Letter from the Editor | October Was Made for Comfort Food

Can I Hibernate?

I’m a little jealous of bears right now, and of hibernation in general. It’s not the sleep that I’m envious of. It’s all the eating that happens up until hibernation. I’d be one happy cub if I could pack on the fat all month in preparation for a long winter nap. As the weather gets chillier, wetter, and the leaves start to drop, all I want to do is eat warm, carb-y dishes. It doesn’t matter if it’s a comforting bowl of creamy soup, warm casserole, pasta or even something sweet. I just want to put it in my belly.

Speaking of, we’ve been diving deep into comfort food recipes that remind us of childhood or just give us overall fuzzy feelings. Specifically, you may have seen our latest skillet dinner pop up in your social media feed or in an email. It’s a black bean and corn tamale pie, and it’s the epitome of “mom food.” With a chili-like base covered in a blanket of pillow-y cornbread, this is the humble dinner that I want to stuff myself silly with. My inner bear has been calling for this dish lately, and I’ve been happily indulging.

Current Happenings

A pretty major holiday is coming up soon. No, I’m not talking about Halloween, although that is right around the corner. I’m talking about a day that’s coming up much sooner: National Taco Day! Mark your calendars, because on October 4th we’ll be celebrating all things taco with our friends from Old El Paso. From our newest, cutest taco-inspired appetizer to a quiz that’ll finally answer the burning question, “If you were reincarnated as a taco, what kind would you be?”, there’s going to be all kinds of taco-related fun to be had. Fun fact, my reincarnated taco self would be a taco bowl filled with Buffalo chicken and blue cheese. In short, I’d be delicious.

Looking Ahead

We’re ready and waiting for Halloween to roll around. The liquor cabinet has been prepped for mixing up all variety of frightful cocktails and we’ve figured out the best way to use dry ice for a haunting party spread. Ghouls and goblins—bring it on, because we’re ready. Thanksgiving, on the other hand, is still a work in progress, so stay back turkeys! We’ve been pretty busy putzing around the kitchen coming up with sides and sweets that you can bring to all your upcoming potlucks and Friendsgiving dinners. I try really hard not have favorites when it comes to our recipes, but it’s impossible not to when one of them is a recipe for brie cheese mashed potatoes. If the name alone doesn’t hook you, the way it’s prepared definitely will. This side dish is better than regular cheese potatoes because the brie doesn’t get stirred all the way in. Instead, whole cubes of cheese are folded in carefully and left alone to create melty pockets. I’m literally drooling a bit as I think about how obscenely delicious these potatoes are. If you bring any dish to your mom’s house on Thanksgiving Day, it better be these potatoes. Keep an eye out—we’ll be sharing these rich taters and more delicious Friendsgiving-friendly dishes soon!