What My Version of Cozy Comfort Food Looks Like

It's Officially Cozy Comfort Food Season

Whether you celebrated Halloween, Samhain, or Día de los Muertos this past weekend (or all of the above), we are all now firmly planted in cozy season. Cozy comfort food looks different to everyone. It's influenced by what you grew up eating and what you've grown sentimentally attached to throughout your life.

When I think of cozy food, my brain says "cheese." I will pull out the fondue pot, invite over a few friends, and whip up a batch of ooey, gooey cheese and crab fondue to kick off the weekend. (Speaking of fondue, if you need a way to use up all of that leftover Halloween candy, we have you covered.) Or if it's a rainy Sunday, my partner and I will bake a classic ricotta and meaty layered lasagna while Dean Martin plays and the wine flows.

The comfort of slowly-braised meat cannot be understated. Whether it's a chicken tagine with preserved lemons, or a lamb tagine—always with bread for sauce sopping, it transports me back to my travels to Northern Morocco.

But sometimes comfort is the simple desire to be alone and not cook a thing. Solo dinner dates with a good book in hand, perched at the bar, are something I adore, whether at a spot new or familiar. My most recent "me date" was at Diner, an under-the-Williamsburg-bridge establishment that also happens to be the very first restaurant where I ate when I came to the city in 2007. Nostalgia plus alone time = a one way ticket to cozy-town. My order: the caesar salad (a non-negotiable garlic bomb), freshly cut fries with mayo, beef tartare, and a bracingly cold, extra-dry gin martini with a twist. No one said comfort food has to look a certain way.

What to Make This Week

Hot Crab Fondue

A fondue filling enough to make a meal alongside breadsticks or crackers.

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Moroccan Chicken Tagine

Preserved lemons impart a bold, bright flavor to this traditional Moroccan dish.

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Our Take on Classic Lasagna

This version leaves out all embellishments for a truly classic take on a family favorite.

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Arroz Con Leche

Mexican rice pudding is a thick, creamy treat that requires just 10 minutes of prep.

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The Spruce Eats on YouTube

Get Cozy With 7 of Our Best Fall Comfort Recipes

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