Defining Comfort

Merriam Webster defines comfort food as: food prepared in a traditional style having a usually nostalgic or sentimental appeal. And this makes sense to me. When I think of comfort food country fried chicken and mashed potatoes tops my list. Roast turkey is a close second. Both remind me of the good parts of growing up.

So, when my husband emailed me the other day informing me that work was a beast, life generally sucked, and he wanted comfort food for dinner, I naturally thought of chicken. Of course after so many years of marriage, I have finally learned to ask what he meant by comfort food. And a good thing I asked. What he really wanted was either steak and baked potato or pasta. Neither traditional nor nostalgic where we were raised.

What he really wanted was good for to go with good wine. The Fresh Market had NY Strip Angus Steaks on special this week for $8.99. Seared medium rare and accompanied by a baked potato loaded with sour cream, green onion, and crumbled bacon. Yum, yum.

The wine turned out to be extra special. We pulled out a 1996 Seavey Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Smooth, slightly tannic, and lots of body. The taste reminded us of dark plum and Portobello. A complex combination that worked well with the beef.

And yes, we were comforted.