What’s for Breakfast?

Since I was a child, I’ve never been a fan of breakfast food. I didn’t care about snap, crackle, and pop! I just wanted the toy buried within the cereal box. Oatmeal? No thanks. “Green eggs and ham,” bacon, or sausage made me gag. Pancakes? Too mushy. Orange juice, meh. Apple juice, an absolute no-no.

“But, you have to eat something, Suzanne, before you go to school.”

“Why, Mom?”

“Because your teacher will think I’m a bad mother.”

“I won’t tattle. Just don’t make me eat that stuff. May I have a chocolate chip cookie and a cup of coffee instead?”

“No! Your grandmother lets you drink coffee on Sundays, but not in my house! You’re only seven-years-old.”

I rolled by eyes, “Then, may I have a cookie?”

“Fine!” She was visibly mad, “And then, go brush your teeth again.”

By the time I got to college, breakfast was a thing of the past. I became a strict, two-mealer, and an occasional late-night snacker. In fact, for forty years, my morning go-to was simply cafe-au-lait (coffee with cream) from a regular coffee pot–not an overpriced coffee shop. On rare occasions, I might indulge with a half of donut, a bagel with cream cheese, or a cookie.

Now, my morning rarely begins until 10 AM, so I simply need a half-cup of coffee to jump start my engine because in a couple of hours, it’s lunch time. That is. unless…. There happens to be some homemade, peanut butter cookies with a Hershey’s Kiss baked on top. My absolute morning go-to repast. Guess that proves, old habits don’t die with age!

Bon appetit!

Bon Vivant…Not

I’ve never been a gourmet cook, perhaps because of my upbringing.  Both of my grandmothers were simple, country girls who prepared simple, country meals.  Each had their strengths.  My maternal, Tennessee, grandmother’s fried chicken and green beans were delicious.  My paternal grandmother’s homemade cinnamon rolls,  blueberry muffins, and fruit pies were spectacular.  Beef, pork, or chicken with various potato dishes were my staple.  On rare occasions, fish was served.  My mom never mastered the art of anything that tasted like spaghetti sauce, but to this day, her banana cakes light up my palate!

As a mom, I tried to introduce my kids to different foods.  As toddlers, they abhorred baby food carrots and peas.  Who wouldn’t?  For years, my youngest ate only chicken fingers or a hot dog smothered with ketchup.  The thought of ingesting a piece of lettuce, a slice of tomato, or a green bean gagged her.  In contrast, my eldest was more daring.  She loved spaghetti, stuffed peppers, prime rib, and baked potatoes and sour cream.  Today, she’s a sushi addict.

However, when we’re together and want to venture out for dinner, we frequent Mexican or Chinese restaurants.  I accepted long ago I’d never be able to duplicate their culinary expertise.  When we’re in NYC, we eat cheese cake.  Yes, we have compiled a list of best to so-so.)

Admittedly, I’ve never prepared veal, lamb, elk, javelins, deer, nor pheasant.  Further my thought of preparing brains, liver, or mountain oysters gags me.  So you can imagine my reaction to a high-end magazine’s feature story: Welcome to the New World of Eating Insects.

Dragonflies, ants, grasshoppers, cicada, water bugs, and…freaking scorpions and tarantulas!  According to one source, “over 2 billion people regularly rely on one of the 1,900 edible species of insects as a source of protein.”  Cricket-flour chips are the new rage. Frankly, I can’t think of anything more revolting than a fly whose just sat on one of my dogs’ poop ending up in a casserole.

And to those of you who’ve been invited to my dinner party next week, the evite read: BYOB.  I’m well-stocked with booze.  Bring Your Own Bugs!

November Moth (Epirrita dilutata)

November Moth (Epirrita dilutata)