Liberal Arts Blog — The Joy of Eating — Comfort Food (Part II) — Stew
Liberal Arts Blog — Sunday is the Joy of Humor, Food, Travel, Practical Life Tips, and Miscellaneous Day
Today’s Topic — The Joy of Eating — Comfort Food (Part Two) — Stew (beef, chicken, fish, beans, veggie)
This is the third post in the Joy of Eating series and the second post in the “Comfort Food” category. Nothing compares to food. I mean in terms of topics of conversation. In terms of bringing out the best in people. It elicits joy and appreciation like no other. When in doubt talk about food. There is a saying that you should never talk about politics and religion. Just stick to the weather and your health. Wrong — start with food. The weather and health things are often downers. By contrast, food is an opportunity for mutual bliss. Please share the highlights of your culinary life. Details on where, when, and how prepared are much appreciated. Experts — please chime in. Correct, elaborate, elucidate.
THINGS TASTE BETTER WHEN ALL MIXED TOGETHER
1. Huck Finn did not like the food at Widow Douglas’s because all the food was served separately. “In a barrel of odds and ends it is different; things get mixed up, and the juice kind of swaps around, and the things go better.”
2. No wonder that when I ask tourists from around the world what their food is, a stew of one sort of another comes up more often than not.
3. Is there a metaphor here? better than a melting pot of metal? a tasty stew. Every flavor enhanced by its neighbors.
NB: the photo is of Irish stew.
FRANCE, CHINA, IRELAND, SOUTH ASIA
1. Boeuf Bourguinon — wine, beef broth, mushrooms, onions, carrots. The signature dish of Julia Child.
2. Huo Guo — Hot Pot, Chinese variation — infinite variety of ingredients. Regional variations endless.
3. Irish Stew — lamb or mutton, potatoes, onions, parsley
NB: South Asian Delight: chicken biryani — rice, tumeric, cardamom, bay leaves, saffron, ginger, cumin, garlic, cilantro, mint, cinnamon, pepper corns, cloves, chili powder, yogurt, and that’s just for starters. Biryani was featured on a 2017 Indian stamp (above).
FEIJOADA, BOUILLABAISSE, PAELLA
1. Feijoada — beans with beef, pork. Favorite in Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Goa, Macao, Mozambique
2. Bouillabaisse (meaning boiling at low heat) — french fish stew from Marseille when fisherman would throw in fish they couldn’t sell separately into one big pot. now includes turbot, mullet, muscles, crabs, served with a “rouille” (a mayonnaise with saffron, cayenne pepper, olive oil, garlic) This dish is featured in the photo above.
3. Paella — Spanish rice-based dish with green beans, rabbit, chicken, duck, snails, and just about anything else, saffron, rosemary
NB: And don’t forget the vegetable classic: ratatouille (tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, bell pepper, marjoram, basil, fennel, rosemary, thyme, oregano)
“Nothing Only Everything Was Cooked By Itself”
YOUR TURN
So what are your thoughts on food? Fondest food memories? Favorite foods to eat or prepare? Anything miscellaneous to share from anywhere? Best trip you ever took in your life? Practical life tips? Random facts? Jokes?
This is your chance to make someone else’s day. Or to cement in your mind a memory that might otherwise disappear. Or to think more deeply about something dear to your heart. Continuity is key to depth of thought.
