Comfy and cozy are friendly adjectives. They may evoke thoughts of a favorite cushy chair, or soft blanket. They may bring back memories of a loving parent tucking you in and asking if you were cozy while snuggled in your bed. I feel a sense of warmth just typing the words.
Food can be a great source of well being. Americans have coined the term “comfort food”. Comfort food is most often home cooked. If served in a restaurant, it’s a food that the chef probably had in his or her past. It gives us a sense of home, even when we aren’t there. We can identify with certain foods because of nostalgia or culture. “Gee, my grandmother used to make that!” These meals give us a sense of contentment.
Food is universal. I recently read an article that told of two ethnic groups in a country who could not get along. They had a long history of fighting and bloodshed. Peacemakers learned they could bring the women of the groups together to cook and dine. Suspicion and prejudice evaporated and friendships were formed over time. We all need to eat. For most, it’s an enjoyable experience. I have a relative who could kill that idea, but that’s another post! It amazes me how people draw to a kitchen in social situations. It is a place to bond over common interests. Forget cleaning the house. They may not see much more than your kitchen.
I surveyed different cuisines and noticed how many things were common to varied regions. I think comfort food for the world may be rooted in soups and stews, which every culture has no matter what they might call them.
Spicy Black Bean, Chicken, and Corn Stew.
The list of comfort foods is extensive and one that can be quite individual. We come to Farm Bell Recipes because of food. We learn, we share, and we reminisce. We all seem to understand the value of feeling as comfy as a child tucked in with a cozy blanket. We also know how good it feels to make others feel cozy, loved, and well fed.
You can also find Patrice at Everyday Ruralty.Interested in contributing a guest post to the Farm Bell blog? Read information here for Farm Bell blog submissions.
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Jennifer Robin says:
Soups and stews are my favorite style of comfort food. I’ll be trying out this recipe for certain; just looking at the picture makes my tummy feel warm and satisfied!
On August 4, 2010 at 1:09 am
NorthCountryGirl says:
I agree, Patrice. Food is universal and a source of great comfort. And your conclusion that soups and stews were the root is spot on. Think how early cultures must have utilized what they had on hand by putting it in a pot and making a stew. Makes sense. There is nothing quite as comforting and warming as a hot bowl of soup or stew in the winter. Soup and homemade bread…hmmm. That sounds good. Now I’m hungry.
On August 4, 2010 at 6:49 am
KentuckyFarmGirl says:
I love my comfort food! I have several depending on the occasion.
On August 4, 2010 at 9:14 am
rileysmom says:
You are so right, Patrice. I only wish I could get over the cleaning the entire house part….lots of times, our guests never leave the table!
On August 4, 2010 at 3:35 pm
Dede ~ wvhomecanner says:
oh yes on the soups and stews! A lot of comfort foods are things some folks swore they would never eat again – served often when they were kids out of economic necessity. And some are all about how it was served and by whom. Several years ago when camping with a bunch of friends at a Nascar track, I sliced up a plateful of fresh tomatoes to serve with breakfast. My big burly bearded friend came to me later, tears in his eyes. Seems that he hadn’t had tomatoes served with breakfast since his Mom had served them.She had passed on, at a young age – when he was 18 and he was away in Navy basic. It was a powerful flooding back of memories for him. Sad, but good and certainly comforting.
On August 5, 2010 at 9:22 am