16 March 2023: Comfort Casserole
It's funny how we all talk about "comfort food" as if it's a simple, clearly defined thing. From time to time we even see stories about an "ultimate" comfort food such as mashed potatoes. But the reality is that the concept is among the most complicated and ill-defined in all cooking, mainly because it's completely subjective.
What we find comforting is wrapped up in our individual taste preferences (which often defy everything else) and our experiences: where we were born, where we were raised, what the cooking of our family was like, how often and far we have traveled, what the climate was like at the homes of our formative years, and even what the climate is like in the places we call home now.
There are people for whom—shock of shocks—mashed potatoes would not be a comfort at all, never mind an "ultimate" one.
Likewise, there are undoubtedly a lot of people for whom a casserole of any kind would not even appeal. Read More