Cru Jones Society

Whether the day calls for an early rise, or a late one, my favorite way to prepare for what lies ahead is not with waffles dripping with warm maple syrup, or flaky biscuits covered with creamy sausage gravy. My morning food of choice is cold milk poured over cereal.

When I wake up in the morning my mind is not functioning at normal capacity. Usually it’s still trying to decipher the dream that was just playing. (Was that bear wearing P.F. Flyers?) So if I can engage in a task that requires the least amount of brain use, then the results have a better chance of being favorable. So unless you’re that kid in Big Daddy, making a bowl of cereal is easily accomplished in such a groggy state.

My biggest concern is I accidentally grab the orange juice instead of the milk.

E Dagger once told me of something he saw on T.V. where some rich dude poured champagne over his cereal. We started a debate; he thinks it would be better with a plain cereal like Corn Flakes, where as I think that a slightly sweeter cereal like Frosted Flakes would be better. We have yet to try. (Recently I’ve been on a Special K kick, and I would like to officially change my choice from Frosted Flakes to Special K if we ever decide to try this.)

If I never get to try champagne on my cereal I will be content with the milk. I enjoy drinking the milk that’s left in the bowl. Some people don’t like milk on their cereal, and that’s ok. Cereal can be enjoyed many different ways. I’ve even heard of people warming certain cereals up (and not just oatmeal.)

There are so many choices before even considering whether to add milk, champagne, nothing at all, or to warm it up.

To paraphrase the band Goldfinger, there are more variations than Nirvana has songs about heroin. There’s the healthier ones, like Cheerios, Wheaties, and Chex; the slightly sweet healthy ones, like Honey Nut Cheerios, and Raisin Bran; the fruity ones and the chocolate ones, like any that contain the word fruit or chocolate in the title; the pure sweet ones, like Lucky Charms, or Cap N’ Crunch; and the “I can’t believe the F.D.A. allows these” one, Like Count Chocula, and any cereal based on a cartoon.

There’s a flavor for everybody.

If I may take a moment to go High Fidelity here, my top five all time cereals are: Cap N’ Crunch with Crunch Berries, because of its sweetness and those yellow pieces (what are those?); Cheerios, because of its simplicity and healthiness; Cheerios Crunch, because it’s Cheerios with an added delicious oat crunch cluster; Golden Grahams, because of the honey and the texture; and Raisin Nut Bran, because of those nut coated raisins (brilliant!).

Maybe someday he’ll be Admiral

All of the cereals mentioned can be made part of a balanced breakfast by simply having toast, fruit, and orange juice with the cereal. A bowl filled with chocolate and marshmallows can be part of a balanced breakfast. That’s cocoa induced sugar with condensed sugar, and it’s part of a balanced breakfast. God bless America.

Let’s all raise a spoon to the wonderful food that is cereal!

Sorry, your older sibling or dad already took the prize inside.

Lee.s.hart@crujonessociety.com