That One Childhood Food That Comforts You

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In one of Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall trilogy books, there is a scene where Thomas Cromwell is surrounded by all of the fancy foods you could be surrounded by in England in the mid-fourteenth century, and he is feeling sad and wanting only a purslane salad -- the food they ate when he was a child and there was no food to be had other than what you could wander outside and pick. That scene had me thinking: what is that childhood food that you wish for like this?

For me it is lasagna. My mother was not a good cook, and served very little that I liked (or that anyone would like, really), but she made decent lasagna (following the recipe on the pasta box) and it is what I asked for for my birthday every year. I find it very soothing to have it, now. And I don't want a fancy one from a restaurant. Just the basic recipe on the back of the pasta box, and it is better as a leftover.

I think the OP origin story is really sad. That the poorest food he got during starving times is a comfort to him. Most kids would probably grow up resenting that food.

[Anonymous]

My mom's Christmas cookies. I miss her.

[Anonymous]

My mom was a terrible cook, she'll even admit that herself, she no longer cooks (my dad does it all and he's not much better, but it's way different than what we ate growing up). The only thing I think I remember with any fondness is Waldorf salad, but not enough to make it.

[Anonymous]

Roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans and squash casserole is my comfort meal.

[Anonymous]

Pastina with butter. I ate a lot of it when pregnant and everything else upset my stomach.

[Anonymous]

Potato soup with dumplings - a specific type of dumpling, not the kind that float to the top. A denser, chewy dumpling.

[Anonymous]

Homemade turkey barley soup made with a holiday turkey carcass. We would have it with Ritz crackers topped with a dollop of mayo, slice of cheddar, and a dollop of Dijon mustard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pastina with butter. I ate a lot of it when pregnant and everything else upset my stomach.

Is pastina the same food as cous cous?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wonton noodle soup with real wontons, not the doughy crap in chicken broth from generic Americanized Chinese restaurants

Is this available in any local restaurants? Or if make yourself have a recipe?

https://omnivorescookbook.com/cantonese-wonton-noodle-soup/

[Anonymous]

Cream of wheat with butter and toast. I always wanted this when I was sick as a kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pastina with butter. I ate a lot of it when pregnant and everything else upset my stomach.

Is pastina the same food as cous cous?

No, it’s similar or similar to acini de Pepe but somehow tastes totally different to me. When I was a kid we could buy it at shop and stop but now it’s sort of a special order thing. I think I grew up with Ronzoni brand but Barilla makes it too. I think it was my Italian grandmothers solution for fussy children but I actually don’t remember her. Sometimes we put in little pieces of ripped up ham.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My grandmother would make the most amazing scrambled eggs served with toast. No idea how she did it— I’ve never been able to replicate the method. They were like a pillowy custard. She’d add butter, a Tbs of water per egg, a pinch of salt, and a load of pepper. She tried to teach me how several times when I was a kid but to this day, mine have never been as good as what she made! But I still try.

Were they Chinese steamed/custard eggs? These are really good and sound somewhat similar to what you describe. https://thewoksoflife.com/steamed-egg/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hot rice with ghee and a spoon of freshly made avakkai.

Omg, you’re me! I was just coming here to say white rice and my mom made the best avakkai. I miss it. I have tried so many store bought avakkai and nothing comes close.

Yogurt, rice, and lemon pickle for me!

[Anonymous]

Chicken pies

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Grilled cheese sandwich w/bowl of tomato soup (Campbell's made with milk, not water).

This is mine too! ( I had to look at the date to see if I posted this).