When people are asked to name a comfort food, many mention meat loaf. This is one item that is either loved or hated. There are not many foods like that. For those who love meat loaf, one of the special ingredients is the memories that go along with it. There are family recipes for meat loaf, just like there are secret recipes for other comfort foods.

Jesse Brewer, during his freshman year in college, soon came to the stark realization that cafeteria food can be either great or really bad. This was especially true during the first week, when upperclassmen were calling meat loaf the mystery meat entree. Curious, he ordered the meat loaf. A student employee, with a grin on her face, served him a slice on the generic cafeteria plate. It came with gravy and mashed potatoes, which were the staple of dinner on certain cold winter nights at the Brewers.

His new friend and dorm mate, Jill, told Jesse that he had better have a back up plan for dinner when she saw that he had ordered meat loaf. This flamed Jesse's curiosity even more. What is it about meat loaf that most people find either comforting or disdainful? All that Jesse recalls is the delicious slices that were prepared by his mother at home. Why does the meat loaf have such a reputation?

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