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Comfort Food Around The World

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Wherever you are in the world, chances are there are certain foods that not only fill your stomach, but also fill you with a personal warmth, a feeling of being loved and happy. We call these comfort foods, and they can be found in every culture. While some of us may crave the comfort foods we know from our childhood or family gatherings, we thought it would be great to show you some comfort foods from around the world. As you’ll see there are often similarities among the types of dishes, ingredients and preparations that make a comfort food, well, comforting! Have a look….

Comfort Foods Around the World

Beet Soup also known as Borscht
Beet Soup also known as Borscht

 

Soup is so comforting on a chilly day. There are many types of soup all over the world that use locally grown and favorite ingredients. Beet soup or borscht as it may be called is popular in Eastern Europe, like this one that we had in Kiev in the Ukraine.

Fresh Made Bread - Indian Roti
Fresh Made Bread – Indian Roti

 

Fresh made bread is also  a favorite. Here is an Indian roti made from chickpea flour being heated right on the stove.

Burrata Cheese from Puglia Italy
Burrata Cheese from Puglia Italy

 

Cheese can be an ingredient in many comfort foods, or it can be treated like a dish in itself, like this Burrata cheese made in the town of Puglia Italy. Burrata is like a fresh mozzarella that a has cream and shreds of cheese inside. It’s one of our favorites!

 

Frites
Frites

 

Potatoes area a wonderful comfort food that much of the world enjoys. They can be baked, mashed, fried, put into a casserole, soup or stew. One of the best ways to enjoy them is when they are cut into strips known as frites or fries. The Belgians have a special double-frying process that makes them extra crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

 

Irish Guinness Stew
Irish Guinness Stew

 

Stew is a hearty meal that warms the heart. Whether made from vegetables, fish or meat, stews can contain any combination of comforting ingredients like this Irish Stew from Dublin that contains Guinness stout beer.

 

Biscuits
Biscuits

 

Biscuits can be sweet or savory. They’re delicious with butter, jam, cream or cheese. And, they make a great snack any time of the day.

 

Rice
Rice with Vegetables in Cuba

 

In many parts of the world, rice is the staple of a meal. It can be plain and white like in Japan, paired with corn and beans, part of a soup or stew, or served with ingredients mixed right in like this delicious rice with vegetables from Cuba.

Hot Roasted Chestnuts
Hot Roasted Chestnuts

 

Hot roasted foods straight off the cart are very comforting. From New York City to Shanghai, roasted corn, potatoes or chestnuts, like these being made right in front of us in Istanbul Turkey, are a delicious treat.

Fish and Chips
Fish and Chips

 

While Fish and Chips (aka fries or frites) can be enjoyed in many places around the world it’s still probably most associated with  our friends in the United Kingdom, some of whom make it beautiful to look at as well as deliciously comforting to eat.

Sonoran Dog - Tuscon
Sonoran Dog – Tuscon

 

Speaking of comfort food that has been elevated, the hot dog has made its way through the United States and elsewhere as a staple. Many places have their own special toppings like the Chicago Dog or this Sonoran Dog found only in Tucson Arizona, using a specific type of bun as well as locally favored ingredients.

Porridge - Congee
Porridge – Congee

 

Porridge, or congee as it is often called in Asia, is a very adaptable comfort food. It can be plain or savory and served for just about any meal. This delicious version from Beijing China has fruits and seeds, making it a yummy dessert.

Steak and Potato in Taiwan
Steak and Potato in Taiwan

 

For meat eaters, there may be nothing quite as comforting as the classic “Steak and Potato.” Maybe that’s why you can find this combination in many places, including 168 SteakHouse in Taiwan. And they have branded their baked potato to prove it!

Brunch
Brunch

 

For those of us who are just not morning people, the idea of brunch – a combination of breakfast and lunch – is perfection itself. Brunch dishes are ultimately comforting, substantial and combine great ingredients like eggs, meat, vegetable and bread with a delicate an lovely touch. Eggs Benedict is a classic brunch dish, that can be personalized with anything from Canadian bacon to crab cakes beneath the deliciously poached eggs and hollandaise or other sauce.

 

Fruit Desserts
Fruit Desserts

 

Fruit-filled desserts are a comforting way to sweeten up your day. In some places, they are a nationally recognized dish, such as apple strudel in Austria.

Chicago Deep Dish Pizza from Pizzeria Uno
Chicago Deep Dish Pizza from Pizzeria Uno

 

Pizza comes in many sizes, shapes and topped with many ingredients. But the folks in Chicago are known for their versions that are deep and thick cheesy, tomatoey, crusty pies, so big that one piece is often enough for a whole meal.

 

 

 

Loukomades - Fried Dough
Loukomades – Fried Dough

 

Fried dough that has a sweet element is found all over the world. With tasty variations there are bunuelos, fritters, donuts, churros, and many more.  These tasty little fried dough balls are Loukomades from Greece, doused in a honey syrup that makes the crunchy sweet dough even more comforting.

Sweets - Maple Snow in Canada
Sweets – Maple Snow in Canada

 

And, of course, a perfect way to sweeten the world would be for everyone to enjoy a little candy. Almost everyone has a sweet tooth, and those like the folks in Canada, have made a fun little activity out of making your own candy by putting thick local maple syrup on snow and rolling it onto a popsicle stick to make your own sweet treat.

 

THE QUICK BITE:  Take a tasty trip around the world with us to see the  similarities among the types of dishes, ingredients and preparations that make a comfort food that satisfies tummies as well as hearts.

 

 

 

 

 

Co-founder of Food Travelist. I love to cook for family and friends. Share your best recipes with me.

8 Comments

  1. I love these comfort foods! From my part of the world I would add two things… Gratin Dauphinois (potatoes au gratin) and Tartiflette (kind of the same – but different). Course I’m starving now…

  2. Oh my those are not only comfort foods, but delicious as well. I would say my ultimate comfort food that I can eat being a vegetarian is french fries. They are not great for the waist line, but at least they aren’t expensive. I do love tomato and cheese salads of any type. I’m off to eat lunch now – a big one 🙂

  3. santafetravelers Reply

    LOVE comfort food. For me it’s pot roast, chicken pot pie or roast chicken, meatloaf and chicken fried chicken or steak- all with gravy of course (and mac ‘n cheese). The Guinness stew is the one that really speaks to me here. Great photos!

  4. betsywuebker Reply

    Oh what a lovely time with carbs this post is! Can’t wait to try some of these. 🙂

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