Stew is popular in winter.

The month of December is when winter starts to blow its deep lasting chill that usually doesn't leave until March. Our noses and toes feel icy and gloves and hats are our constant companions. The days make us even wearier than usual and we feel the need for something that will fortify us and make us happy to be inside. Winter comfort foods are high on the menu as they offer the promise of warmth and luxury.

Whether it is a Big Mac with cheese, roasted chicken, goat cheese and rosemary or beef stroganoff, any dish on the list can promise to bring anyone happiness as they watch the weather get icier outside. Perhaps you'd like a comforting pasta dish, like baked ziti or tagliatelle bolognese, or maybe you'll choose something you can get on the table quickly such as some creamy stovetop macaroni and cheese or cast iron skillet chicken pot pie. Rosemary and garlic with roast beef or a scrumptious steak and mushroom pot pie make such marvelous winter Sunday dinners. No matter what you decide, if your stomach is full then your life will be a bit happier because of one of these comforting dishes.

What's Your Winter Comfort Food?

We interviewed several expats about which food they miss most when winter comes. DK from Minnesota in the US picked a green bean casserole. Indeed, in a place where the winter temperature can drop to 18℃ below zero, people really need some creamy food to warm them up. It is also a traditional Thanksgiving dish in addition to the inimitable turkey. "Classic" green bean casserole means different things to different people. For some, green bean casserole consists of frozen and canned ingredients that are quickly tossed together and baked as the token green vegetable dish for the heavily laden Thanksgiving table. Others see green bean casserole as an opportunity to make every component from scratch, using only fresh green beans and making their own mushroom sauce and crispy fried onions. This is the new classic, a middle ground between convenience and comfort, without any sacrifice of quality or flavor. The main ingredients green beans, onions, mushroom and cream are also easy to get in Tianjin.

Robert comes from south of England where the average temperature in winter is 6℃. He misses his hot filling meals like stew and dumplings, steak and kidney pie and hot puddings with custard. He said traditional British food makes you feel bloated and sleepy. The idea is the same as in China as in winter people need soup or stew to help keep warm and various kinds of meat to keep up your energy. In China, people make stews of meat and vegetables, such as meatballs, Chinese cabbage and vermicelli. Decades ago in north China when vegetable produce was scarce in winter, every household bought hundreds of kilos of Chinese cabbages and stored them outdoors for the main food in winter time. So Chinese cabbage is often what comes to people's mind when the topic of winter comfort food comes up.

Green Bean Casserole

Choices in Tianjin

Paella is currently an internationally-known rice dish from Spain. It originated in the fields of a region called Valencia on the eastern coast of Spain. Today paella is made in every region of Spain and it uses just about any kind of ingredient that goes well with rice. There are as many versions of paella as there are cooks. The typical pan of paella may contain scallops, squid, clam, mussel, shrimp and all kinds of valuable delicious fresh materials.

As it is served hot and always shared by several people, it is really good for winter because the idea of sitting closely together with family or friends and sharing a hot dish is the best thing we can think of to handle the chilly weather.

You can check out Flamenco Restaurant, which has its delicious paella as its signature dish.

Paella

Flamenco Spanish Restaurant Bar

Address: No.44-46, liberty Road, Italy style street, Hebei District

地址：河北区意式风情街自由道44-46号

Tel: 022-86286811

Pasta e fagioli — literally "pasta and beans" — is a hearty Italian soup, perfect for a chilly night. Pasta e fagioli is another typical Italian dish which is so easy to make. Originally and traditionally it is from the country side and has several regional variations. Indeed there is no official recipe for pasta and beans, but a different recipe for almost every area. Maybe it's the most "national" dish of Italy because of its presence in all regions. It is popular from the Alps to the Mediterranean.

In Veneto it was often enriched with some pork bones or meat that was salted and sometimes smoked. The addition of potatoes, which traditionally was linked to the need to save beans, gave the dish a textured creaminess, while the addition of celery gives it a stronger taste.

Gabriele, the restaurant manager of Venezia's Club, said it is an Italian soup dish cooked by the farmers of Veneto since ancient times. The soup is made with pasta and different kinds of beans and vegetables. It is not on the normal menu but it can be found in the chef's recommendation. If you want to try it, don't try to find it on the menu but have a quiet word to the chef.

pasta e fagioli

Add: 48 Ziyou Dao, Italian Street, Hebei District

地址：河北区意式风情街自由道48号

Tel: 022-87613413