Toasted

Oatmeal was at one point an okay thing in life. Exposed to nothing more that instant oats, I usually made the dish more exciting by adding some maple syrup and perhaps bananas. A satisfactory meal.

And then I discovered the real thing.

Steel-cut oats first toasted with a sliver of butter, then cooked slow on the stove, finished with a dollop of maple cream. To make the dish just right, pour warm milk over the mess. It's chewy, it's hearty, it's just so good. A rare breakfast that's good enough to get me out of bed.