Mmmmm...

[pat]

I'm making red beans and rice. It's sitting on the stove in all it's smushy slurry, sausagey magnificence.

Many people have comfort foods -- I'm no exception. But unlike a lot of people, my comfort foods are not attached to my childhood.

Except for red beans and rice. My mom is a pretty bad cook (sorry, Mom) who overcooks everything to death. Which makes her the perfect person to cook red beans and rice.

I had a really crappy childhood. Almost all of my memories-- the ones I can remember -- make me wince.

Except for red beans and rice. Something about it makes me feel happy and like a child again -- in a good way, this time. Things are possible with red beans and rice.

I never eat it anymore. Neither my husband nor my sons will touch beans, except maybe at gunpoint. (I can sort of get them to occasionally eat green beans, but that's it.) For years I went to the church Mardi Gras party almost solely because the guy in charge of the food was from Louisiana and made proper red beans and rice. He left a couple of years ago, and they haven't been the same since. This year, they were even vegetarian -- proper red beans and rice have hunks of sausage in them.

But I was in the store the other night and decided, what the hell -- the boys (all four of them) could darn well figure out their own dinners; I'm the cook and I'm making red beans and rice. Deal. (Actually, I caved on that part and am fixing them french fries and fish sticks.) I'm sticking up for myself. It feels good.

Rice is done -- time to go eat.

Comments

[kayre]

Like you, most of my comfort foods are not childhood memories... red beans and rice, as made by Popeye's Chicken around here, is high on the list. If they served cornbread, I think I could eat cornbread/beans/rice every day. I think their beans & rice might be vegetarian, or made with animal fat but not meat chunks.. not sure.

[dangerpudding.livejournal.com]

Oohh, yum. Red beans and rice are a comfort food for me too- yay! for standing up for your food preferences. :)

[klwalton.livejournal.com]

Red beans and rice are Food of the Gods.

[tenacious-snail.livejournal.com]

There is a brand of *canned* red beans that are actually amazingly on target (I will bring some back for you next time I go, if you like). You'd have to add your own andouille, but the advantage is you get red beans and rice for one, rather than for an army. (and can I point out that it is *Tuesday*? I guess better late than never)

[elissaann.livejournal.com]

One of my comfort foods is pinto beans and brown rice. I am positive that we never had it at my house when I was growing up. I learnt to make it from a roommate in my 20's. From the first taste, I was hooked.

How did it turn out?

[treacle-well.livejournal.com]

If you have a chance would you mind sharing your "recipe" (in quotes because I know that it might not be as structured as all that). I'm getting into the whole rice and beans thing (not at all a part of my childhood), but I get overwhelmed with sheer volume and variety when I google for such common food recipes.

[vokzal.livejournal.com]

Bean!

You may come and cook bean for me anytime!

(My favorite: refried kidney bean)