Comfort food: consoling food that is good for the mood
For some it is pizza, for others tiramisu. For still others, pasta with chicken broth. In short, there is no rule, everyone has their own comfort food. What are we talking about? Simple, of that food that is good for the body, but above all for the heart. That special dish that we reserve to eat when we have the mood on the ground and we need something that satisfies not only the palate, but also the spirit. Thanks to a survey conducted by the Solution Group Observatory, it was discovered that, for example, in Italy the undisputed queen of comfort foods is her majesty pizza - not surprisingly, the most consumed dish by Italians during the lockdown. Let's find out together what is the true meaning of comfort food and why it is important to eat what makes us feel good also from a psychological point of view.
If, on the other hand, you are curious to find out which foods with aphrodisiac powers are, you just have to watch this video!
What does comfort food mean?
Comfort food is a particular type of food, called “comfort”, with an emotional and comforting value. It is that dish we usually eat when we are down in the dumps, after a bad day or a bitter disappointment, in short, when we need that cuddle that lifts our mood. It doesn't have to be elaborate preparations or delicious recipes, it can also be a simple ice cream or a slice of our favorite cheese. Often, comfort food is mostly linked to pleasant childhood memories that can only be relived through the taste buds, thanks to the dishes and recipes we ate when we were little. Mother's chocolate cake, grandma's baked pasta, homemade desserts for Christmas, that one dish that your father was able to cook and which, for this reason, was so special. Sometimes, in fact, a time machine is not necessary: just go to the kitchen to savor - literally - the emotions of the past.
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The history of comfort food
The first time that the term comfort food is officially used dates back to 1966, when an article on obesity was published in the Palm Beach Post magazine. There, comfort food is defined as that food distinguished by "a strong correlation with childhood safety" that people tend to eat when overwhelmed by "strong emotional stress".
But to anticipate the American newspaper, Marcel Proust had already thought about it at the beginning of the twentieth century. The author, in fact, between the pages of the novel "In search of lost time", perfectly explains the concept of "comfort food", telling how just tasting a bite of madeleine dipped in tea had made him jump with joy and had made anyone forget any inner torment in an instant. For Proust, therefore, the French pastry represented the emblem of comfort food par excellence even before this term was coined.
In general, there are certain foods, such as dark chocolate, known for their beneficial properties on mood as they are responsible for the release of endorphin, dopamine and serotonin, the so-called happiness hormones. Eating these foods allows us to feel a sense of immediate fulfillment, cure (even just temporarily) the malaise and free ourselves from excess stress. In short, sometimes, our favorite dish can be more effective than a medicine.
Contraindications
Although the release of endorphin guaranteed by comfort food is always a welcome and pleasant sensation, it is good not to overdo it with dishes as tasty as they are fat, caloric and in the long run harmful to the body. In fact, it is estimated that one of the main causes of obesity in the world is stress and depression. People, therefore, in response to this malaise, tend to take refuge in comfort food, turning it into a vice and, at times, even into an addiction. As much as it is right and proper to be indulgent with oneself, when we talk about comfort food, we keep in mind that it must be an occasional "remedy" and certainly not a daily cure. We also remember that the best way to feel good - both inside and out - is to follow a balanced diet.
The recipe for apple pie
Speaking of foods that are good for the mood, how could we not mention the recipe for apple pie, one of the comfort foods par excellence? Discover it below!
Ingrediants:
(for pasta)
400gr flour
200g butter
200g sugar
2 eggs
(for the stuffing)
grated zest of ½ lemon
1kg of apples
cloves
cinnamon
a pinch of salt
Method:
Peel and cut the apples into wedges, put them in a saucepan with 2 tablespoons of water, a lemon zest, 2 tablespoons of sugar, a sprinkling of cinnamon and 2 cloves.
Cook for 10 minutes, drain and let them cool a bit.
Grease and flour a 22cm pan.
Put the flour on a pastry board, add the sugar, salt and soft butter and mix as much as possible. Arrange the amalgam of ingredients in a fountain, break the eggs in the center and knead.
Leave to rest for a few minutes in the refrigerator.
Roll out the dough to a thickness of ½cm and cut out a disk large enough to line the pan. Pour in the cooked apples and, with the rest of the dough, create a disc to cover them. Tuck in slightly and close with the edges along the entire pan.
Sprinkle with two tablespoons of sugar and bake at 180 ° C, for 45 minutes, or at least until the pasta is cooked and lightly golden.
