Craving for Comfort

It's been raining a lot the past weeks. Rain, rain, rain... rain, rain, rain. I've had that phrase as my gmail status for sometime, in fact.  This year, we've had 12 tropical disturbances, already 2 more than the total last year. Just this quarter - our rainy season -, storms had been so bad, students and sometimes the office work force, had been sent home.

Today is another one of those days. It's rained throughout the night, then when parts of the metro were flooded and filled with commuters sent home after lunch, the sun decided to check us out. Just for an hour or two. Now, it's back to gloomy skies, more rain, and the craving for comfort food!!!

What is it about the rainy weather that makes one crave for comfort food? It's no longer a surprise to read status updates on FB, tweets, blog posts, and google+ posts sharing what one is having for a meal or snack, or craving to have. Here are the top all time comfort dishes posted by my contacts:

• Hot soup - there's Sinigang, Good old Chicken soup or Tinola, Ramen, Wanton Noodle Soup
• Noodles/Pasta - Chinese, Italian, Filipino, the closer to childhood versions, the better. 
• Champorado - porrige made with sticky or short grain rice cooked in rich chocolate. People have posted their favorite variations including grated cheese, dried salted fish. 
• Eggs & Bacon, Pancakes & Waffles, Sausages, French Toast - Breakfast!
• Adobo, Fried Rice, Eggs - all in one plate
• Chips & Dip, Pizza, Ice Cream - Junk Food!  

What is it about comfort food? The warm memories, images of safety, security, love? Do we need all that to feel safe and warm during rainy days like this?  And why does it have to hit us when we're in the mood for nothing else to balance it off, like working out instead of staying in bed or planting ourselves in the sofa for a movie fest.

Since we're now on the 4th or 5th storm in two months, I've been on a long-running pursuit of my very own comfort food.  Arghhh! Just making the list is driving me nuts. And, because I won't drive in crazy rainy weather, I couldn't satisfy every single craving, but I aim to have each of these at least once, while it's raining:

1. Ramen. Every single time my husband asks where I want to eat when we're out, I say anywhere with Ramen. This craving hasn't been fully satisfied, so I'm still on the lookout for the best. I've tried Teriyaki Boy's, Kimono Ken's, Shinjuku's, Ramen Bar's, and Sumo Sam's ... next on my list is Atsu Ramen.

RBS#1 from Ramen Bar... so good, so comforting

Sumo Sam's was not so hot (literally and figuratively)

1. Champorado. I read that Chef Laudico has a Belgian Chocolate Champorado in his all-day breakfast menu at Chef Laudico's BFast. My sister swears by her version of white chocolate. They're both on my checklist. 
2. Chicken Inasal. Chicken roasted on an open pit or grill, Bacolod or Ilonggo style. I've tried about four "best" places, and I have to give it to Oscaritos near ABS-CBN, with JT's a close second. Mang Inasal makes me sleepy and since I'm not much of a rice person, I see no thrill about the unlimited rice offer.
3. Eggs, Bacon, French Toast. For someone who gets up late in the mornings, breakfast is my all-time favorite meal of the day. Weird, I know. This I can prepare myself. With organic eggs, bacon slow-cooked to a crisp, French Toast made with Brioche and soy milk, and spread with either strawberry jam or Nutella.



Laksa at ToastBox. Come to me, mama.



4. Laksa. This is one comfort dish that isn't easy to find. There are excellent versions during Singapore month in hotels and restaurants, but on a whim? It's not exactly excellent good enough in Orchard Road in Mega Mall, and I have yet to try the one at ToastBox in Trinoma Mall. Better yet, why not try one from Singapore's Street Market? That is in the works *fingers crossed*. 

While most of these remain cravings, I will do my best to substitute, as I have often done -- preparing a version or turning to cold baby carrots instead of these warm, comforting dishes. In the meantime, I will find comfort in knowing I won't be putting on an extra 10-15 pounds eating every single craving every single time it hits me.

Note: When I finally get to satisfy the child in me with a sampling of these dishes from my target establishments, I shall update this post with better photos.