1. Why? and Cream of Wheat
WHY?
Some months ago, I don't know what was going on in my life but I really liked Cream of Wheat. Or Malt-O-Meal, or wheat farina-- I'm not that particular about brands. I was home alone and I wanted to feel shared enthusiasm, wanted to be part of the Cream of Wheat club, so I went online to look for someone who really, really liked Cream of Wheat and wanted to Express Themselves about it. Maybe that person exists, but I didn't find their writing that day, and so I've thought in the months since: maybe it's me. Maybe I'm the wild and crazy boring person who has a collection of writings online about things they really like and why, and the things aren't necessarily the Next Cool Things (though they might be, considering the 90s fashions I've seen the young folks wearing), or even things that it would be an "unpopular opinion" to like because they're supposedly so awful. They're just things I'm really into at some moment, no controversy or propaganda intended.
(Side note: I saw a series of columns somewhere online about things people are really into and I can't remember what it was called. Anybody?)
Anyways, I want someone else who's having a Cream of Wheat infatuation to be able to google it and maybe, on page three of the search results because they went there, find this post and feel our hearts joined across a distance as we take a break from thinking about whatever else and just focus on the materialistic/mundane/glutenous. I can't vouch for sentence structure or other carefulnesses needing time I'm lacking in this moment but darn it, I have some enthusiasm to share. Only a few paragraphs' worth, but maybe it will communicate my meaning. I hope you enjoy.
CREAM OF WHEAT
Oh the favorite porridge of my childhood. Oatmeal is okay, and buckwheat isn't even technically a grain, but cream of wheat (let's not capitalize, it's s household name for me.) is comfort food, grits for people who don't know what grits are. I was one of these people for many years and while I have learned a lot and will now occasionally enjoy some cheesy grits or shrimp and grits, they lack the mental zing that cream of wheat has for my sense memories. It's so custardy and it stays so warm. It melts butter so well. When child me would pour honey on it in the permitted amount, the honey would settle around the edges of the bowl and sometimes sink to the bottom, where I would be thrilled to find it waiting at the end of my meal. And that's just childhood.
As an adult I realized that you could make cheesy cream of wheat, and you could do it with most any cheese you had in your kitchen. Thank goodness I can eat wheat and dairy. My partner prefers cheesy cream of wheat to the sweet kind, and oatmeal with things like sesame oil and soy sauce in it, as well. Weirdo. I've thought of making cream of wheat, cheesy, with an egg sunny side up on top, but that seems so decadent that I haven't done it (too much pleasure?! What if it's not good?!) even though I semi-regularly make something special and unusual for breakfast. My preference for nostalgia is cream of wheat with butter and honey (childhood) or jam (mother's favorite, never understood her but I'll eat it and think about her), and cheese works for that morning that needs a stretchy food. I'm talking about cream of wheat like it's a breakfast food only but I've had it for dinner on some days that were hard, or lunch if I packed it for breakfast in a jar to work, never ate it because it was so hot, and found it and rejoiced later. I'm saying there is flexibility here.
It's like, it's a staple but not a staple, a blank slate but also a particular one. It's not like rice, that can take anything you throw at it. It's more like pasta, which will talk back and say, "no, please don't serve me with plain peanut butter" (pasta concedes to peanut sauce). I wouldn't have cream of wheat with peanut butter, either, though I am sure some would. A friend mentioned brown sugar and you know, I've never tried that on my porridge of choice, but I might do it soon. There's potential, there's new phases in life opening up. The new porridge topping of tomorrow morning, if it's an adventurous morning, could be the nostalgic topping of the day after tomorrow, because time can be weird with feelings. Oh and it has iron. So much iron from the fortification they do that I can get 100% my "daily value" in from a big bowl of the porridge, and it tastes so good. I think of the iron and remember the Greek dessert that is like a congealed bar of Cream of Wheat that is brought to those who have just given birth, to build their blood back up again. What's not to love?
Well, maybe you can't have gluten or milk (I use milk and water, half and half, to make mine) or you just don't like gloppy whitish foods. Maybe you were overdosed on cream of wheat in the former Soviet Union and can't even look at the substance any longer. Then I only hope that there is something else in your life that can bring you pleasure. Here I remind myself that there is no need to feel defensive. If you don't like it? More cream of wheat for me. I hope you too have something you can come back to, that gives you a feeling of steadiness along with, maybe, "mmm, I forgot how good that could be." What is that for you? Or if you do like Cream of Wheat, what's your preferred topping? What solid thing makes you wistful?
Some months ago, I don't know what was going on in my life but I really liked Cream of Wheat. Or Malt-O-Meal, or wheat farina-- I'm not that particular about brands. I was home alone and I wanted to feel shared enthusiasm, wanted to be part of the Cream of Wheat club, so I went online to look for someone who really, really liked Cream of Wheat and wanted to Express Themselves about it. Maybe that person exists, but I didn't find their writing that day, and so I've thought in the months since: maybe it's me. Maybe I'm the wild and crazy boring person who has a collection of writings online about things they really like and why, and the things aren't necessarily the Next Cool Things (though they might be, considering the 90s fashions I've seen the young folks wearing), or even things that it would be an "unpopular opinion" to like because they're supposedly so awful. They're just things I'm really into at some moment, no controversy or propaganda intended.
(Side note: I saw a series of columns somewhere online about things people are really into and I can't remember what it was called. Anybody?)
Anyways, I want someone else who's having a Cream of Wheat infatuation to be able to google it and maybe, on page three of the search results because they went there, find this post and feel our hearts joined across a distance as we take a break from thinking about whatever else and just focus on the materialistic/mundane/glutenous. I can't vouch for sentence structure or other carefulnesses needing time I'm lacking in this moment but darn it, I have some enthusiasm to share. Only a few paragraphs' worth, but maybe it will communicate my meaning. I hope you enjoy.
CREAM OF WHEAT
Oh the favorite porridge of my childhood. Oatmeal is okay, and buckwheat isn't even technically a grain, but cream of wheat (let's not capitalize, it's s household name for me.) is comfort food, grits for people who don't know what grits are. I was one of these people for many years and while I have learned a lot and will now occasionally enjoy some cheesy grits or shrimp and grits, they lack the mental zing that cream of wheat has for my sense memories. It's so custardy and it stays so warm. It melts butter so well. When child me would pour honey on it in the permitted amount, the honey would settle around the edges of the bowl and sometimes sink to the bottom, where I would be thrilled to find it waiting at the end of my meal. And that's just childhood.
As an adult I realized that you could make cheesy cream of wheat, and you could do it with most any cheese you had in your kitchen. Thank goodness I can eat wheat and dairy. My partner prefers cheesy cream of wheat to the sweet kind, and oatmeal with things like sesame oil and soy sauce in it, as well. Weirdo. I've thought of making cream of wheat, cheesy, with an egg sunny side up on top, but that seems so decadent that I haven't done it (too much pleasure?! What if it's not good?!) even though I semi-regularly make something special and unusual for breakfast. My preference for nostalgia is cream of wheat with butter and honey (childhood) or jam (mother's favorite, never understood her but I'll eat it and think about her), and cheese works for that morning that needs a stretchy food. I'm talking about cream of wheat like it's a breakfast food only but I've had it for dinner on some days that were hard, or lunch if I packed it for breakfast in a jar to work, never ate it because it was so hot, and found it and rejoiced later. I'm saying there is flexibility here.
It's like, it's a staple but not a staple, a blank slate but also a particular one. It's not like rice, that can take anything you throw at it. It's more like pasta, which will talk back and say, "no, please don't serve me with plain peanut butter" (pasta concedes to peanut sauce). I wouldn't have cream of wheat with peanut butter, either, though I am sure some would. A friend mentioned brown sugar and you know, I've never tried that on my porridge of choice, but I might do it soon. There's potential, there's new phases in life opening up. The new porridge topping of tomorrow morning, if it's an adventurous morning, could be the nostalgic topping of the day after tomorrow, because time can be weird with feelings. Oh and it has iron. So much iron from the fortification they do that I can get 100% my "daily value" in from a big bowl of the porridge, and it tastes so good. I think of the iron and remember the Greek dessert that is like a congealed bar of Cream of Wheat that is brought to those who have just given birth, to build their blood back up again. What's not to love?
Well, maybe you can't have gluten or milk (I use milk and water, half and half, to make mine) or you just don't like gloppy whitish foods. Maybe you were overdosed on cream of wheat in the former Soviet Union and can't even look at the substance any longer. Then I only hope that there is something else in your life that can bring you pleasure. Here I remind myself that there is no need to feel defensive. If you don't like it? More cream of wheat for me. I hope you too have something you can come back to, that gives you a feeling of steadiness along with, maybe, "mmm, I forgot how good that could be." What is that for you? Or if you do like Cream of Wheat, what's your preferred topping? What solid thing makes you wistful?
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