Comfort food is supposed to make us feel warm and comforted. Many of these foods are a bit nostalgic, but some have received modern twists.
Would you ever consider baking macaroni and cheese into your meatloaf? You might expect to see these two classic and simple dishes on the same plate, but not necessarily mixed together. Despite that expectation, why wouldn’t you put them together? These dishes give you the warm feeling that might remind you of your mother or grandmother in the kitchen. The peace and stability associated with simple, classic dishes allow them to make a comeback, but with modern changes.
Escape: This is the comfort food effect
Why do we make foods that remind us of our childhood, simpler times, and our ancestors? These foods are often an escape from the problems we face during our everyday life. You might have had a stressful day, or received some terrible news, and the right mix of ingredients or a recipe from your past will help transform you back to the simplest time in your life. This is a great way to escape, even if its only for a few minutes during your meal.
Why are classic dishes changing?
The evolution of culinary trends and increased accessibility to complex ingredients allows the foods from your childhood to be transformed into more complex and diverse dishes. These new recipes become elevated comfort foot, which brings the old traditions of your grandparents together with the ingredients and non-standard cooking approaches of today. Maybe your children or grandchildren will make the dishes you create today and think of them as their form of comfort food.
Accessibility is greater; simplicity is out the window
Do you have a recipe from your grandparents that was passed down to them? If so, how simple is it? You might have a recipe that calls for four or five ingredients and every item is added in whole amounts. “A cup of this, a tablespoon of that” was the form of cooking in simpler times. Modern cooking has changed this. Even something as simple as French fries has been transformed from potatoes and vegetable oil to the use of sweet potatoes and truffle oil. These changes can give some of your traditional dishes the zest and flair you want, adding a bit of an upgrade to your comfort food.
Mixing and matching
We see changes in food and culinary trends almost every day. The old look of a dinner plate with a three or four-course meal has gone by the wayside of a container meal with everything tossed in. Some changes seem odd, such as taco shells made from chicken meat, but for some people, these changes might work. Do you like to dip your fries in a milkshake? Lots of people do.
The point is, despite the classic look and taste of comfort food, integrating new ingredients can be a great way to enjoy a fresh take on your favorite foods from the past. In fact, this is also a great way to change the food you were served often but might not have enjoyed. Maybe it’s time to break out that spaghetti recipe and see if you can make it in a way that pleases you, such as using alternative types of cheese, pasta made from whole grains, or adding some vegetables where they might not have been in the past.
Try other comfort foods
Every culture has its own version of comfort foods. These foods offer the culinary escape to a simpler time that we want to experience. Because of the increased accessibility of information and ingredients, you can create a fusion of flavors that could become your new favorites and give you the modern tastes that you enjoy.
By themselves, meatloaf and macaroni and cheese aren’t filled with flavor. Some people add ketchup to the meatloaf or put pepper on the macaroni and cheese, but you could find some exotic spices or improved cheeses that could change the flavor notes and make your favorite items even more enjoyable than before.
The foundation is strong
Although comfort food is changing with the trends in culinary creations, the foundational elements are still present. The foods that make you feel warm, comforted, and safe can be a huge part of your life, but you can also make slight changes that ensure they fit into your modern lifestyle much better than the classic versions. How will you create your favorite comfort food while adding a modern twist to it?
