Snack time, anytime.

The other night, I was feeling a bit peckish after catching a movie, so I ducked into a sub shop that stayed open late. There were no customers in the store and only one guy behind the counter, so he engaged me in a little friendly conversation.

"Nothing like a sandwich, right?... Man, I could eat a sandwich anytime... I could've just had something to eat, and if someone said 'hey man, you want a sandwich?' I'd probably say yes. Know what I'm talking about?"

First off- now THIS is how you converse with a customer. Of course, it helps if you're a genial guy in the first place, but still, this is how it's done. Since it was a sandwich shop, tips weren't expected, so I doubt he was angling for one. Instead, he just wanted to be friendly, while still respecting the boundaries inherent in the customer/employee relationship. As you might have guessed, I appreciated it.

But his statement got me thinking- what sort of food could I eat anytime? I'm not talking about rich, fancy dishes that require lots of preparation so you only eat them when you're dining out. I'm talking about the food you reach for when you're at home and you're not necessarily starving but you just want a quick and easy snack. Like cereal for Seinfeld or that old lady who eats Stella D'oro Breakfast Treats at midnight in the old commercial.

Me, I'm partial to toast. Doesn't need to be all dolled up with fancy preserves or anything- a smear of butter will suffice. But toast just hits the spot anytime, anywhere. I wonder if it has anything to do with a subconscious connection I've made between toast and feeling better, since whenever I was sick as a child the first thing I'd try to eat would be toast. But trying to pair up childhood causes with adult effects doesn't matter here, just what tastes good to me. Rye is my toast of choice, but really, any toast'll do.

What about you folks? What's your default anytime comfort food?