Wednesday 18 June 2014

A Small History in Breakfast


...And that's how it was back then. A bowlful of pure caster sugar. Breakfast hasn't changed much since. Frosties. Ricicles. A thick layer of those sweet, sweet granules on mushy weetabix soaking up the cream of the warmed milk. Ready Break with a huge dollop of golden syrup. More syrup than pulverised oats. Globules of gruel spatted all over my school tunic. And years later - a little taller, hair mulleted, the novelty of breakfast time TV - I'd moved on, my tastes changed. Chocolate Ready Break or a runny egg with a sprinkle of salt and toasted soldiers, worrying about the ripened dome under my left nostril, watching Ulrika Jonsson predict another rainy day. By the first kiss I was enjoying the complexities of a mouthful of muesli, or cheating muesli as it was known; a pile of powdery Alpen. I can't for the life of me remember what I ate on the mornings of my O and A level results. Maybe a Belgium waffle soaked in real butter. Certainly not a Pop Tart. No, I can't recall having one of those.

My twenties were the toast years, and the odd bowl of Cornflakes. Always thick-cut marmalade, and the joys of apricot jam. All through the under-graduate years, and the long weekends spinning vinyl. The only breakfast possible in the subsequent haze of a night-long rave. Toast for all those hang overs. Toast on the morning I waved goodbye to my northern roots and headed south in a white transit van.

My thirties was a decade of revision and rediscovery. I returned to porridge. Proper oats this time, swapping the semi-skimmed for thin cartons of exotic rice milk. It was a revelation, and a moment of self-honesty. I'd never really enjoyed claggy cow juice. Always did what was expected of me. Drank it from a mini milk bottle during morning break time. Poured it begrudgingly over that first meal of the day. But secretly it tasted bleuh. Now I was all growed-up - individuating and the like - I could release myself from its milky yoke, could emancipate myself from the diary aisle. And then I experimented. Maybe it was the boredom of the admin jobs. Maybe it was the heady expansion from a part-time counselling course. But I went through a short phase of 7.00 am zen. A bowl of quinoa stewed in rice milk with a dash of cinnamon and quartered cashew nuts. Perseverance in every bite. It didn't taste great. I have a keen memory about that time of a business trip to Seattle, of mango oatmeal and a stack of buttermilk pancakes lathered in maple syrup. Or maybe that was a dream. Maybe it was only wish fulfilment.

And there were the special breakfasts. The eggs benedict the day before the wedding. The perfect fry-up the morning after. The dishes of sweet omali and mild curry on honeymoon. The bowls and bowls of Greek yogurt with chopped strawberries and pistachios and swirls of honey every day of the first tri-mester. The packets and packets of any cereal - Rice Crispies, Shredded Wheat, Cheerios - I could get my hands on throughout the third.

Now I sit and watch her make her own history in breakfast while I have a cup of camomile and wait until my stomach is ready. She gnaws her way through the mini-cereals. She tucks into a plate of hearty scrambled eggs. Her favourite is a bowl of nutella porridge. 'Mummy,' she says, 'can I have a teaspoon with just nutella on it too?' I always oblige. I watch as she turns the bowl around, picking away at the cooling porridge from its top and sides. 'Mummy, I've drawn a fish in it!' Those wonderfully comforting sounds of her unbridled satisfaction. A jolly good start to the day.

What do you have for breakfast?          


        

44 comments:

  1. What a thought provoking subject! It's funny how our tastes change. We're no milk, no wheat if poss here too so I regularly make eggs for breakfast, bacon too if they've gone to sleep nicely (which if they think there's bacon, they generally will) and porridge, with water and on Fridays they're allowed nutella in it! I love looking into your world xx

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    1. That's what I am trying to cut down on too; both wheat and milk. And protein is probably the very best start to the day too. I have porridge most mornings too with rice milk. Should I write a post on my pants draw then too :o)? X

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  2. Mmmm mango porridge sounds amazing! We rotate through porridge and scrambled eggs on toast around here, with Mickey Mouse Waffles for high days and holidays - I was never that big a fan of cereal as a child so it fell off the menu pretty quickly! I do remember a good fry up from university days though; it goes hand in hand with the smell of polish in my memories!!

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    1. Mango porridge is the business. And you can't beat scrambled eggs on toast. We have buttermilk pancakes on those special days :o). Interesting how smells, like polish, also conjure up memories of breakfasts too!

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  3. Oh the nutella spoon, a classic of my teenage years! Now it's brioche with Bonne Maman and a nice cup of Earl Grey (and croissants on special days)!
    Lovely written, as always.

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    1. You can't beat a spoonful of nutella, and I love brioche - so comforting, and with jam too! And I love earl grey too! Thank you.

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  4. Coffee. Whatever the breakfasts throughout the years, coffee has been the one breakfast constant since I was about 14.

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    1. Unfortunately I can't drink coffee anymore..... it sends my heart racing :o(.

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  5. As coincidence would have it Ozzy has hit his 30's breakfast early and has a thing for porridge with raisin and almonds on - classic case of copying mummy to start with but now he asks for it all the time, even when no one else is having any. Kitty on the other hand has recently discovered the joys of egg and soldiers, that was huge kick back to childhood but then it was a treat, on an every day breakfast. My big quandary now is do I keep it as a special brekkie, one she too might then look back on with extra glee - or do I make it often?!
    And I've never eaten breakfast - until reently I've been told eating porridge would be good - but even then, never till 11am!

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    1. How very sophisticated of Ozzy! Little A doesn't necessarily copy me but she will insist on tasting my breakfast most mornings :o). I went through a big egg and soldiers phase too - I reckon make it once in the middle of the week and a special treat at weekends. And it's funny, but all of sudden I can't eat breakfast first thing in the morning anymore either - I need to wait at least an hour before I can stomach it, and then it's usually porridge!

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  6. This is such a great post!
    I got really nostalgic there especially with "hair mulleted" watching Ulrika ka-ka-ka! Me too!!
    I eat boring toast in the week and a vegetarian breakfast at weekends. Not very adventurous...

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    1. Thank you very much! Nothing wrong with toast ;o). An what is your veggie breakfast? Eggs and beans etc? I love a veggie fry-up!

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  7. I gre up with Frosties but I can't stand it now and am a boring plain corn flakes or 2 toast and tea. Oh and trying to persuade Z on a daily basis to "please just have one more spoon" :).

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    1. I remember eating Frosties a lot too, and nothing wrong with cornflakes - I love a bowl of the stuff. Don't worry Little Z will come around :o).

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  8. I do so enjoy your posts, you turn something ordinary into something spectacular. I had never really thought about my breakfasts through the years but it is true that we go through different phases at different times of our lives. Thess days I quite like smoothies if I have time to make them and I know that I have had a good start to the day

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    1. Thank you very much, that's so kind of you :o). I really enjoy a nice thick yogurty smoothy in the morning too with tonnes of fruit. Filling and really really good for you.

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  9. Trying to think the other day what we ate at university and I really can't remember! At all!
    Only one cereal eater in our house, coffee's my constant since kids, and love a piece of toast with cottage cheese and a big dollop of chilli paste. Wouldn't have dreamt of having that in my 20's! (then again there probably aren't many who'd want to have it EVER!) Can't beat a cooked breakfast though, my Dad made a mean Ulster fry.
    Lovely way to look back xx

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    1. Cottage cheese with chilli paste - I'll have to try that, I'll bet that works really well. I like hot chilli sauce on scrambled eggs.... and cooked breakfasts are the best. I love a veggie fry-up or eggs benedict. And bless your Dad. X

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  10. I think we must have some of the dullest breakfasts ever in the house. At least six mornings a week we just have cereal of some sort. Occasionally there are croissants. Possibly a slice of toast if there's bread that needs eating up. I also seem to go through phases of liking different breakfast cereals. At the moment bran flakes with raisins. A few weeks back special K with strawberry yoghurt. The only constant is the cup of tea that I have to have as soon as possible after waking. Without it I just can't function at all!

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    1. A cup of tea is the first thing I have too :o).... I have to leave it a bit now before I can have anything to eat.... and we are pretty much cereals during the week too, and then we have scrambled eggs at the weekend; during week days we are often in such a hurry to get out of the house!

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  11. WAFFLES. Waffles are my new favourite things. Or Digestive biscuits dunked in tea for breakfast. But mostly waffles.

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    1. I haven't had a waffle in ages. I love Belgium waffles in lashings of butter!

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  12. Cereal, always cereal. My go-to cereal is Jordan's Original Crunchy (not called that anymore but that was its original name and the only one I remember), but I like lots of others too. Nothing too sweet though, although I like homemade porridge with honey in the colder months. And granary toast at weekends, with lots of butter washed down with plenty of tea.

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    1. I am mainly a cereal (a decent muesli) or porridge girl now. Sometimes eggs, and occasionally buttermilk pancakes on special occasions. And like you, always plenty of tea.

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  13. Great post and made me feel quite nostalgic. I haven't changed breakfasts much over the years (quite boring in a way)...anything sweet - Nutella on toast, chocolate croissants or chocolate cereal. Tea is always a constant though but since having my boy the stronger the better ha xx

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    1. Chocolate is very good in the morning; something sweet is always yum... and lots of cups of tea too although I am a camomile girl at heart. And I love nutella too! X

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  14. I do love porridge and golden syrup on a cold morning still, but I am an eleven see girl rather than a breakfasted really....and usually that is biscuits.....no surprises there huh! Lovely writing and proof of your worthiness for your recent award win - *jumps up and down with excitement*

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    1. Thank you very much lovely lady!!!! It's just sinking in weeks afterwards. And same as you, always porridge on cold mornings (with with sultanas and cinnamon) but I tend to leave eating until at least half an hour after waking up!

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  15. Marmite!!!!I used to hate it until I turned vegetarian at 19. Now I'm back on the meat but I still love the stuff. I go through breakfast phases - it was granola till recently, now it's marmite and crumpets. Just like when I was pregnant with Austin (and no, I'm not up the duff this time - marmite's just bloody lovely!)

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    1. Marmite... it's one of those things you either love or hate, and I am not a fan of the stuff - well, it tastes sort of yuk; I've never got the stuff. What is it that makes you love it so much. Marmite and crumpets? No, no, no :o).... it's marmite with tonnes of butter and jam :o).

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  16. Sometimes when i don't have much time i visit a blog and skim the post to see if its worth reading. Even if i might start to do this with anything you have written, i am always hooked like a fish a couple of lines in and thrown back to the start to read every line properly. It's why you won best writer of course and i am so very glad you did. Thoroughly, thoroughly deserved :) xxx
    p.s i am a cereal addict and always have been, one Christmas when i was about 10 my mum and dad bought me a special spoon and bowl just for my breakfast. It's long since broken but i remember it clear as day, i always used to have a bowl just before bed too!

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    1. Oh thank you very much, that's very kind; and I'm really pleased you like reading my posts too :o). I think I've just come down from winning that award - it's been quite a lot to take in. Will never forget that awards ceremony though.

      I am a total cereal addict too.... you should have seen how much I ate in the third trimester of my pregnancy - ha ha ha. And I'll quite happily have breakfast for my tea time too! X

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  17. Now you have made me REALLY hungry... Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day and it depends on my mood, but I always eat something. Love the long, leisurely Sunday brunches best. :)
    At the risk of repeating myself, I very much enjoyed our chats at BritMums Live and I am SO happy for you that you won. :) xx

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    1. Breakfast simply rocks doesn't it!? And I love a good brunch too - I think my favourite has to be eggs benedict :o). I really enjoyed our chats too - it was great to meet you. Thank you very much :o). X

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  18. Loving your post about Breakfast, I pondered a similar subject on mine but from a kids/ nutritional angle. Definitely the best and most enjoyable meal of the day! Thanks for your ponderings. Congrats on your Bib Award! Very well deserved! Caroline xx

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    1. Thank you very much! I love breakfast. In fact, like you, I could quite happily eat breakfast or brunch for every meal. Thank you! X

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  19. Ooo I love this post! Almost as much as I love breakfast. I know what you mean about it being part of your lifestory. I've been through all the phases too; cereal, toast, fruit, pancakes, full English, miso soup (while living in Japan) coffee, tea, smoothies, porridge, I love it all. Breakfast is my favourite meal out too. Happily the kids are in to it too. For awhile there I was on my own cos the husband has a weird taste for Hot and Sour soup for breakfast that he picked up while living in Malaysia as a kid and has never got over. It's definitely the most important meal of the day for me, and reading this post, I can't wait for tomorrow morning! Your writing is mouthwateringly good, as always xxxxx

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    1. So glad you do :o). You sound like a real breakfast gal to me, just like me. I love breakfast and if I had my way, I would eat it every single meal :o). Miso soup? That must have been interesting and actually a very light start to the day. And I love breakfast, and especially a good brunch out too :o)..... now you have me dreaming of croissants and pancakes. Fab comment. Thank you. X

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  20. Oh gosh, Alpen and Ready Brek!! I remember them well. I only bought Ready Brek recently in an effort to encourage my boy to eat breakfast. Sadly I think his over-riding memory of breakfasts will be of me fighting with him to have something....anything!! As fo me, I love my toast and a nice semi-runny poached egg :-) xx

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    1. .... and thank you for pointing out my misspelling of Ready Brek - of course, that's how it was spelled! I used to love a bowl of steaming chocolate Ready Brek, and I'm so with you on a semi-runny poached egg :o). X

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  21. Gorgeously written as always, you have the ability to whisk me back to my youth and memories of Alpen (more sugar than Frosties, so I'm told) and Oat Dream (my alternative to rice milk which I hated). I experimented just like you but now I'm back to a hearty bowl of porridge to stave off the hunger pangs while I run around with the littles being late. I wish I could say that Curly Girl and Little man had a hearty breakfast but despite my best efforts they don't have big appetites in the morning. He's still guzzling milk by the gallon and she is too busy drawing. Their time will come. (P.S. It was SO lovely seeing you at Britmumslive, if only briefly, and mahoosive congrats on your BiB award!) x

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    1. Thank you very much.... Alpen was so ridiculously sweet wasn't it? And funnily enough, I've tried Oat Dream and never really liked it that much. It's a hearty bowl of porridge for me too now - always sorts me out until lunchtime. Little A likes her breakfast, but like Curly Girl, she'd rather be playing so downs it as quickly as she can. And it was fab seeing you at Britmums too, and thank you *blushes*, the award has totally rocked my year! X

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  22. You've made me go back and envision my own evolution of breakfast! Brilliantly written and as always, replete with imagery that lingers... "emancipated from the dairy aisle", bloomin' brilliant :) I've tried that, and failed repeatedly! The cultural nuances that influence us is so evident, so political...and you've captured all those elements so well. That BiB award is so rightly placed with you!

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    1. Thank you very much my dear! And very, very often I do find myself back in that diary aisle if only for a wedge of cheese or Greek yogurt! And thank you, again.*Blushes*.

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