Nostalgia: The Key Ingredient in Comfort

by leilani Glace

Whether it be my mom’s delicious corn casserole or my extended family’s magic bars — sweet delights filled with soothing flavors of toasted coconut atop a smooth brownie base — I have always cherished the dishes that my household brought out around the winter season. Though it may have been no more than 14 degrees Fahrenheit outside, each spoonful of creamy corn brought me a comfort akin to a warm embrace from a treasured loved one. Each time the layers of buttery graham crust dissolved on my tongue and blended with the warm butterscotch, chocolate and coconut shards, I was reminded that no matter what happened in life, I would always have a support system waiting with outstretched arms regardless of the time of day or the amount of distance between us.

Growing up, I told myself that these feelings were simply products of the mere fact corn, chocolate, butterscotch, and the creamy nature of baked condensed milk were a few of my favorite things. I would tell myself that it was simply because I liked the food so much that I craved for the winter holidays to roll around again. I would whole-heartedly believe that it was purely sensory stimulation, that I only longed for the holidays because I had some predetermined weakness that came in the form of chewy cooked corn crowned with a slight baked crust. Yet this winter changed something, and I must admit, I think I was wrong. Nostalgia has topped any premium dark chocolate, butterscotch, whole or creamed corn that my family uses in their dishes. For me, this winter, nostalgia is the key ingredient in the foods that bring me the most comfort.