Alton Brown seems to be a wizard with food; he’s a guy who has a simple trick to elevate any dish and make it look effortless. From his paprika-infused chicken dinner to his classic tomato soup, Brown never seems to stop tinkering until he gets a dish just right. But for all his culinary wizardry, Brown doesn’t believe in messing with comfort food classics.
As he revealed during an interview on “CBS Mornings” while promoting his book “Food for Thought,” Brown said he doesn’t believe in elevating comfort food. “I don’t want my comfort food elevated. It’s comforting because nobody messed with it,” Brown said. While Brown doesn’t cite any specific examples of elevated comfort foods he disagrees with, elevated comfort foods run the gamut from lobster mac and cheese to multi-cheese grilled cheeses to tomato soup with homemade toast, and more.
For Brown and scores of others who like comfort food, the secret behind its success is its simplicity. A chicken dinner like Brown’s paprika chicken may evoke memories of large family gatherings on a Sunday. Meanwhile, a simple grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup can instantly transport a person back to childhood, and a bowl of chicken noodle soup has always been a welcome home remedy for those feeling under the weather.
Keeping things deliciously simple
While Alton Brown is among those who love a good twist on a classic meal like French Onion soup, he’s also a believer in the old axiom: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Brown once learned the hard way not to tinker with comfort food endlessly. His attempt at crockpot lasagna resulted in what he called the worst dish of his career. It led him to try again and ultimately make a classic oven-baked lasagna with traditional elements.
A look at some of Brown’s favorite comfort food recipes reveals a few of the twists Brown is known for, but not at the expense of overhauling the dish. One of his favorite meatloaf dishes combines chuck and sirloin with veggies and is topped with a traditional ketchup glaze with a few simple ingredients added. His chicken noodle soup includes classic elements like celery, onion, and some of his favorite spices. Brown’s go-to macaroni and cheese remains all the mac and cheese staples, with a touch of hot sauce for a little bit of heat.
There are plenty of occasions to make multi-layered, multi-ingredient fancy meals, but comfort foods are comforting for a reason: They’re easy to make, the ingredients are familiar and the taste is always delicious. That’s why comfort foods are among a person’s personal favorites and why Brown is a fan of them too.
