Thursday, July 14, 2011

Love vs. Hate


A week ago we got 20 lbs of Fresh, New Jersey blueberries. They're coming out our ears, and they're awesome. We've been putting them on and everything we can think of. This morning we're low on cereal--cause blueberries are awesome on cereal--and I was thinking of what else I might make for a fancier breakfast that could include blueberries... blueberry oatmeal!?!

Now, I hate oatmeal. I really hate it. No matter how many times I've tried it, it is always the foulest mess of pottage. Other than partially rotted soybeans covered in raw eggs, mustard, and soy sauce, I don't know if there's anything I'd rather eat less. My childhood was largely spent trying to avoid choking down my mother's oatmeal. Gagging on it when I had to. Trying to disguise the taste with heavily jammed toast and silently crying when the toast ran out before the oatmeal. (Nothing against Mom. She loved the stuff and was just trying to feed 10 kids.) But I hated it. And if I avoided it at breakfast, fine, but then that's lunch. Not having it for lunch? Well, by the time dinner came, it was a cold, gelatinous chunk of gag that I was going to eat if I was going to eat anything. I never tried to see if my parents would hold to their guns across multiple days, but those nights alone in the clean kitchen eating the last bowl were bitter indeed. Sigh. Anyway, in spite of my mother's many many attempts, I never got used to it. Hate it still.

But I LOVE blueberries! Big, juicy, plump, full of antioxidant blueberries are awesome in shakes, on cereal, in pies, in jam, in cakes, in muffins, in waffles--in tons of stuff I love, the blueberries make it better. I remember driving home from Yellowstone one year through Idaho and stopping at every--EVERY--road-side huckleberry stand we saw. I never got sick of it.

This is the first time I have ever been excited to make oatmeal. I looked up a recipe online, ignored the orange zest it called for and got to work throwing salt, cinnamon, honey into the oatmeal. I was extremely self-satisfied with myself for this awesome idea and kept wondering why my mom had never thought of doing something this delightful with oatmeal. Maybe because it was zucchinis and apricots coming out our ears instead of blueberries in which case I'm extremely grateful she didn't come up with throwing in whatever surplus plant we had on hand. But I was feeling like a champ. This was gonna turn everything around. The oatmeal was nice and creamy. The blueberries and broken a bit and everything was turning a nice blue. This was going to be the exact opposite of every oatmeal I'd ever had. Redemption by blueberry.

I took a bite. It... tasted like oatmeal. I added some brown sugar, made sure I got a blueberry in there. The blueberry was great. A burst of warm, sweet flavor. Took another bite. Missed a blueberry. Meh. It's kind of a draw. Though maybe a win for blueberry since I am finishing the bowl. I'm not hating this oatmeal. I just don't love it. Which is a huge improvement from hate.

It's certainly not the bluebegeddon I was hoping for, but making oatmeal palatable is no small feat. And I'm willing to try this again with some recipe modification or perhaps a new recipe.

Also to try: Blueberry Grits, Zucchini Grits (grits are to me as oatmeal is to my mom).

9 comments:

Anna B said...

i hate oatmeal also!! seriously, it's gross. and i always have felt a little bit like a loser that i can't just like it. i mean, ok. i can eat the fake stuff from the packet flavored cinnamon roll. as long as it's not very runny. but still, oatmeal is nasty.

Spencer G said...

It really is almost irredeemable. Maybe totally so, but I at least have doubts now that there were a couple bites I was okay with. That's such a huge step.

Deja said...

I was a childhood oatmeal loather, too, though I think I've enjoyed more bites as an adult. Do you have a rice cooker? I throw it in there (a small one) with some cinnamon, stevia, a bit of salt, and a cut up apple or cherries. When it dings I add roasted almonds. I bet blueberries would be super good too ...

You do add salt, right? A saltless oatmeal ain't worth nothing.

Jim/Blog said...

whoa. I love oatmeal. But I put a ton of sugar, lots of fruit, etc. so maybe that's why? For me at least?

Mike and Emily said...

I hate oatmeal too but have found redemption in steel cut oats...they are more chewy and less gooey. I like deja's idea too...why does it always sound so good?

Spencer G said...

Dej, tried the rice cooker--and yes on the salt--and added some craisins and, Jim, more sugar. But it didn't quite win me over. I have however made it of my own free will two days in a row. That's kind of amazing. And, Em, I'm seeing steel cut oats in recipes, but haven't noticed them in the grocery store yet. I may have to give it a try.

sara said...

Schpenzi, how can you hate Mama Green's oatmeal - fond memories of getting up in the morning with Kristin and Mama Green, preparing our oatmeal breakfast... Well, have you tried the Swiss version? Use milk (real milk, not the greyish purple watered-down version) and cook it for at least 20min with a pinch of salt. Once it's done (all creamy) add suger and bananas/blueberries whatever fruit you like or a cinamon/sugar mixture. (Maybe we'll prepare oatmeal for you if you get to Switzerland with your family next year... ;-) )

Spencer G said...

Not sure anyone comes back to check comments but Blueberry Grits are so good!

Beth said...

steel cut oats are much tastier, to me