[Sca-cooks] comfort and food

[Pixel, Goddess and Queen]

I bought a copy of _Adriana's Spice Caravan_ from, I think, Daedalus Books
on clearance. Not particularly notable as cookbooks go for the recipes,
but this is the only cookbook I've run into that includes marginal quotes
from literature and historical recipes. Pike in Galantyne and Apicius on
facing pages. ;-)

Anyway, there's a lovely quote from Will D. Campbell that I was reminded
of when we were talking about comfort food a couple of weeks ago. It
applies to other cultures as well as southern, but Campbell is from the
South:


"Somehow in rural Southern culture, food is always the first thought of
neighbors when there is trouble. That is something they can do and not
feel uncomfortable. It is something they don't have to explain or discuss
or feel self-conscious about. "Here I brought you some fresh eggs for your
breakfast. And here's a cake. And some potato salad." It means, "I love
you. And I am sorry for what you are going through and I will share as
much of your burden as I can." And maybe potato salad is a better way of
saying it."


Margaret