Of Comfort and Discomfort

Is it the smell of tomato paste cooking over a wood fire in late September; the vision of a hot, thick whitish kishk (a local delicacy of goat’s milk and cracked wheat); a sweet, ripe fig – or better yet, fig jam loaded with sesame seeds; or a runny manoushé b’zebdeh w’sekkar (a flatbread dripping with melted butter and crystal sugar). These are all examples of simple, recognizable flavours that contribute to personal and collective memories, of individuals and communities across Lebanon.

Generally dictionaries, online and Old World explain “comfort” as a state of ease, relief, consolation and reassurance in a recognizable territory.

Here are a few of my philosophical ramblings on what comfort is…and what it is not:

Comfort food is not just a recipe…it’s more than the food itself. It’s all that comes with the food – and all the “discomfort” that it removes.

Ahlan wa sahlan – a Beirut warm welcome, a hug with friends, true hospitality in a land where it is a cherished value, far more than an obligation. Guest are truly welcome and hosting them an artform.

Thy neighbour – effortless warmth and ease of conversation, a sense of true community versus cold and distant pleasantries.

To share – food is mainly about sharing a meal – a moment in time – and emotions. How often does it happen in today’s fast-paced world?

Fancy – the fancier the better? Thank you, but not my style. I prefer an enjoyable or intuitive kind of fancy. My priority has never been concerns such as which fork to use or which glass to grab.

Verrine Sur un Lit – is there a law linking “wannabe fine foods” to bizarre names and titles that no one understands?

Exotic – or another law imposing an unrecognizable, mysterious ingredient?

Grandmother – the holder of that secret family ingredient, a sprinkle of her “love” that makes the difference between “plain” cooking and homemade dishes that come from the heart.

Comfort food fills you with what you like and are familiar with.

I will finish with a recipe of some comfort food of my own: the recognizable flavours of sour oranges, slow-cooked, tender chicken meat and a ton of the interdit (forbidden) garlic.

Djej Bel Bou Sfeir (Chicken With Bitter Oranges) Recipe