Avengers: The Initiative #14 (2008)
Written by Dan Slott & Christos N. Gage
Artwork by Stefano Caselli
Colors by Daniele Rudoni
Chef’s Note: Longing for a “taste of home” is something many of us are familiar with and have experienced. Nostalgia can, all by itself, alter one’s mood profoundly – even one’s worldview. When combined with the gustatory senses of taste & smell it becomes even more potent.
It makes intuitive sense that positive experiences with a given food could influence our craving for it later on, but recent research also suggests something else is at play, too: comfort foods remind us of our social ties, which means they may help us feel less lonesome when we feel isolated.
Comfort food is food that causes the consumer to feel more psychologically comfortable. It may be food that is associated with a sense of home or contentment, or has some degree of nostalgia linked to it. The phenomenon of the perceived soothing properties of food, particularly in the context of change or disruption to normal routines, is called the “comfort food premise.” What these comfort items are will vary by person, but they all impact us in a similar way: they are soothing, re-establish the familiar, and have some element of nostalgia (which may enhance our sense of security).
Hopefully, Crusader can find somewhere a bit more private to enjoy his mock Skrullian T’manja berries – he’s been under a lot of stress lately. Even Skrulls deserve a taste of home every now & then.
Chef’s Note: You might assume the flavor combination of strawberries and dill pickles as something truly alien – but you’d be wrong. Humanity’s culinary imagination knows no bounds!
