I think wanting to eat not-necessarily-great-for-you food during times of stress and difficulty is very human, and I expect most everyone experiences that on some level. There’s a reason why “the quarantine 15” started out a joke and then actually became a thing.
But beyond the science of caloric intake and the body’s craving for carbs, I also think for many of us there are longings for the foods of our childhood during times like these. Experiencing those foods can take us back to a time where we were the ones being looked after, and there is definitely something soothing about that.
Several things fall into this category for me, but none more than spaghetti. It was my favorite food growing up. My mom made it from scratch, from a recipe she adapted from my grandmother. The aroma of that sauce cooking is something that is etched in my memory.
I started seriously cooking when I was about 20, and now it’s something I really love to do. The process is calming and therapeutic to me, and also I really like to eat, so the finished product is a nice bonus.
That spaghetti sauce was one of the first things I ever cooked, and something I’ve been carefully evolving over the years. The basics remain the same, but I’ve added my own elements to it. Making it is a sort of zen practice that I find very comforting and the carbo-licious goodness of slathering it on some pasta is a delight for the senses. There are many dishes in my repertoire that I am proud of, but this one remains my favorite.
On Wednesday, Amelia was playing the board game, “Yeti in My Spaghetti” and told her mom it would be great to have spaghetti that night. I was all too happy to oblige and made a nice pot of spaghetti sauce.
Amelia still mostly likes the noodles, but that’s OK with me. I hope someday she’ll have the same associations of my making it as I do with my mom making it all those years ago. And as a grown up I can enjoy it with a nice glass of red wine, which is also nice upgrade.
Comfort food is good for the soul, and we had a nice family dinner together. After that, the kids did their usual playing and had the new reboot of DuckTales on in the background. I noticed that the episode they were watching was one where Scrooge was sick and the boys were wearing face masks.
If Huey, Duey and Louie can wear face coverings, it can’t be that tough. Quick note to parents, if your kids haven’t come across this reboot yet, it is pretty great. I have found memories of DuckTales when I was a kid, and this new version is pretty sharp. And just try to get the theme song out of your head. I dare you.
