Sunday morning musings . . .

I've not had a really wonderful week this week, healthwise. Nothing to really worry about, but it's been a week where I've felt extremely nauseous, and not all that well, and so I haven't been able to spend a lot of time sitting at the computer. If I normally visit your page and I have been rather scarece this past week, that would be why and I do apologize for it, but computer work has made me feel rather queasy. This seems to be on the wane though and so that is good, so look for more visits from me in the week ahead! (Just in time too, as I have to give a talk in church this morning!)

As some of you know, I used to journal on a page on AOL Journals, which I called Marie's Muses. That was my first "blogging" home and it was a lovely place to be. I made a lot of friends there and I was quite sad when they decided to shut it down. Thankfully a lot of the others migrated over here to Blogger, and so we've still been able to stay in touch, although there were a few that didn't make the move, sadly. We were able to migrate our old journals over to blogger and I did do that, although I have never made it public here. I prefer to keep it private. I do visit it from time to time and occasionally I re-post a piece on here. I've decided to do that for you this morning and I hope you enjoy it. It's all about Comfort food, and was one of my very earliest blogging pieces, so be gentle with me. I've come a really long way since then! (Incredibly, it's all about food!)



What is comfort food? It's a term I have heard bandied about for several years now. Wilkepedia describes it as thus: "The term comfort food refers to any food or drink to which one habitually turns for temporary respite, security, or special reward."

To me, comfort food is something that takes me back to a kinder, gentler time . . . something that takes me back to the bosom of my childhood home, the security of a loving family, a slower pace, and mom's apple pie. It's soothing and comforting, creamy and buttery, or luciously sweet . . . and sometimes savoury, depending on my mood. It's like the giant "Nooker" of adulthood. (family term . . . meaning pacifier) Simple pleasures . . .

As consumers, we've gone from coveting food from abroad, to coveting food from the local farmer. Today, in the culinary world, the phrase "locally grown" has as high a standing on menus as fancy ingredients like foie gras and truffles. We want artisanal food, not corporate ingredients . . . We want meat that is organic and grass-fed, not stockyard raised and bio-engineered. In some ways, we've come to a point where the quality of the ingredients is more important than any fussing done with them. There is on the one hand . . . a desire to return to the satisfying, family-based meals of our past; and on the other hand, the desire to eat healthy, family-farm-based ingredients.

We want to go back to a time when life was not so complicated . . . or, at least, when we look at it from the distance of time . . . it was one that seemed much simpler. One of the few ways most of us can get there together . . . is through our food, and it can be as diverse as our culture enables it to be.

To someone from Japan . . . it could be dashi, tempura or soba noodles . . . an Italian might long for penne, panzanella salad and chicken cacciatore . . . an East Indian, Dal or curd rice. For me, it's more likely to be Meatloaf and Mashed potatoes or Chocolate Chip Cookies. Whatever your culture or background one thing is for sure . . . comfort food is food that when eaten soothes the soul and makes what seems wrong with our own little worlds . . . suddenly alright . . . and that can't be bad.

What are your favourite comfort foods? I'd surely love to hear about them! In the meantime, here is one of mine. When I was a kid and Swiss Steak was on the menu, it was a great day! We all loved it back then, and we still do.



*Swiss Steak*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

This was one of our favourite meals when I was growing up, and again when I was bringing up my own family. My kids still request it when I have the opportunity to cook for them. This goes great with mounds of freshly mashed potatoes made with lots of butter and hot milk.

1 1/2 pounds of beef rump steak, cut into serving size pieces
1/2 cup flour
salt and pepper to taste
1 fat clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
2 large spanish type onions, peeled and thinly sliced
4 cups canned chopped tomatoes, undrained
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce


Season the pieces of steak with salt and pepper and pound the flour into them with the side of a bread plate, pounding on both sides and pounding until no more flour can be absorbed. This step is what makes the meat meltingly tender.

Melt the butter in a large skillet and brown the pieces of steak on both sides, removing as done to a plate. Once all the steak is browned, sauté the onions in the drippings along with the garlic.

Return the steak to the skillet along with the tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce . Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered, for about an hour and a half, to two hours, until the steak is tender and the sauce is slightly thickened.

*Note* The above recipe is by no means rigid . . . add your own twist to it . . . perhaps a dash of balsamic vinegar, or a squirt of tomato catsup or brown sauce. I sometimes add a dash of horseradish, and some sliced peppers, or even some North American Chili sauce. That's what makes comfort food comfort food . . . it is an indelible print of our souls . . .



More tasty food coming up in the week ahead, like my own Chicken cobbler and a few other surprises. In the meantime, why not pop on over to The English Kitchen to see what we had for breakfast yesterday. It was truly delightful, and I enjoyed every mouthful!