For the Love of Hot Cereal!


I really enjoy the fall; can't stand the muggy days of summer or drizzly days of spring-but winter, specifically January, tops the list as my favorite time of the year. It might be the contrast-harshness wrapped in breathtaking beauty. It might be the quiet after December's rush. It might be the welcome embrace of home when walking through the door as the snow flies and wind blows. It might be many things but one thing for sure-hot cereal cooking on top of the stove while toast is being toasted and hot chocolate is being stirred is the most soulful-most heartfelt reason for January to be the first of the twelve months on the calendar.

My grandmother-my aunt-my mother all cooked hot cereal. They each had their variations. Some used brown sugar-some sprinkled cinnamon in the bubbling mix-some served it with cream instead of milk. My grandmother would add a dab of butter when dishing her cereal into a bowl. She used a simple sauce pan with a top that had a dent in it for cooking the cereal. She'd used it for years. My aunt used it too.

On Sunday mornings in the wintertime, that pan made serving after serving of hot cereal-depending on how many grandchildren were there. Many times after we'd been outside skating or sliding we'd stop at our grandmother's to warm up-then go back outside to play. Many times we were served a bowl of hot cereal before leaving.

Besides Oatmeal, we loved Cream of Wheat and Corn Meal. We weren't picky just as long as it was piping hot off the stove served with buttered toast and hot chocolate. No microwave variations here-just spoons full of creamy, delicious hot cereal cooked in a certain saucepan served around the table as the January snow fell and wind blew!

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