Top 5 comfort foods

Travel is all about culture, traditions, history and taking ourselves away from our comfort zone. Travel is also very much about cuisine as we broaden our knowledge of an area and the people, through food.

Through food, there are strong associations with smells, memories and emotions. Long after we return home from our travels the smell and sight of some foods take us straight back to where it first tantalised our tastebuds.

Then there is comfort food, you know the one, the minute you get a whiff or catch a glimpse of it you are taken straight back to the comfort of home. Comfort foods are usually simple to prepare, high in carbs and consumed to lift our spirits. We’ve all heard of chicken soup for the soul right?  Whether it be Nanna’s rice pudding or Mum’s Sunday night roast, comfort foods are usually a food attached to a time, a place or a person.

When it comes to comfort food Men prefer to tuck into full flavoured hearty meals like casseroles or soups whilst women tend to prefer to pique their emotions with soothing chocolates or ice cream.

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All this food talk comes from an invitation from Pooja at A Bit of this and a lot of that to join the 3 Girls and a #BlogAlong linkup. I was asked what makes me drool and my heart skip just thinking about it? What is the food that makes me feel alive?

So get ready to be hungry as we share our Top 5 comfort foods.

Having a cold spell in the weather at home at the moment we are loving the flavours and variety of many different homemade soups. I make Potato, Cauliflower or Pumpkin soup mostly and do a really good Pea and Ham soup. But I have to say, one of my all time comfort foods is the good ol’ Big Red Tomato soup. Soup is something we often have when travelling in a cooler climate and find it very comforting putting some warmth in our bellies and soothing our soul with a bowl of soup.

Who doesn’t like pasta? We do and we know our love of pasta is the reason we said goodbye to our waistline. It is quick, easy and always tastes so good. Doesn’t matter if we are home or abroad we can always manage to get a good Ragu, Spaghetti Bolognese, Fettucine, Lasagne or my favourite, Tortellini. Whether a tasty, hearty tomato based sauce or a delicate creamy mushroom, I enjoy them all.

Pizza is another favourite that is easy to find just about anywhere. Who would have thought when we arrived in Paris one of the first quick meals we would have, would be Pizza. Steve is a pretty dab hand at making his own dough and we often make pizza at home and experiment with toppings. One of our favourites is roast pumpkin, camembert and chicken and of course who can refuse a slice or two of meat lovers?

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Another tasty, quick and readily available snack is a toastie, grilled cheese, jaffle or croque monsieur. It doesn’t matter where you are, or what you call it, a few slices of bread, cheese and ham cooked up make this tasty snack one of the top comfort foods. When in Bali last year and wanting a bit of comfort food we settled into a local warung and had jaffles for dinner.

Last but not least, of course we couldn’t forget dessert. Whether a gooey, chocolate brownie, a little pie of flakey pastry filled with nuts, fruits and cream or a pannacotta, a waffle with vanilla bean ice cream or crème brulee, I can always find space for the perfect end for a meal. I love cracking into the caramel shell on the crème brulee, the sound excites before I even have a taste of the smooth velvet cream.

Lastly, although it’s not a food, and I already have listed my top 5 comfort foods, something we crave to start our day or complete any meal is a good cup of coffee. Not speaking any language besides English we have had some funny experiences abroad just trying to purchase a good cup of coffee.

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But for this post I was asked to write about what makes my heart skip and makes me feel alive and for me that is not the food, but the company. You might notice all my pictures are food for two and that is where I find my comfort, sharing a meal with the one I love, my husband and my perfect travel partner.

We enjoy many a meal out with friends at home and when travelling abroad. Whilst you can have the most amazing food, for us it is certainly each other’s company that completes the experience and makes the meal more pleasurable.

Do you enjoy these foods too? Do you have a list of top 5 comfort foods?

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22 Responses

  1. Linda Bibb says:

    Macaroni and cheese was my go-to comfort food until I realized wheat is not my friend. Somehow, the gluten-free varieties just don’t do the trick for me. Now my favorite go-to comfort food has become a good, strong cup of freshly-brewed coffee, along with a generous serving of heavy cream.
    Linda Bibb recently posted…Jump the Pond To Land In DublinMy Profile

  2. Delish! Good thing it’s close to lunch time for me!
    XX, Will Travel recently posted…XX, Will Travel’s Year in Review: By the NumbersMy Profile

  3. Anda says:

    Oh, your post made me droll, Lyn. I love all these fattening stuff and unfortunately I need so much comfort in the last years… For me the sweets do the trick though.
    Anda recently posted…Interview with Laura Iancu, from “Travelers Universe”My Profile

  4. Ana W says:

    Thanks a lot Lyn. Now I’m suddenly hungry and craving these comfort foods mentioned lol. I think you nailed it! Soup, pasta, pizza, croque monsieur and desserts. And who doesn’t love coffee?! My only addition would be a little wine to wash down that pasta and pizza 🙂 And you’re right, having a particular food takes you back to a moment, a place, a shared conversation with a loved one. Croque Monsieur always puts a smile on my face as I reminisce of when my hubby and I visited Paris back 2010. Thanks for the post!

  5. Mabel Kwong says:

    Like you, I love pizza. One slice of it certainly puts me in a good mood 🙂 Haha, first meal in Paris for you, pizza. It’s so easy to find pizza everywhere these days, and it’s not hard to make at home yourself too. When I’m craving something sweet, a few squares of chocolate will do for me 🙂
    Mabel Kwong recently posted…Why Is Melbourne The World’s Most Livable City? The City With Two FacesMy Profile

    • Lyn says:

      Mabel whether it’s takeaway or homemade pizza (hubby does great pizza from scratch) I love it. So much variety in the toppings. Mmm hard to beat a few squares of choccy.

  6. Oh Lyn, you just made me hungry all over again. Those picture made me drool. I love a good linguine, with a perfect poached egg on top. I also am a fan of caramel custard. Both of which I cannot make, so I just look for them in restaurants. 🙂 I am not so much a fan of cooking or baking as much as I am a fan for eating. LOL
    Rosemarie of Travel and Beyond recently posted…Swan Valley – Endless ExperiencesMy Profile

    • Lyn says:

      Oops sorry about making you drool Rosmarie. Thank you for stopping by, having a read and leaving a comment.

  7. Fairlie says:

    For me, anything cheesy or with melted cheese… And I definitely like a good coffee. That’s one of the biggest challenges travelling…finding good coffee first thing every morning.
    Fairlie recently posted…Tokyo’s cat cafes – why we paid money to pat a kittyMy Profile

    • Lyn says:

      I hear you Fairlie, first thing in the morning is when I really appreciate good coffee and travelling it is one of the hardest things to find.

  8. Anna says:

    I love dessert too! It never feels like a complete meal without it! Pizza is totally a guilty pleasure for me and I’m looking forward to going to Italy next month to eat a ton of pizza and pasta. And of course, I agree that the best part of a meal is sharing it with a loved one. 🙂
    Anna recently posted…Grandma’s kitchen: a taste of my childhoodMy Profile

    • Lyn says:

      Thanks for your comment Anna. We had some amazing pasta in Italy, I think Sorrento was the best.

  9. Crème brulee, OMG! :)))) Love it!
    I have some comfort foods too, especially our traditional Polish pierogi (dumplings) and Japanese mochi with strawberries. But when I think of delicious cuisine, I’d love to go back to the Baltic States and I don’t mind coming back 1 or 2 kg bigger 😉 It’s really delicious 🙂
    Isabella | Love Traveling recently posted…50 Stunning Photos of GreeceMy Profile

    • Lyn says:

      Isabella I have never tried Pierogi or Mochi, but I’d like to. Thank you for stopping by for a read and leaving a comment.

  10. Yep, ditto to these 5 comfort foods. And while I start my day with coffee I don’t often do it when I am travelling because all too often you get some crappy dirty water, unless I can hunt down a good drop then I am there!
    Thanks for joining in #wednesdaywanderlust
    Malinda @mybrownpaperpackages recently posted…Friday Favourite: The PlumbetteMy Profile

    • Lyn says:

      Malinda we too find it hard to find a really good coffee when travelling. We are really spoilt in Australia with very good coffee that is readily available.

  11. Pooja says:

    Oh Lyn!! Your list and your post… So beautiful! I’m so glad you gave a special mention to coffee.. I’m a thru and thru coffee person too..
    Also so rightfully said.. Company makes such a huge difference.
    Thank you so much for participating in our #BlogAlong.

    • Lyn says:

      Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment Pooja and especially for hosting the #BlogAlong linkup. A bunch of girls chatting about their favourite comfort food makes for great reading 🙂

  12. Got a sore throat at the moment so I’m definitely craving comfort food. My fave would be a baked potato with lots of grilled cheese on top
    Suze The Luxury Columnist recently posted…Flytographer – Telling Your Story in StyleMy Profile

    • Lyn says:

      Yes when unwell is a great time for comfort food, and great choice too. Thanks for your comment Suze.

  13. Shruti says:

    Hi Lyn, thanks for joining the link up and I LOVE your list… Passtahhhhh, am such a fan of a good cheesy, creamy sauce. And of course the croque Monsieur.. It’s a mandatory indulgence on Friday mornings for me..
    Shruti recently posted…Scarecrows of BarossaMy Profile

    • Lyn says:

      Shruti thank you so much for stopping by and leaving a comment and especially for hosting the #BlogAlong linkup

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