On cold winter days I always think of how hard it must have been for our ancestors who lived in inhospitable lands, how they struggled to keep warm and find food. I dare say they were strong and hearty souls who handled discomfort far better than we do.

They taught themselves to make foods with endurance, things like Buffalo jerky, dried corn made into pemmican with dried fruit, nuts and oils, flat breads, thick soups and stews. Comfort foods are just that: food we can have over and over without getting too tired of it. They go beyond taste, they are memories, structure and symbols of...