Canadians Reveal Top Comfort Foods to Cope with Winter
*Soup retains top spot for surviving long and dark, winter evenings: Parmigiano Reggiano survey*
*TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / February 15, 2024 / *A new survey asks Canadians, "as the cold and dreary weather approaches, which foods will they seek out for comfort." For the fourth year running, soup led the way against all other comfort foods. The Culinary Comfort List, a survey of 1,502 Canadians by Italy's Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium, saw several dishes maintained their spots as Canadian mainstays for comfort - for both relief and winter survival through uncertain and chilly times.
Here were the top findings for this year:
· *Soup solidified its top spot, growing in popularity year-over-year as the ultimate comfort blanket. *Nearly two-thirds (65%) of Canadians chose a hearty bowl to warm their souls during those long and dark, winter evenings. Women (72%) were much more likely than men (58%) to pour a bowl of soup as the days get shorter and the nights get longer.
· *Chili remains at second place on this year's list* (39%). Canadians seem to turn to the slow cooker favourite as the temperature drops.
· *Spaghetti and meatballs are falling behind*. For the first year, only one-third (34%) look to this Italian-American innovation.
"It's no secret that our culinary affection turns to hearty comfort food in those frosty Canadian days," says David Rocco, International Celebrity Chef. "Amidst the chill, cheese stands as the ultimate comfort ingredient, infusing warmth and nostalgia into every dish".
*Table 1: *Canadian's Comfort foods growth from 2020-2023.
*Comfort Food*
*2020*
*2021*
*2022*
*2023*
Soups
65%
74%
77%
65%
Casseroles
43%
40%
38%
36%
Chili
43%
51%
59%
39%
Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup
42%
44%
48%
32%
Spaghetti & Meatballs
46%
46%
49%
34%
"Parmigiano Reggiano is the ultimate comfort, versatile cheese," says Nicola Bertinelli, president of Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano Reggiano. "It can be grated into soups; shaved onto classic and modern pasta dishes or melted into mom's magical one-pot dishes. Add to that, if you save the rinds, they act as flavour bombs for your soups."
As winter approaches, the Farmer's Almanac is expecting a cold and dreary season. There is no better way for Canadians, who are encouraged to stay warm.
Media Contact:
Megan Dunscombe
Account Manager, MAVERICK Public Relations
647-972-2373 | megan@wearemaverick.com
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*About the Canadian Culinary Comfort List*
These are the findings of a survey conducted by The Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium from December 11^th to 13^th, 2023 among a representative sample of 1,502 online Canadians who are members of the Angus Reid Forum. The survey was conducted in English and French. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of +/-2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
*About The Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium*
The Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium is the protection body that includes all Parmigiano Reggiano producers, who process the milk from the farmers of the Area of Origin (that includes only the Italian provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Bologna to the left of Reno river and Mantua to the south of Po River) into this PDO cheese complying with the Specifications. It was set up in 1934, exactly 90 years ago, and has the purpose of protecting, defending and promoting the product, safeguarding its typicality and disseminating its knowledge worldwide. Every wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano is given a mark of origin (the well-known "dots" and starting from 2002 also a "casein plate"). Furthermore, every wheel is quality tested at an age of about 12 months. Only if the wheel passes this test, it is branded with the selection mark (oval mark). The certification of conformity with the Specifications is given by the P-R Quality Control Body on behalf of the European Union and the Ministry.
The Consortium represents all the producers at the most important institutional tables with the aim of protecting their interests. The Consortium also deals with the fight against Italian Sounding, focusing on the need to have greater protection of the PDO outside the European Union.
*SOURCE: *Parmigiano Reggiano
View the original press release on accesswire.com