World renown psychologist Dr. Joyce Brothers gets the blues. Something about that is kind of comforting. Experts are human beings after all.

What does she do about it? You might imagine she reclines on a couch and asks herself questions until she reaches a breakthrough. Or perhaps she joins a therapy group. Maybe she prescribes powerful antidepressants of electroshock treatments?

Nope.

Her sure-fire cure? Cooking tapioca pudding! Or maybe rice pudding if she gets really crazy.

I’m not kidding. In her book “How To Beat The Blues”, Tanya Tucker asked a lot of celebrities how they cope with a down day. Dr. Brothers said cooking tapioca or rice pudding is comfort food from her childhood. That does the trick for Doc.

I know. Sad childhood, right? Okay, maybe not sad but it’s hard for me to be inspired by tapioca. I think it might actually cause depression in my case.

Given her formidable credentials, there’s obviously something to the food thing. But for day to day use I prefer a Grande Latte from Starbucks.

I haven’t done any scientific studies but I’m pretty sure coffee that rhymes is somehow better.

I began lingering with lattes at Summit Hospital during Suzie’s Great Adventure, as we’ve come to call it. Hospitals are cold. Staying awake is required. The lobby coffee kiosk called my name.

Let’s see, warm cup in your hands, warm drink in your tummy, caffeine boost. At the time I added a sugar rush to the list of benefits. Sounds like the perfect solution.

But Suzie hates coffee. I know, I’ve been working on her for decades but she won’t come around, regardless of my success with the infamous guacamole conversion.

But she has her own quack remedy, ridiculous as it is.

What is it?

Let’s not get off track here. I’m still pushing lattes. Besides, it will take a whole different post to try to explain that nonsense.

And maybe you have your own idea of a food to beat the blues? What is it?