What does 'comfort food' mean to you? Is it the sweet starchy goodness of Daddy's biscuits or the warm soothing flavor of Granny's green beans? Perhaps a drink with friends?

Join the club of hungry folk known as Home Ec. Off Campus - Columbus to discover comfort food in many forms this month. We'll gather at Rehab Tavern on Monday April 15 at 8 pm.

The 'rules' for Home Ec events are simple:

bring a home-made dish that fits the theme as you interpret it
pack a plate and silverware to help us reach our no-waste goal. One Columbus Home Ec'er brings a Japanese bento box with integrated chopsticks, perfect!
have fun! These events aren't about competition, they're about sharing good food with friendly people.

If you aren't in the Home Ec homebase of Toronto or spinoff site Columbus, join the fun online by tagging social media posts #wphomeec on April 15.

What's your favorite comfort food?

The theme of February's Home Ec gathering was Got Roots? The tasting table in Columbus this month included a delightful variety of roots and preparations, showing off just how adaptable this vegetable family is.

We were treated to home-grown sunchokes aka Jerusalem artichokes from Como Yarden, served roasted with other roots in a home-grown pepper spice. I pickled the last of Swainway Urban Farm's sweet carrots harvested from snow-covered low tunnels. The roots section of my seed box for this year's garden is large because so many kinds can grow year-round with season extension techniques.

Kate once again included a foraged ingredient in her contribution. She found dead nettle greens to incorporate into homemade potato ravioli. Foraging is another way to eat fresh local food year-round!

Roots brought out the creative side in several cooks. Nick made Square Roots, punny square tarts topped with shaved beets and carrots. Zane and Hannah made radish salt and a carved fish to dip in it. Liz took beets in an entirely new direction for me by roasting them with honey, soy sauce, and sesame seeds.

Zane also contributed carrot syrup made by roasting, pureeing, and straining carrots. We tasted it in soda water and cocktails. Though ReHab was unable to make Zane's 'Orange Lady', he recommends shaking the syrup (1/2 oz) with egg white, gin (2 oz), and lemon juice (1/2 oz) at home.

Skip over to Well Preserved to see how our cohorts in Toronto showed their roots.

Home Ec is a fun, creative way to conclude a month of cooking. Won't you join us in March? We'll gather at ReHab Tavern at 8 pm on March 25 with a theme to be announced in a week on Kate's blog, Kate On The Way.