Take Comfort

Comfort food: two words that immediately conjure up something specific in everyone’s mind—but not likely the same something.  It turns out comfort food is a very personal thing. It’s food that makes you feel better (at least temporarily) and is associated with fond memories.

Some people think of hamburgers and pizza as comfort food. While I don’t exactly categorize those as junk, I tend to equate comfort food more with home cooking. Food that is warm, hearty, and filling—stick-to-your-ribs kind of stuff—things Mom and Grandma used to make.

Survival of the Fittest

We all seem to need comfort these days. Maybe it’s a carryover from Covid or the repercussions of current political concerns. In any case, especially in winter, many of us seek comfort through food.

There are real physiological reasons for this. First, we are pre-programmed to eat more in winter. Research has traced this behavior all the way back to caveman days. Colder temperatures meant scarcer food, and shorter days meant less time to hunt. Those carrying the most weight would survive.

Secondly, less daylight causes hormonal changes in our bodies that affect sleep, appetite, and stress levels. Our mood is lowered, and we feel somewhat lethargic. In response, we crave foods that will counteract these feelings. Carbs in particular can trigger the release of happiness hormones like dopamine and serotonin.

New American Cuisine

The term comfort food as applied to restaurants seems to have first appeared in 1966 in an article in The Palm Beach Post when they described it as classic, warm, and gooey. But it didn’t really start to take hold in restaurants until the early 1980s. Some now refer to comfort food as the cornerstone of American Cuisine—sad, but true.

According to Christie Rotondo, associate director for food and drink with Vox Creative, “Over the last decade comfort food has become ‘New American.’ The defining flavors of our cuisine haven’t been built by classically trained chefs—they’ve been honed over generations in home kitchens, covered with cheese, and baked at 350 degrees for an hour. Serving up dishes with care and love like mom used to is an incredibly powerful thing for restaurants to harness and they don’t seem like they’ll be letting up on their grip any time soon.”

Cape May Comfort

From your favorite neighborhood pub to our premier fine dining establishments, comfort food reigns supreme during the winter in Cape May. Please note: many Cape May restaurants operate on an abbreviated schedule at this time of year, so please check the hours of operation before you go.

There is nothing like a hearty soup to warm you up on a chilly winter day. Not surprisingly, New England clam chowder is a popular menu item here, as is French Onion Soup.

Is Mac n’ Cheese your winter passion? The Blue Pig, Cape May Fish Market, the Ebbitt Room, Grana, Hemingway’s, and Sea Salt all prepare it with lobster! YB does it with shrimp and Exit Zero serves it with buffalo chicken or just plain for the kids. The Mad Batter also has it on their menu as a side dish.

You can enjoy grilled cheese or chili at the Ugly Mug. For something a little different, the Cape May Fish Market has a grilled cheese and crab cake sandwich. Fins is preparing pot roast and chicken pot pie—which is also on the menu at the Blue Pig.

You will find meatloaf here too, but not like mom used to make. Our chefs have put their own twist on it. Exit Zero stuffs it with bacon and cheddar cheese, Grana is using Wagyu beef, and Delaney’s is Irish, of course, topped with sherry cabbage chive cream sauce. Delaney’s offers more Irish comfort in the form of Bangers and Mash and Shepherd’s Pie. You won’t find beef stew in Cape May, but you can enjoy oyster stew at the Cricket Club or beef stroganoff at Harry’s.

Potatoes always bring comfort to me. Of course, every restaurant prepares potatoes in one way or another, but we are always looking for the unexpected, like the potato gratin at the Washington Inn. YB flavors their mashed potatoes with truffles and the Cricket Club bakes potato muffins every day.

Speaking of the unexpected, chicken and waffles is on the menu at two restaurants in Cape May: The Cricket Club and Elaine’s.  

Many Italian dishes provide comfort: risotto, gnocchi, meatballs, or baked pasta dishes like lasagna—all of which are readily available here. But again, for something different, visit Grana. They have created a Wagyu meatball served with truffle cream. And Panico’s prepares a large stuffed meatball called Polpetta that is served with cavatappi.

Short ribs have become ubiquitous among our gourmet restaurants. You can indulge in this culinary delight at the following places: the Blue Pig, Brine, the Cricket Club, Grana, Hemingway’s, Ocean 7, Peter Shields, Provence, Sapore Italiano, Sea Salt, Vintage, and the Washington Inn.

For a sweet ending, dive into some bread pudding at Blue Pig, Hemingway’s, and Lucky Bones, all of which are flavored with chocolate. Or sample the warm apple crostata at Peter Shields—comfort in every bite!

Confessions of a Gourmand

Everyone has their secret comfort food. Mine, believe it or not, is cream of mushroom soup with tuna fish on toast. I know, I should be ashamed!

Mac n’ Cheese, however, is a close second. Of course, when I was a kid, the name hadn’t been shortened yet. It was simply my mom’s Macaroni and Cheese. There was no recipe. She used elbow macaroni, made a basic white sauce, and added lots of Velveeta cheese—yes, Velveeta. By the way, you can’t substitute anything else. I’ve tried. It just isn’t as good. I simply don’t tell people what’s in it! She didn’t even bother with breadcrumbs on the top, she just added a few more slices of the Kraft original.

To my husband, anything that starts with a can of cream of mushroom soup is comforting. His signature dish is what we like to call Bernie’s Beef. Truth be told, it was a crock pot recipe he acquired via his daughter-in-law’s paternal grandmother. So, we should probably call it Mommom Ruth’s Beef! In any event, it’s delicious, satisfying, easy, foolproof and oh, so comforting.

Start with an inexpensive cut of beef like bottom round. Place it in a crock pot with one large can of Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup, add a package of Lipton onion soup mix and the secret ingredient—a squirt of ketchup. Cook on high for 6 hours and serve with mashed potatoes and a vegetable. 

Battle of the Bulge

Are you worried about gaining weight from indulging in all this comfort food? Here are some other things you can do that will help you muddle through:

1. Get plenty of sunlight. When you’re inside, sit by a sunny window.

2. Exercise. Not only will you burn calories, but it will improve your mood.

3. Stay hydrated. We tend to drink less water when we are cold, and thirst is often mistaken for hunger. Try some herbal tea.

4. Eat more veggies, especially fresh ones. Swap out your usual salad for some roasted veggies. Make some broth and add plenty of vegetables. Not only will it warm you up, but it will also fill you up.  

5. Add some spice to your life.  Flavorful food is more satisfying, so you may eat less. Spices like red pepper, cinnamon, cloves, garlic, and ginger can give your metabolism a little boost.

Bon Appetit!