Comfort Food Quotes

“Ordinary folk prefer familiar tastes - they'd sooner eat the same things all the time - but a gourmet would sample a fried park bench just to know how it tastes.”
― Walter Moers

“We get used to things too easily. You think something's tasty the first time you eat it, but then you start taking it for granted. Never forget your first impressions.”
― Hisashi Kashiwai, Los misterios de la taberna Kamogawa

“Cinnamon, I realized, is the flavor equivalent of being hugged by your grandmother.”
― Mark Schatzker, The Dorito Effect: The Surprising New Truth About Food and Flavor

“Today is a day, I just wanna die
If it weren't for this big piece of
fucking apple pie”
― Sara Arneberg, a bouquet of poems

“I associate so many fond memories with food. On that damp evening, along in a tiny restaurant smelling of mildew and lobster, I was 1,600 miles from everyone I knew and loved. After one bite of the pie, I closed my eyes, and taste transported me back to the warm, familiar comfort of my grandmother's kitchen. She always had a pie sitting on the kitchen counter, ready to serve, and a fresh pot of coffee brewing.”
― Debi Tolbert Duggar, Riding Soul-O

“I sliced the chicken with my fingers and put it into a small skillet to warm, separate a couple of eggs, and whisk the yolks quickly until they have lightened and thickened. Pour in a healthy glug of cream, then grate a flurry of cheese over the top, mixing it in. I zest a lemon from the bowl into the mix, and then squeeze in the juice. Some salt and pepper. I go over to the pots in my window and, with the scissors I keep there, snip off some parsley and chives, which I chop roughly and add to the mix. When the pasta is al dente, I drain it quickly, reserving a bit of the cooking water, and add it to a large bowl with a knob of butter, mixing quickly to coat the pasta. I add in the lemon sauce, tossing with a pair of tongs. When the whole mass comes together in a slick velvet tumble of noodles, I taste for seasoning, add a bit more ground black pepper, and put the shredded chicken on top with a bit more grated cheese.
A fork and a cold beer out of the fridge, and I take the bowl out to the living room, tossing Simca a piece of chicken, and settle on the couch to watch TV, twirling long strands of the creamy lemony pasta onto my fork with pieces of the savory chicken, complete comfort food.”
― Stacey Ballis, How to Change a Life

“It was a standard white-bread hot dog bun oozing with orangey-pink lobster meat, dotted with tiny slices of celery ribs, and held together by globs of creamy mayonnaise. "Careful," Jaime warned, stretching the plate out closer to Hazel's lap. "It's sort of a two-hand situation."
Hazel brought the soggy roll to her mouth and bit down at one end. A mouthful of buttery, lemony goodness greeted her, and she swooned. "S'good," she mumbled, wiping the corners of her mouth. It wasn't just good. It was heavenly and tasted exactly the way she'd always thought that summer should.”
― Alexandra Bullen, Wishful Thinking

“For a few moments, the women sat together in companionable quiet, the only sounds that of birdsong and hoofbeats and wagon wheels from outside. The dough rounding between Vienne's palms was smooth and soft, and the sight of the rolls filling the pan Paulette set on the table offered a certain satisfaction. Life remained complex and unreliable, but this was simple and predictable. A comfort.”
― Jocelyn Green, A Refuge Assured

“Richard had questioned their luncheon contribution, suggesting cookies were not hearty (or impressive) enough for the occasion. "You're such a good cook, Nellie," he'd said, but she knew what he really meant. He didn't think cookies made the right kind of statement for the Murdochs.
But Richard knew nothing of feeding sadness- that was women's work- or how far a simple chocolate chip cookie could go to lift one's mood.”
― Karma Brown, Recipe for a Perfect Wife

“But sancocho is a daylong dish to make.
It has many steps; it's making a pact with time
that you will be patient & the outcome will be delicious.

It is browning & boiling. Blending & straining.
It is meat & root vegetables. Herbs & salt.
It is hearty & made from the earth & heart.”
― Elizabeth Acevedo, Clap When You Land

“In the end, I always want potatoes. Mashed potatoes. Nothing like mashed potatoes when you're feeling blue...The problem with mashed potatoes, though, is that they require almost as much hard work as crisp potatoes, and when you're feeling blue the last thing you feel like is hard work. Of course, you can always get someone to make the mashed potatoes for you, but let's face it: the reason you're blue is that there isn't anyone to make them for you. As a result, most people do not have nearly enough mashed potatoes in their lives, and when they do, it's almost always at the wrong time.”
― Nora Ephron, Heartburn

“When Charlotte got home from work, she found a Tupperware container on her patio table. On it, Mac had taped a note that read, Just because.
She opened the container, and the scent of chocolate and butter burst from it like from a Christmas cracker. She gave a startled laugh. Inside were the biggest chocolate chip cookies she'd ever seen, each the size of her whole hand.”
― Sarah Addison Allen, Other Birds

“Mmm! This is so yummy! It's salt and spring onion flavored, right?"
"Yep! I boiled some chicken tenderloins and dressed them with salt and spring onion sauce. I spread the sauce on the outside of the rice balls too!"
"Yum! The salty flavor really whets the appetite!"
"The body especially craves salt after exercise too."
"Aah, is this kombu? Seaweed is a rice ball staple! Tsukudani kombu and... cheese?!" *Tsukudani means foods simmered in soy sauce and mirin.*
"Right! The heavy sweetness of tsukudani foods goes really well with cheese."
"Okay, let's see what the last one is! Yum! The garlic flavor is awesome!"
"Those are my honey-garlic pork rice balls.
I boiled some pork belly until it was soft... and then I let it marinate with some garlic for a day in a mixture of miso, cooking saké, and honey. It's super awesome with rice, so I thought I'd try making rice balls with it.
I brought barley tea and green tea. Take your pick!"
AAAAH
"This is the brilliance of Megumi's cooking. It calms and comforts the heart of whoever enjoys it."
"The chicken tenderloin isn't too dry, and the pork is perfectly tender. All of these are carefully and deftly made.”
― Yuto Tsukuda, Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma, Vol. 2

“In Gina's experience, cheese made everything better- Parmesan on popcorn, crispy fried goat cheese in a salad, a swipe of cream cheese on a toasted bagel, or melted gouda on an egg sandwich. She even liked a dollop of sweetened mascarpone on a slice of warm cherry pie instead of ice cream. But grilled cheese, gooey from the griddle, crisp on the outside, melty on the inside, that was the pinnacle of dairy possibility.
No matter how it was dressed up, with balsamic reductions or micro greens, a grilled cheese was still luscious goodness between carbs. Simple, wholesome comfort food at its finest.”
― Amy E. Reichert, The Optimist's Guide to Letting Go

“Gina set her notepad and pen on the hospital nightstand, then pulled the warm garlic bread from the parchment paper package meant to keep the pooling butter from escaping, but it really provided the perfect dipping spot. She bit into the crusty edge, crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, and sprinkled with the exact right amount of garlic salt. Mama Mia's garlic bread, the ultimate comfort food- all carbs and fat. After dropping May off at home on her way back to the hospital, she'd swung by for the necessary comfort-food fix. Now that she thought about it, their iconic bread would make an amazing grilled cheese sandwich.”
― Amy E. Reichert, The Optimist's Guide to Letting Go

“We'll start with oysters on the half shell and homemade salt-and-pepper potato chips, just to whet the appetites. Then a wedge salad with homemade ranch dressing and crumbled peppered bacon. For the main course, a slow-roasted prime rib, twice-baked potatoes, creamed spinach, tomato pudding baked into tomato halves, and fresh popovers instead of bread. For dessert, the world's most perfect chocolate cream pie.
Marcy and I went on a Sunday boondoggle to Milwaukee last year and had lunch at this terrific gastropub called Palomino, and while the whole meal was spectacular, notably the fried chicken, the chocolate cream pie was life changing for us both. Marcy used her pastry-chef wiles to get the recipe, and we both love any excuse to make it. It's serious comfort food, and I can't think of a better way to ring in the New Year.”
― Stacey Ballis, How to Change a Life

“Have you eaten dinner? I made some varan bhaat."
Now she felt stupid. Boiled rice and dal was the only thing she knew how to cook. But like her, Ashna had loved the simple comfort food as a child.
Maybe it was Shobi's imagination, but a sparkle broke through the weariness in Ashna's eyes. "Varan bhaat?" But she got a hold of herself. "I didn't have ghee in the house."
Shobi went to the kitchen and Ashna followed her with her usual tentativeness.
"I made some." Shobi popped the two bowls she had mixed into the microwave. "Ghee, now that I know how to make. I used to love the smell when our cook made it when I was little. So she showed me how to. Of course, she used to churn the butter from the cream first; I just walked down to the store and bought butter." Shobi put the bowl of rice and lentils mixed in with ghee and fresh lemon juice in front of Ashi.
For the next few minutes- the first peaceful minutes she'd shared with her daughter since she'd arrived- the two of them ate, letting the sticky, wholesome goodness melt on their tongues and stick to their palates and fill their mouths with that internal hug of a cherished comfort food.”
― Sonali Dev, Recipe for Persuasion

“Rosie has made dinner for later, a curry that smells like coconuts, something she said her dad makes when she's run down or sad.
"It works. I give less of a shit once I've got a bowl of this baby. My nan's works the best though. Fuck knows what she puts in hers. Men's souls probably, and rightly so.”
― Lia Louis, Dear Emmie Blue

“Growing up outside of Philadelphia, I never wanted for diner food, whether it was from Bob's Diner in Roxborough or the Trolley Car Diner in Mount Airy. The food wasn't anything special- eggs and toast, meat loaf and gravy, the omnipresent glass case of pies- but I always found the food comforting and satisfying, served as it was in those old-fashioned, prefabricated stainless steel trolley cars. Whenever we would visit my mom's parents in Canterbury, New Jersey, we'd stop at the Claremont Diner in East Windsor on the way home, and I'd order a fat, fluffy slice of coconut cream pie, which I'd nibble on the whole car ride back to Philly.
I'm not sure why I've always found diner food so comforting. Maybe it's the abundance of grease or the utter lack of pretense. Diner food is basic, stick-to-your-ribs fare- carbs, eggs, and meat, all cooked up in plenty of hot fat- served up in an environment dripping with kitsch and nostalgia. Where else are a jug of syrup and a bottomless cup of coffee de rigueur? The point of diner cuisine isn't to astound or impress; it's to fill you up cheaply with basic, down-home food.
My menu, however, should astound and impress, which is why I've decided to take up some of the diner foods I remember from my youth and put my own twist on them. So far, this is what I've come up with:

Sloe gin fizz cocktails/chocolate egg creams
Grilled cheese squares: grappa-soaked grapes and Taleggio/
Asian pears and smoked Gouda
"Eggs, Bacon, and Toast": crostini topped with wilted spinach,
pancetta, poached egg, and chive pesto
Smoky meat loaf with slow-roasted onions and prune
ketchup
Whipped celery root puree
Braised green beans with fire-roasted tomatoes
Mini root beer floats
Triple coconut cream pie”
― Dana Bate, The Girls' Guide to Love and Supper Clubs

“You might expect such a grand hamper to be filled with smoked salmon, a cocktail of olives---ciabatta bread, perhaps. But no. Marcus knows that my taste in food runs to the far side of the Philistine. Instead, the hamper is packed with pork pies, hot pizza wrapped in foil, Walkers crisps, Pringles, my very favorite muffins from Chocolate Heaven and, in its own little cooler, a tub of Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream.”
― Carole Matthews, The Chocolate Lovers' Club

“When I grabbed the untouched bowl of ginataang bilo-bilo, Derek stopped me.
"I haven't tried this yet. I can't write a full review if I don't taste everything on offer."
I shrugged and slid it in front of him. "Knock yourself out. It's one of my favorite cold-weather treats, so I hope you enjoy it."
Usually consumed for breakfast or at snack time for meryenda, it had all the comfort of a warm bowl of oatmeal but enough sweetness to qualify as dessert. While it wasn't the most Instagram-worthy dish, the various textures of soft and chewy with a bit of bite, combined with the sweet creaminess of the thickened coconut milk and my lola's deft touch made it the Filipino culinary equivalent of hygge. Pure coziness and warmth in a bowl.”
― Mia P. Manansala, Arsenic and Adobo

“If we have less time alive than the time we have lived, shouldn't it all be comfort food?”
― Terrance Hayes

“They served perfectly seasoned tender steaks and creamed spinach that people dreamt about. They charged almost twenty dollars for the burger, a thick sirloin patty cooked in butter that always came out glistening. During Lent, they went fish heavy on the menu---fried perch and shrimp. They were fancy comfort food, meatloaf and chicken potpie. Their chicken paillard was lemony and crisp, served over a bed of bright greens.”
― Jennifer Close, Marrying the Ketchups

“Shrimp sinigang, nilaga, and lomi were among the soup offerings, along with two pancit dishes, fried rice, and a huge steaming bowl of lugaw with tokwa't baboy on the side. I was particularly happy to see the last offering since there are few things more comforting than savory rice porridge topped with the salty, spicy tofu and pork side dish.”
― Mia P. Manansala, Murder and Mamon

“As per your request, all the chocolate we have on offer."
There were pandan cheesecake brownies, red bean brownies, ube chocolate chip cookies, ube Oreo mochi Rice Krispie treats, brown butter chai chocolate chip cookies, Mexican hot chocolate cookies, and a champorado parfait, the last of which was still in the experimental phase. I didn't usually make so many chocolate offerings in one day, but I guess subconsciously I felt the need for chocolaty comfort as much as Marcus did.”
― Mia P. Manansala, Murder and Mamon

“I dragged him to my favorite kebab shop, even though he kept insisting that he wanted to take me out for a proper dinner. I waved him off, telling him there was no better meal to have in Britain than a döner kebab out of a Styrofoam container. It's quintessential student food because of its magical abilities to cure a hangover, but for me it had become more the greasy, spicy, gamey combo I craved whenever I needed comfort food.
I made Samuel pour as much white sauce on top as possible--- convincing him that the yogurt-garlic-mayo-za'atar combo of this particular establishment was unmissable.”
― Ali Rosen, Recipe for Second Chances

“Alexander's selected the best potatoes they have in storage, a medium-sized white onion, a hearty block of Reblochon-style cheese, a slab of fatty bacon, and has even retrieved a dry white wine from the downstairs pantry.
Eden's mind races. The ingredients are simple, but there are hundreds of different possible outcomes. She can't even begin to fathom what Alexander has in store for her.
He handles his knives beautifully. His grip is strong, but just light enough to offer the most flexibility. It isn't very long before he slices up generous bits of bacon and has it sizzling in a hot pan, fat melting away and frying all around the meat to leave it nice and crisp. In goes finely minced onion, and then a good cup or so of white wine to deglaze the bottom of the pan. Then it's the potatoes, which he's skinned and sliced with mind-bending accuracy.
Alexander pops everything into an oven-proof dish before covering the top with a hefty layer of cheese. He places it in the oven, but doesn't bother setting a timer. He's a skilled enough chef to know when it's done.
"Are you going to tell me what this mystery dish is?" Eden asks.
Alexander smiles. "It's a tartiflette," he explains. "My father used to make it all the time. Comfort food, for when I wasn't feeling well.”
― Katrina Kwan, Knives, Seasoning, & A Dash of Love

“They each contribute at least one dish to their new menu. It's not an extensive list, just a handful of favorites that are not only delicious and filling, but affordable as well.
Peter makes the most mouthwatering shucos on heavenly soft long bread buns, buttered and toasted to perfection before being topped with halved hotdogs, guacamole, cabbage, mayonnaise, tomato sauce, chili sauce, and mustard. It's both crispy and soft at the same time, a perfect combination of textures in one's mouth. It's honestly the perfect dish for anyone looking for a quick but hearty meal for lunch.
Freddie brings fish and chips to the table. Simple, delectable, but hardly anything to scoff at. He makes sure to use a beer batter to bring out the subtle flavors of the fresh halibut he uses. It's then fried to golden perfection. The fries are lovingly cut and seasoned by hand, optional Cajun spice in a small serving bowl to the side. He never skimps on the portion sizes, either. The fish is massive, and he makes sure to pile fries so high, a few always fall off the expo line.
Rina contemplated making a classic pho from scratch, but eventually decided on her and her sister's personal favorite gỏi cuõn--- savory braised pork, massive prawns, soft vermicelli, cucumbers, lettuce, and diced carrots all wrapped up in a pretty rice paper blanket. The way she plates everything makes the dish look like a masterpiece that's too good to eat. Most people do, however, eat it eventually, because it'd be a right shame to waste such an amazing meal.
Eden makes her mother's macaroni and cheese. The cheap, boxed shit from grocery stores doesn't even begin to compare. She comes in early to make the macaroni from scratch, rolling and kneading pasta dough with deft hands. The cheese sauce she uses is also made from scratch, generous helpings of butter and cream and sharp cheddar--- a sprinkle of salt and pepper and oregano, too--- melting into one cohesive concoction she then pours over her recently boiled pasta. She makes every bowl to order, placing everything in cute little ramekins they found on sale, popping it into the oven beneath the broiler so that the butter-coated bread crumb topping can turn a beautiful golden brown. With a bit of chopped bacon and fresh green onions sprinkled on top, it's arguably one of the most demanded dishes at The Lunchbox.”
― Katrina Kwan, Knives, Seasoning, & A Dash of Love

“Sitting inside a warm and cozy cafe laced with soft music, plush furniture, the smell of fresh coffee, books and newspaper, eating brunch served on a table made of cedar, surrounded by exposed brick walls, while looking at the locals run in the rain during Christmas time. The perfect day”
― Niedria Dionne Kenny

“Here," Marie tells her, offering Henriette a little almond cake, with a bonnet of rose-petal cream. "You must try these--- our cook's secret recipe. Rumor has it that anyone who tastes one will realize they are loved." And she watches until she is satisfied that Henriette has taken a soft, fragrant bite, and that the magic is beginning to work.”
― Clare Pollard, The Modern Fairies