Warm Up To The ‘Feel-Good’ Factor Of Winter Food
The world of food has never been only about nutrition. Within it lurks another world. An uplifted happier world brought about by the ‘feel-good factor’ hidden within it.
As we face another winter in our lives, with chilly mornings and dark evenings, life gets divided into being in the cold outside or basking in the warmth inside. In this world of contrasts within every wintry day, there is a constant that we rely on. The feel good factor brought about in us whenever we come in contact with food.
Starting the day by popping two slices of bread into my toaster makes the house alive with the scent of toasting bread, waiting to be slathered with the low fat spread and strawberry conserve. I feel that if they could bottle the scent of hot toasted bread, they would probably be able to sell it as ‘Positive Energy’.
Every time I walk briskly through a winter morning, trying to feel warmer, I walk past a coffee shop near my house. The strong aroma of roasting coffee beans and steaming cappuccinos makes me feel that it might turn out to be a great day after all. That is probably because of my nostalgic association of coffee and toast with my childhood summers at my Grand Dad’s house. I would wake up early and come downstairs to the fragrance of piping hot coffee and browning toast filling the kitchen as my Grandad got his breakfast ready.
Walking into my baking enthusiast friend’s home quickens the senses as the aroma of baking bread fills the air with a quaint old world charm of contentment. For some reason, baking has always been associated with warmth and comfort and I feel that has a lot to do with the soothing fragrance in the air of food baking in the oven. It tells me that things are fine.
Facing a platter of Aubergine parmigiana, layered with freshly chopped ripe tomatoes, drizzled with olive oil and wafting off a tantalising aroma of garlic, oregano and basil can only make me feel happy. No matter how a day has gone, ending a day with a meal like that can make me feel like I really am on top of the world.
Strolling past the local market stalls is something I love to do on wintry cold Saturdays. Looking at the fresh fruit and vegetable produce arranged tantalisingly on the display can lighten a gloomy day instantly. Green cabbages jostling for space with red tomatoes, brown kiwis nestled near orange tangerines. It really doesn’t get much better than this.
How can one forget to mention the most wintry fragrance of all? Hot roasted chestnuts being sold on stalls set up in the streets which lend a subtle nutty aroma to the air, an aroma which is pretty close to the one set off by popcorn, but stronger and more flavourful. I wonder why we see less and less of hot roasting chestnut stalls now. They always were the foremost in setting the ‘feel-good’ tone of Autumn and Winter days.
A lot of the feel good factor about food really springs from the nostalgia attached to it. Our mind has many memories attached to various meals in our lives.
Different food aromas tug at a different piece of history within us, each plate of food has its own story to tell.
Very well written. Good use of language. One can almost smell the chestnuts roasting! Cheers … Srini.
Thanks, Srinivas! Chestnuts have always been my favourite Autumn fragrance.
Lovely read!…Great writing style!
Thanks, Vinoo!
Great stuff– makes me hungry. I think smells have the best ability to take me back to a time and place. There’s a peculiar chemical smell that reminds me of being age 7 at school, because there was a factory next door.
I had to have my lunch after reading this Devan. Great imagery in the writing don’t you think?
Thanks, Devan! Yes, I agree. Like the smell of Diesel makes me nostalgic for the railway station atmosphere where we boarded the train for our summer holiday!
Such evocative descriptions, Roopa. As a foodie and as a resident of the chilly North-eastern US, I can identify and whole-heartedly agree. As Rucha says, foods that satisfy carry negative calories. How’s that for ‘Positive Energy’ !
Thanks, Abhay! I agree!
Beautifully written Roopa. Through your writing you have made little things in life very special. Cheers.
Thank you! For me,its the little things in life that make it special:)
Beautifully written Roopa – Read it twice..
Thank you!
good work roopa…liked the interactive relationship between food ,seasons fragrance and mood…..the way they complement and enhance one another’s qualities….
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed reading it:)
a great write-up, a tug (of nostalgia) between AromA and CoLor, sure to inspire those planning the Holiday Bake-A-thon. Our compliments to ROOPA.
Thank you for the compliments:)
God would someone please bottle the scent of fresh toast! Mmmmmm!
And if someone does that, could they send me a bottle please?:)
Ummm, that really made me hungry!! Whether you are a foodie or not, I think all of us can relate to those special “feel good” comfort foods… Very well written, Roopa!
Thank you, Jai!
Your writing makes the aromas come off the screen. I would write more in this comment, but I must now go satisfy the hunger that I blame on your article
Thanks,Devneel! I am glad you liked reading this piece.
Very well written Roopa.. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and recalling all those sweet aromatic moments associated to my life..
yes, indeed feel good food can lighten the mood in winter evenings.
Keep Posting.
Cheers
Thanks for the encouraging words, Akshatha:)
Beautifully written Roopa…very nice!!
Thank you, Shachi!
Aptly written. As a big foodie, it’s all about how food smells and looks for me. If it passes that test, it ought to taste good.
Thanks, Shanu! I can totally relate to that. If food passes the test of smell and looks, it really ought to taste good:)
When I walk past this article I can smell the odors of coffee, cakes and chestnuts. Good read Roopa.
A very well written article. When I flew the only exclusive upmarket airline Paramount Airways from Chennai, India, I had read two of her excellent articles, published in their In-flight magazine. One was on tea and the other on a traditional South Indian dish. Her command over language and her skill to keep the reader ‘s eyes rivetted to the article are very impressive. She has a knack of choosing simple and yet appropriate words. The message goes straight to the reader’s heart. I wish we see more of her articles.
the way you have good insight for describing the food in very simple but in manner one is attracted to have mouthful of that dish. Describing the coffee and browning toast at grand dad’s residence also feel like winter morning in early hours with steaming coffee and toast give taste with elderly family warmth.I liked your write up.
Wonderful article Roopa…love your command over the English language.Cheers to more…..Vidya
Roopa… this is experiential writing. Very well written.You must write often and on a variety of subjects.
You made me make my morning coffeee myself!
Tomorrow I might pop the bread in the toaster myself…
This article tingles the imagination with aromas and heart warming visualizations. You have captured the essence of sights and sound that are integral in our life and it reminds me to slow down a little, smell the cofee and let the warm memories fill my heart. Good read. Off to toast my oatnut bread and awaken my mind and body.
‘Feel-good factor’, with the food for sure as you have so lovingly described, but also with your blog! My favorite is to stare at falling rain (and now snow) while sipping my black coffee as if it were a glass of Merlot. Keep admiring food. You write so well, keep writing!