Nothing can beat mom’s cooking, and that’s an all-conclusive statement! Do you know top Chefs around the world give their mom’s recipes the credit behind their popular signature dishes? No wonder, how much you try to replicate, modify or improvise to recreate your man’s or girl’s favorite dish of their childhood, it’s a lost contest right from the word go!!! If they end up appreciating it, chances are that you have unintentionally created a new version of the dish of their liking or they are lying point-blank just to avoid unnecessary trouble.
Just A Cliché?
I have grown up hearing people eulogizing their mom’s cooking. In fact, I used to find it extremely offensive when guests or even my dad for that matter, compared my mom’s cooking to their own mom’s. I never quite understood why it made my mom happy or the fact, how on earth those people were so smitten by some stereotype home-food!
To be very frank, as a kid I was an extremely picky eater and don’t remember being a great fan of my mom’s cooking. I was that kid, who would trade her share of food for a convenient barter with a friendly neighbor in order to enjoy variety. On the contrary, my sister was somewhat addicted to my mom’s daal and rice. I used to be both baffled and amused at the limitations of her taste buds and dietary demands. However, over the years I have realized that mom’s cooking has left an intense impact on my life too. I consciously started to miss my mom’s cooking after I had moved out of home and started cooking myself.
On my first visit home after months, to my utter delight, my mom had cooked all the home food that I was craving for, while I was away from her. Those were my personal favorites, only I was not aware of it for all those years, I was at home!
When it comes to cooking, I love to be adventurous and try out new recipes but in spite of that, my cooking in general exhibits a powerful resemblance to the taste of food that I grew up eating at home. Comfort food is always mom’s style ‘masoor daal,’ rice and ‘aloo sheddho’ (bong style mashed potatoes) or ‘machher jhol’ (fish curry).
Packed By Emotions, Backed By Science
I have learnt from experience that if any food reminds my guests of their mom, I’m assured that I have done full justice to the recipe. I remember preparing an Indian meal at a small get-together in Toronto. It was an instant hit within the small group. They showed their appreciation by asking me recipes, going for second helpings but the biggest compliment was from a guest who said, “it’s just the way my mom used to make it!” That made my day!
So, what makes mom-made food so special? Well, if you feel because it’s cooked with love and care, then you are spot-on because this particular theory is backed by authentic Research. However, there is also basic science behind this preferential behavioral trait, which is predominantly present in almost 58% of humans. Blame it on the genetically inherited concoction of digestive enzymes and the happy hormones like dopamine for this partiality towards mom’s cooking. However, the silver lining is that there is a maximum possibility that every mom will get their chance to bask in the glory of their culinary skills through their offspring.
There is an instant psychological attachment of trust, authenticity and purity associated when it comes to moms. Several food industries and hospitality services have launched their products with great success by using the word ‘mom,’ ‘mother,’ or the regional version of the word in their brand name.
Be it mom’s cooking or her nurturing and protective love, there is no denying the fact that, every mom is Perfect For Her Kids, even with all her imperfections! Wish all the Moms, A Happy Mothers’ Day!
