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

“I’d consider it an act of mercy if you would eat at least one of those scones, Lindsey. Clearly, you don’t have my problem. You look even thinner than you did the last time we saw each other.”
― Lin Wilder, Plausible Liars: A Dr. Lindsey McCall Medical Mystery 5

“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

“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

“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

“When someone sends you a box of Little Debbie oatmeal snack cakes because they know you. Its Golden”
― Niedria Kenny

“Something must be said for childhood favourites where, as adults, we take a bite and are instantly transported back to lunch in Nana's kitchen or a family Christmas dinner. We find fondness in home-cooked, comfort food where the 'comfort' is mostly reminiscence.”
― Alison Ranwell, Appetito: The Life, Soul and Tastes of Italian Home Cooking

“Potato pancakes, Claire reflected, were the food of love—meaning, they were such a colossal pain in the ass to make that no one would ever take the trouble except for love. By the time your fingertips were skinned from grating tubers, your hands sticky from potato starch, and your arms flecked with oil burns, you had better have a good store of love in your heart for whoever was going to eat those little bastards.”
― Kate Quinn, The Briar Club

“Turmeric, ginger, cinnamon — ancient remedies still whisper to us through food.”
― Barbara O'Neill

“Cook not to impress, but to restore.”
― Barbara O'Neill

“Let your meals be your rituals, and your herbs your medicine.”
― Barbara O'Neill

“The flavor of wellness is quiet, warm, and deeply personal.”
― Barbara O'Neill

“Oden is many things: a stew of fishcakes and radish, boiled eggs and root vegetables or bits of meat that need a long, slow cooking. Winter food that is both cheap and nourishing, though little more. But to me, right now, it is the most comforting thing that has ever passed my lips.”
― Nigel Slater, A Thousand Feasts: Small Moments of Joy… A Memoir of Sorts

“At home, a bowl of long-grain white rice will get a stream of melted butter and a crumbling of sea salt and then, as I turn the grains slowly in the warm, golden fat, perhaps a grating of Parmesan, then a little black pepper and lemon juice. A bowl of sticky rice feels more at home with sansho pepper or toasted sesame seeds, crumbs of dried nori and some crisp pickled radish. Another day I will heat the meat juices left over from the Sunday roast and stir them into the rice, streaking them with ribbons of glistening mahogany.”
― Nigel Slater, A Thousand Feasts: Small Moments of Joy… A Memoir of Sorts

“I can see blue sky over the lake and a pale beam of sunlight on the water. The rain has stopped. I take a bite of the cake, closing my eyes and savoring the delicate flavor and the sudden calm with a sense of relief. I'll worry about how I'm going to save the farm later. Right now I want to enjoy my cake and the satisfaction of having made my decision, having chosen my right hard thing. I take another bite of cake, and another. Every one tastes like olive oil and orange blossoms, earthy and honest and a little bittersweet.”
― Rachel Linden, The Secret of Orange Blossom Cake

“I would probably look for some cream based pasta dish. Anything that is a grown up version of mac and cheese, because I am essentially a giant child. But-- and I hesitate to admit this, because it is gross, and I know it is gross-- I really love Arby's. If I am alone and sad, or alone and very happy, Arby's seems to draw me like the North Star.”
― Rufi Thorpe, Margo's Got Money Troubles