These are a few of my FAVOURITE things

LUTHO PASIYA

COMFORT food is a force for good in the world and much of it is associated with what we ate in childhood, tied up with memories of love and being taken care of. It is the cosy food, the bowl food, the only-use-a-spoon food that we ate when we were under the weather or that we associate with parents who cooked for us, or sometimes comfort food is simply a dish you found at your favourite restaurant or stumbled upon in a cookbook or online.

No matter where you find your favourite recipes, food is something we can all find joy in.

These are some of my favourite comfort foods.

Pizza

Picture a freshly baked pizza, bursting with cheese and mouth-watering toppings. Pizza can be quite a moodchanger like nothing else, and I cannot agree more. Top it with some crispy veggies or succulent meat – you can even make mini pizzas at home whenever you feel like it. And once you try a home-made pizza, there is no going back.

Ice cream

They say that chicken soup can heal a cold and mend a broken heart, but I beg to differ. When you need real consolation, there is nothing like digging into a tub of chocolate or vanilla ice cream. I always loved ice cream with chunks of stuff in it – brownies, chocolate chips – the more the better. In high school, my friends and I used to stop at the local ice cream shop and get soft-serve ice cream.

Macaroni cheese

I have always seen pasta as a vehicle for including as many vegetables in a meal as possible. My standard macaroni cheese involves using at least twice as much broccoli or cauliflower as pasta, while still maintaining its comfort food classic status.

Samp and beans

If you ask me what comfort food sparks the greatest joy, it has to be samp and beans, the savoury soul of my childhood. My dad always offered to make this for us on his days off. So simple, but it is how it is prepared and cooked that makes it so delicious. He also taught me how one ingredient can change the flavour of a whole dish. For example, how you can use Holsum when cooking samp and beans, but not tone down the flavour of the dish.

Mashed potatoes

I love a hot potato in any form, but there is something so satisfying about mashed potatoes. Growing up, I used to cook them a lot. I don’t know why, but that’s just what it was. Fluffy, buttery mashed potatoes – I always went back to the kitchen for leftovers.

Pizza. | Ragga Muffin Pexels

As the weather gets colder, our thoughts turn towards hearty meals

When you need real consolation, there is nothing like digging into a tub of chocolate or vanilla ice cream

Ice cream. | Krisztina Papp Pexels

Macaroni cheese

Samp and beans

Mashed potatoes