comfort
March 30, 2010The concept of “comfort food” means something just a little bit different to everyone. Is it something that brings back memories and feelings of a time where you were calm, happy, and less stressed? Is it something you can make or acquire easily, with minimal muss and fuss because you just can’t handle any more than you’ve already got at the moment? Surely it goes even deeper for some people - putting away a pint of Ben & Jerry’s to make the pain stop, so on and so forth (here’s hoping none of us ever get to that point).
Personally, I have a bit of a love affair with food, perhaps trending just a tad towards the unhealthy side. Certain meals do bring me comfort, although I’m not sure I can attribute that happiness to much other than “this tastes beautiful and I enjoy it immensely.” If that’s all there is to it, I’m pretty okay with that. On more than one occasion I’ve wondered if some of us are afflicted with a strange sort of synesthesia. You know, when the sense of taste translates into stunning feelings and imagery in your mind’s eye, physiological excitement, perhaps deeper attachments to the person you’re eating with, or the establishment you’re in … they say scent is the sense that’s most closely tied to our memory and emotions, and 75% of what we taste is actually coming from smell. Coincidence? I think not.
There’s a wonderful restaurant in Palo Alto called Lavanda. It’s full of good people, energy, wine and food, and makes me happy. I was there with my family almost exactly one year ago, for my 26th birthday, and the Executive Chef at the time, Tiny, personally brought a special dish out to the bar for us (it’s rare to find my family and I sitting at a proper table, we’re bar-lingering folks and damn proud of it). It was so simple: fresh bread , creamy goat cheese, succulent asparagus, and truffle oil. I later discovered the bread was from La Brea, and now it’s the only bread I’ll buy if I can help it.
Suffice it to say, I completely stole this recipe. I make it all the time, and no matter how many times I have it, I still close my eyes and sigh as I take that first bite. The tastes meld together perfectly. Before putting the truffle oil on, I cover the bread and cheese quite liberally with fresh cracked black pepper. You should try it! Enjoy, and may it bring you comfort.
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