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 Is
Comfort Food Another French Paradox?
You have the sniffles and are suffering from a nasty
cold; you had a really tough day at the office and are totally
stressed; you have just experienced a romantic breakup and are
suffering the pain of a broken heart. For many of us, the only source
of comfort may be food.
Comfort food is the food we turn to for temporary
relief from stress, illness and a need to feel warm and secure. The
thought of it gives us a feeling of comfort and well being. Comfort
food is food that makes you feel good. It is likely that as small
children we latched on to a specific food or home cooking in a way
similar to reaching for and holding on to a security blanket.
Comfort food is simply prepared and is most often
served warm with a gravy thick texture. It is usually food with high
carbohydrate content such as rice, beans or pasta. In Asian countries
where rice is a mainstay food source, the comfort food is called
juk. It is a mixture of rice and water cooked for many hours
until it has a mush-like texture like a porridge. Juk is usually
eaten with vegetables, pork, fish, shrimp or turkey mixed into it
like a rice stew. In the U.S. every region has favorite foods
but the universal comfort food in the U.S. is macaroni and cheese.
 We
know that the French are meticulous about the preparation and
presentation of food. Therefore, it is no surprise that they
would deny parenting any French dish that resembles a simple stew
made of leftovers. Pierre Smets, chef/owner of Christophe
Restaurant in Sausalito, CA, denies the existence of comfort food in
France. He explains that "in France, there is regional
food or traditional food but not comfort food like macaroni and cheese".
In about 1400, English troops were about to overrun
the small army defending a town in southern France. It was a cold and
wet night and a major final battle was expected the next day.
The citizens of the town banned together in one last effort to defeat
the English. The local residents pooled all of their remaining
food supplies of beans, ham, duck, lamb, onions, and sausage
tomatoes. They combined all of these foods into large cooking
pots and created a feast for their outnumbered soldiers. The
"casserole" was both nourishing and inspirational.
The troops were well fed and ready for the battle which ensued the
next day. They defeated the British and drove them from the town of
Carcasson, home of the cassoulet.
Ironically, Pierre Smets was born in Carcasson.
And, during the rainy months in Sausalito, CA, Smets prepares a
delicious cassoulet using a secret recipe given to him by his
grandmaman. Of course, this is not a simple dish. The beans must soak
for several days, the lamb and duck and sausages are the best
quality. Pierre may call it traditional, but to me, if it looks like
it, and tastes like it, and makes you feel good, it is comfort food. |