Ultimate Comfort Foods

 These are truly unsettling times. We need comfort- good food, a good book, a good wine. Mostly it's the first. There's something about indulging in a bite of something delicious and creamy or salty and crunchy. We don't need to eat it every day - just once a week can do it.

What is comfort food? It's basically any favorite dish that fills you with a sense of well being. It's usually high in sugar and/or carbs. Everyday or common comfort foods are tomato soup, meat loaf, chicken and waffles,. pizza and mac and cheese. It could also be a hot fudge sundae or a bowl of your favorite cereal for dinner. What is ultimate comfort food? It's taking it up a notch. Tomato soup can be homemade with fire roasted tomatoes added in.These are easy to make in the air fryer if it's too cold to use the grill. A dollop of pesto also elevates  the classic recipe.Grilled cheese is the usual accompaniment. It;'s good but it cam also be given some zing and oomph. Try sourdough instead of the usual white as the base and use good Vermont or Wisconsin cheddar. You could also sub in Camembert or brie for a creamier bite. A real ultimate grilled cheese is the French croque monsieur. This is a grilled cheese made with Gruyere and ham. You don't have to have the bechamel sauce that goes with it if you're eating it with soup,

What about Mom's meat loaf? You could easily elevate it with strips of bacon crisscrossed over the top or doing a mix of beef and veal. Another lush add in is grated cheese or sauteed mushrooms and onions.  A splash of Cabernet Sauvignon can also give it some oomph.. Chicken and waffles can get a  lift by whipping the egg whites first for a fluffier waffle. Get good Vermont maple syrup for both. You'll taste the difference right away.Pizza is one of the easiest foods to take up a notch. You can easily top it with filet mignon or lobster. It can be topped with shrimp too. These gourmet slices need good Asiago cheese and fire roasted tomatoes to really elevate them. Lobster can be added to mac and cheese too. It's a delicious way to turn this classic casserole into something special. You only need a cup of it. Going overboard with it may get in the way of the cheese. As for that , again, as with the grilled cheese sandwich , go for a good cheese like a Vermont or Wisconsin cheddar. You could also skip the seafood and create a four cheese one. Use  any combination of Asiago, Fontina, Gruyere and Gouda . End with a super special sundae with buttery homemade fudge sauce , layered with raspberries and strawberries over big scoops of Haagen Daz or Ben and Jerry's.

These are tough times. Tough times call for indulging in lush comfort foods that's been taken up a notch. They're a great way of escaping all the craziness that's going on.