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The term 'comfort food' refers to a style of familiar, simple food or drink that is usually home-cooked, or consumed in informal restaurants.

Contents

Description

Types of comfort foods

United States

United Kingdom

Other countries

See also

References

External links

Description

Comfort food is typically inexpensive, uncomplicated, and easy to prepare. Many people turn to comfort food for familiarity, emotional security, or 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 beverages 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.

United States

Many comfort foods are regional in nature, ^[1] such as fried chicken and barbecue in the American South, or a hotdish or other casserole in the Upper Midwest, and hoagies and scrapple sandwiches in parts of the East Coast. Chili, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and some version of a stew or heavy beef dish are comfort foods nearly everywhere. Various ethnic groups in the United States have their own comfort foods, for example tacos for those from Latin America or the American Southwest. Many ethnic comfort foods have become mainstream and accepted as American fare. For example, Vietnamese immigrants brought phở and Bánh mì to the United States, and residents from throughout Asia brought Taiwanese Bubble tea, all of which are becoming common comfort foods, particularly in the West Coast. Many Jewish comfort food items, like lox and bagel sandwiches, blintzes, and matzah ball soup, have become American standards. Because the term is so regional and subjective, it is impossible to compile a full list.
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 phenomenon, 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.^[2]

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.
Traditional dishes that are often considered comfort foods in the United Kingdom include stews - especially in northern England and Ireland, and "bangers and mash," meaning sausages and mashed potatoes. England is also known for roasted food, especially beef, earning the nickname "rosbifs" from the French.

Other countries

Roti is a the main 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. It could be considered comfort food, as it is simple and may bring back memories of many simple meals taken with the immediate family^[3] Japan has many types of comfort food, typically simple, hearty, inexpensive dishes like miso soup, ramen, onigiri, or Japanese curry.^[4]

See also

★ Comfort object

References

★ How carbohydrate addiction happens

★ "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)
1. A trip down comfort food lane
2. Comfort Food Goes Upscale: Top Chefs Injecting Luxury To Old-Fashioned Favorites
3. Enjoy home-style Indian comfort food
4. Choice tables; Comfort Food, Japanese Style

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