Tuesday 28 April 2015

Out of the mouths of babes (or 9 year old boys)

Breakfast is important, I think.  Especially since Boys #1 and #2 are so skinny that if the wind blows too hard I worry they might fall over.  So we try to eat a decent amount every morning, and one of my go-to energy boosters is porridge.  Only one problem; Boy #2 recently announced that he didn't like it any more - not even with maple syrup on the top.

Thins morning, then, I thought we would try things the Russian way by putting a teaspoon full of raspberry jam on the top of his porridge.

Jam is a Russian cure-all.  Want a sweet taste with your (black) tea?  Help yourself to a little dish of jam from the bowl in the middle of the table and use a teaspoon to feed yourself little bites in between sips of tea.  Feeling fluey or have a cold coming on?  Jam will definitely help.  Want to boost your intake of Vitamin C?  Yes, jam is just the ticket.  You get the picture...

I have to be honest, I didn't hold out much hope that jam would sort Boy #2's porridge-avoidance, but with Weetabix and toast on standby, it was worth a try.

He stirred it in and cautiously took a mouthful.

Boy #2:  "Mmmmmmmmm.  That's delicious!  I love it!  I'm going to eat the whole bowl!'

I smiled quietly to myself as I chatted with Boy #1 about his busy schedule and sorted out various things around the kitchen.  Job done.  Then...

Boy #2:  "It tastes just like raspberry pie!"

Me - blinking.  What?:  "But, hang on - you don't like raspberry pie..."

Boy #2:  "That's your raspberry pie, Mum.  Gran's raspberry pie, I like - and that's what this tastes like.  Mmmmmm...."

Oh.  Right.  That put me in my place, then.

4 comments:

  1. I stopped my children eating commercial style yoghurts a while ago, realising all the rubbish that goes in them to keep them a consistent flavour all year round. They now get organic full fat yoghurt with a tea spoon of jam - then I know what they've had. It sounds like the Russians would approve!

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  2. Certainly does Mwa - and I think I may try that with my older son. Better stock up on the jam, then!

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  3. My daughter told me recently that the Russians put a teaspoon of jam in their tea instead of sugar. She then demonstrated. It's absolutely revolting (in my opinion, but I'm a bit of a tea purist).

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  4. In my experience Iota, Russians are more likely to have a little dish of jam that they eat alongside the tea than actually put it in there. Usually there is a bowl or jar of jam in the middle of the table, and then tiny dishes with little spoons for each person to decant their jam into it. Having tried it both ways, the dish way works better, I agree!

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