Prompt: Tell us about the food of love. (Or your love of food, as the case may be.)

When Eric and I first lived together, in the basement of the house on Locust Street, we didn’t have much money, or much of anything except love. We would order two large pies from Big Time Pizza, one pineapple and canadian bacon, and the other pepperoni. They were two for $8 and would feed us for the next three days. We ordered at least once a week. When I called, as I explained what I wanted, they’d say, “is this Jill?” and they knew to come around to the back door (since we lived in the basement, that was our “front” door).

23 years later, married and living above ground, Eric makes us pizza for dinner every Sunday night. He even makes the crust from scratch. The toppings aren’t exactly the same, (although I still love pineapple and ham). We add basil from our garden when we have it, and sometimes I make a salad. So much has changed — Big Time Pizza closed a long time ago, we can afford to feed ourselves better, and Eric is a real cook. And yet, so much is the same — we still have more love than anything.

Prompt: Tell us about your comfort foods. Where do they take you? What houses, seasons, cities, and life changes circle around those foods that made you feel everything would be OK?

Homemade bread still warm from the oven. My grandma was magic when it came to making bread. She had 12 kids to feed, so got lots of practice. I especially loved her cinnamon swirl. When I was older, sometimes she’d bake a loaf for me for Christmas.

Chicken noodle soup, homemade baking powder biscuits with butter and jam. That year when I had pneumonia and missed so much school I was worried I’d have to repeat the fifth grade.

Annie’s macaroni and cheese, white cheddar shells, supplemented with grilled ham and peas, with a biscuit or toast on the side.

Tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. Always, at every moment of my life these two have been absolute perfection — store brand canned and fake orange slices on white bread, or made from tomatoes grown in my garden and sharp fancy cheese on thick organic bread. Either way, it just works.

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quesadillas, my current favorite. They make everything better.

Honestly, anything bread or potatoes, any time. This is and always has been my go to, bread or biscuits, soft and warm straight from the oven, or toasted with butter and maybe some jam. I also love donuts and cake and pie crust, which are breadlike enough to count. And potato chips, yes please. And my mom’s crescent rolls? I can’t even talk about them. I might cry.