in the field of comfort foods. This delightful dish is revered by seven vintners of Old Mission Peninsula who sponsor an annual Mac & Cheese Bake Off, held on the weekend following Thanksgiving. Area restaurants compete to see who can ramp up the old Saturday night standb,y which is paired with locally produced wines.

Hanging onto the past as I do, my version still comes out of a Kraft box and is enhanced with diced Koegel hot dogs. I occasionally pair it with a local Chardonnay or Riesling.

When we share a holiday meal at home with friends and family, we feel safe and secure. Gathering around the dining room table together evokes feelings of nostalgia and peace. Comfort food is the glue that binds these good times together. Bon appétit!

Ed Hungness and his wife became full-time residents of Fife Lake in 2005 after Ed's retirement. He can be reached at edhungness@yahoo.com or by mail at P.O. Box 57, Fife Lake, MI 49633