Breakfast Time

Firstly let me tell you a little story all about family breakfast time & it goes... like this! The story tends to be centred around the pregnant musings of my head some 6 years ago..

The family breakfast - as I walk into my beautiful bespoke kitchen, within my country home, having walked past the grandfather clock ticking contentedly to the 8.15 am mark, I pull up the Cath Kidston window blind to reveal an endearing sunrise breaking on the distant (over the fields & far away) horizon. The range is giving off a pleasant warm heat and the shiny red kettle is just beginning to whistle in readiness of providing a welcome pot of tea. Shortly after consuming a cup of tea in quiet contemplation, a cheery bright eyed girly arrives, in cosy pink gingham pyjamas and little boot fluffy slippers hand in hand with a tiny big grinned boy, with cheeky curly hair in soft as velvet mini long john bedwear. They skip into the kitchen lavishing morning hugs & kisses onto a well rested mummy.

They take their places along with daddy, in his casual aran knit jumper, flicking through The Times. Both children heartily tuck into a steaming bowl of porridge drizzled creatively with maple syrup spun into heart shapes, and a train for the boy. Once finished, they beam up thankful smiles as I present them with a soft boiled egg, homemade bread lightly toasted to perfection, with lickings of soft unsalted butter. They thank me politely and devour in culinary appreciation, whilst sipping whole milk (not the homogenised variety) from little hand made coloured glasses through a stripy straw.

and now for the reality.

Its 7am, I bumble into the kitchen of my town situated semi detached new build house with view of the garden & 8ft high fence, the kitchen blind is not down (and not from Cath Kidston), its still dark, there is no sunrise as its raining & cloud cover is thick. The central heating is just coming on, daddy has already gone to work & I hurriedly rush to make a cup of tea using freshly boiled water from my whistling red kettle to drink in peace.

Being a nice mummy I am known to offer an array of breakfast lovely treats:-

- pancakes (various toppings, fruit, maple syrup, golden syrup, sugar&lemon

nutella) even edible glitter on birthdays, high days & holidays

- variety of toasted items, English muffins, crumpets, bagels, homemade bread

with an endless array of toppings jam, syrup, chocolate, eggs, bacon, sausage,

ham, cheese...

- Full English... bacon, sausages, eggs, hash browns, grilled tomatoes, mushrooms

- Continental option... croissants, pain-au-chocolate, fruit, yoghurt's, french toast

- Cereals.... only the proper ones porridge & muesli

- And on a weekend I've even been known to fry up a huge pan of mexican

themed breakfast... chorizo, red peppers, huge ripe vine tomatoes, red onions,

eggs fried in with the mix... with a nice big helping of grated chocolate & fresh

red chilli stirred in.... with homemade bread to soak the juices (oooo personal

favourite & think shall probably have to make this Sunday as desire has been

aroused)

- And have on occasion rustled up American muffin, oats & apple, carrot, chocolate

chip etc.

And the children, they grumpily arise from bed & stamp downstairs, girly always in a big bad morning mood... boyo thumb in mouth, blanket on head.. walking & talking but still asleep... they come into the kitchen, sit at the table... and do they want breakfast NO! And did daddy have any breakfast NO!

And the lesson Breakfast is the most important meal of the day... but not as important as the desire to eat it.