Cold, and colder, weather

When the thermometer shows numbers under 30, as it did here all weekend, it creates a need for warmth. Creative cooking comes next - so we can find something that will warm us and 'stick to the ribs' at the same time. Instead of our usual lunch fare, hubby suggested a bowl of hot cereal. Good idea!

I chose Cream of Wheat this time, and started the process of cooking (no instant stuff for us !).

Stirring the bubbling mixture took me back to my childhood and memories of Mother's cream of wheat. That was soooo good, and full of little lumps. We always added sugar and butter (before oleo was invented), which was an extra bonus of taste.

Now the question is, How in the world did Mother manage to make lumpy cream of wheat? I have tried to re-create this delicacy, without any success. Those little lumps tasted so good, and made a spoonful of cereal even more interesting.

Maybe it's due to 'modern' processing, but no matter how I add the grains of cereal to the boiling water, it comes out smoothe as silk. No lumps ! I've tried dumping the raw stuff into the hot water - but that doesn't work either when I stir constantly - as directed on the package. Perhaps it was the old wood stove that Mother had to cook on in this old house. Maybe our electric stove gives off better, more even heat? I just don't know.

I dare say that no recipe in the world (or even on Google) would answer my question, since most cooks prefer the smooth over the lumpy variety of Cream of Wheat.

In the meantime, we sure enjoyed the warmth and stick-to-it-ness of the hot cereal on the cold day yesterday.