Comfort foods, family and love.

[FlamingoBlue]

We all have our favorite "comfort" foods that we relate to our earliest memories of our family. For me it was Friday evenings, because that was the Jewish sabbath, an evening that was very special in my home. The meal was special; challah, chopped liver, chicken soup with matza balls, roast chicken, veggies, salad and desert. The smells from the kithen would drive me crazy.

What was most special was that we were all together as a family, at least once a week. That was a real treat because many evenings my father would work late, but not on Fridays.

As I recall sabbath dinners, they were not so much religious as they were spiritual. Food for the body and the soul. Uplifting. Delicious.Wonderful.

Now, 50 years later, those days are a fond memory for me. They are only repeated today on holidays, unfortunately. We just seem to be too busy with other things that we forget how really special these family gatherings can be. They probably survive today but generally in ethnic families or in the context of a religious celebration like the Jewish sabbath.

Lately, however, I have found a modern version of this type of gathering to be just as satisfying. At least weekly,I have been having dinner wih my daughter and then going back to her house and watching tv and schmoozing with her honey and Barney, the perfect dog. I feel so warm when I am with them.

Last night was the first time I left my house after a horribly depressing week. My daughter invited me for dinner. The food and the company was so very comforting for me. It didn' t matter that it was carryout served from containers. It didn't matter that there weren't cloth napkins and a table cloth. It didn't matter one bit, because the meal had that special seasoning that makes everything so wonderful. That special seasoning is LOVE!


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[Sparky Kronkite]

Man are we polar today?

Yer thinking home cooking and I'm thinking of CrackRock and Stripper's.

Ah well - diversity is a beautiful thing.

 

[FlamingoBlue]

That's us, Sparky....

Bi-polar and hungry for love. We're just "eating" in different restaurants.

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[Samuari]

Ah Blue

My Dad provided fresh meat and vegies for a large part of SW New Mexico, and he refused to allow his family to get by on cheap food. Since he was gone Sunday afternoon tru Thursday evening,he cooked for us twice a week. Friday nights we allways had seafood or fish of some kind, and Saturdays were Mexican nights. We could allways count on a house-full of freinds, and the best possable food in the universe. I can still smell his shreded beef tacos, smothered in green chile or his grilled trout with rice pillif on the side. I can remember my first girlfriends eyes when she saw him bring out a modest (for him) shrimp salad that he intended to be the appitizer. I was so blest growing up in that household. I've tried to do right by my kids, but allas, it is a diferent world, and we don't seem to be able to make the time to do these things right. What has happened to our priorates? Have we allowed them to be desided by the media dominated culture?

[Edited by Samuari on 02-19-2001 at 10:21 AM]

 

[CreamyLady]

When I was small I spent a lot of time at my grandmother's house, because things were so damned tense at our own.

She used to make the most wonderful shepherd's pie, and to this day when I'm an emotional wreck, shepherd's pie is the comfort food of choice.

Chocolate is medicine.

 

[teresafannin]

My mom insisted on family dinners when I was a kid, I have some great memories of those nights. I kind of changed things up with my son. We didn't always eat at home once he was a busy teen, with school & 2 jobs, but several times a week, we had a "dinner date". It might have been chili dogs from Sonic, but it was our special night. My sisters do the same kind of things with their kids & it makes a huge difference in their relationships. Some of the best talks Justin & I ever had were over fast food eaten straight out of the containers. That is one of the things I still miss.

 

[Pyper]

My family hardly ever cooked anything from scratch because both my parents worked and they never had time. But about once a week, one or both parents would make the best spaghetti in the entire world. I'm telling you, you haven't had spaghetti until you've tasted my parents' spaghetti. Nothing I've ever had can equal it.

I recently found a frozen variety of pasta (Michelina's), that is pretty good, so on those rare occasions when I miss my dysfunctional household, I heat up a box of spaghetti marinara and shovel it into my mouth like there's no tomorrow.

 

[Siren]

Nothing beats smelling my Mom's pot of refried beans on the stove cooking away

 

[Angel]

When I was little my mom and I lived with her parents, so the menu there was your average meat and potatos (Hey they were Irish, we had taters with every meal!) Some form of that on a daily basis. Weekends were the best, because on the even weekend, I visited my dad at his parent's house, and Sicilians sure know how to stuff you til you burst
Plus we all sat at the table together. Of course I was always completely lost, because I was the only one who didn't understand Italian, but the *mood* of it sticks with me. I don't think I've sat down at a table to have a family dinner since I was about 16.

 

[Cheri]

Great thread as always, Bluebaby. My Mother went back to school for a masters when I was in 6th grade and my brother was still a young'un, so Dad had to learn to cook. And cook he did, lots of soups and casseroles mostly, but there were a few high points. His pot roast and roast chicken were almost an art form. He also loved to do desserts, Mom didn't, so we made out on that end. Now with my kids, when I want to show them that I love them, I go with the mac and cheese or buttermilk pancakes with real maple syrup. And if we're more into time together rather than the food, cupcakes with kid spread icing and sprinkles.

And hey, loved all your guys post...makes us seem more real somehow talking about stuff like this.

 

[Jade]

My mom's french fries, guacamole, or home-made tortillas... it's a toss up between those and my Dad's spaghetti w/garlic bread.

My mom would make the french fries on a big pan and then put them in a big bunch on a plate on the table and we would just all eat them right there, just like that.
They never needed ketchup or extra salt or anything. They were ALWAYS just right...

Now I make them sometimes... whenever I need to feel like that again... it often works.

 

[cheekyminx]

My parents have everyone around to their place every Sunday. It has been like that ever since my older sisters and brother could date. Every Sunday boy friends, girl friends and friends would come and have dinner.
In the winter time it is a hot home made soup followed by a roast with all the trimmings.
In summer time it is a bbq with crunchy home made bread.
But on Christmas morning my mum gets up really early and makes these small bread rolls, that makes the house smell sooooooo good. Everytime I smell fresh bread cooking it reminds me of Christmas mornings with my mum.

 

[Merelan]

Thank you very much I have just eaten a pencil and am eyeing the mouse. I bet it would taste good with a little ketchup.

 

[Samuari]

Merelan, get yoour happy ass over here and clean the coffe off my moniter. Shit lady, you crack me up.

 

[Merelan]

Do you have food? I am starving after this thread. Should have known better,

 

[Cheri]

I'm with ya there Merelen, after checking out this thread again, my Lucky Charms just don't seem as good....

 

[Samuari]

Might havesome chile & cheese ommlett left over, mmm have to look.

 

[Merelan]

Any of that special sauce I have heard about?
Hahaha.... eating stale townhouse crackers and tea.... blah!!!!!!!!! I really need to do some shopping. Soon.

 

[CW]

Home made pot pies,,, we usually had a pot pie ( read left overs involved ) on Tuesday night. Home made crusts, whatever meat was left over from the Sunday meal and veggies with a gravy sauce.

When I get depressed or just need a change from the ordinary I'll make a pot pie for dinner,,, in fact we are having one tonight,,, been working with a family on some home plans and I am max stressed over the preliminary work-ups,,, I've been just off the mark on two previous presentations, #3 is later tonight,,, three strikes and I'm out.

The other comfort food that I recall with great pleasure and still fix regulary is berry pie or cobbler,,, blackberries, raspberries and blueberries mixed together,,,, YUM !!

 

[Silverlily]

That's it!

I'm moving in with CW.

Anything homemade is comfort food. (Yes, that means I use my recipe box as a place to store Pizza Hut coupons.)

good luck on #3

 

[DarkAngel]

Yuck.... mushiy shit...

 

[Silverlily]

Mush is NOT comfort food.

 

[DarkAngel]

to you to....

But I know of a kitten who is comfort food.... yummy

 

[FlamingoBlue]

Come on guys. This thread is about....

Nostalgia. Don't turn it into something else. Please and thank you.


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[CelestialBody]