Last week I gave a heartfelt lamination on what I assumed may have been the demise of the Breakfast of Champions, Wheaties. Apparently, the demise is limited to the grocery stores that we use. It is still around with Serena Williams on it, but more on that later. There are apparently other cereals that people used to love, but are no longer on the spectrum even in the grocery stores that we do not frequent. I realize that there are many more problems in the world today than missing products. However, there is very little that I can do about them so might as well bring back old memories.
One of the people I did hear from has been sorry for years on the demise of her favorite cereal. In her case it was puffed rice. I preferred puffed wheat (which is also gone) myself, but I empathize with her. I may have been of some help in this case. I pointed out to her that the puffed cereals had been “Shot from Guns.” As a kid, I always wondered about whether they actually did shoot little wheat or rice grains from smoking guns which made them puffy. Our friend said that she was certain they did. I pointed out to her that was most likely the cause for the absence of her puffed rice. Obviously, after years of shooting, the guns needed repairs, but no parts were available. There could not have been very many manufacturers of guns that shot rice or wheat, and since there was not much demand, they went on to something else.
A cereal that I liked was called Krumbles, but nobody I know even recalls it which most likely is why it is no longer with us. It was sort of like a shredded Shredded Wheat. It just had individual pieces and it floated well in milk.
I used to eat it at my grandmother’s. She would join me with a cup of Postum.
Postum was purportedly something you were to drink in place of coffee I tried some once, and it was the worst tasting liquid that you could imagine. It should have met its end sometime ago. However, I spotted it in a catalog we get the other day. If you are adventuresome, and perhaps hate coffee it might be for you. Actually, I don’t drink coffee, but I certainly did not need to go the Postum route to make that decision.
As a kid, I ate tons of cereal, and I know that there many others whose names I no longer recollect. It has been a few years! My memory does include Post Toasties which I have not seen for some time, but as I recall they were just corn flakes with a fancy name. At the top I indicated that I would bring back Wheaties for further discussion. The day after my last article appeared, we came home to find a mysterious wrapped package at out front door. My first impulse was to put it in a bucket of water in case there was somebody out there who really didn’t like my columns. However, The Blonde in the House said she thought it would be OK to unwrap it. We did and naturally what appeared was a pristine box of Wheaties. However, it was left anonymously so we do not know who to thank. I believe that the person did that purposely so that he/she would not have to divulge the source knowing our stores do not carry it. If I knew, then I might tell others and cause a raid at his/her source. Nevertheless, we appreciated the gesture – and I ate some the next morning.
I promise this will be my last article on cereals!
Barry Evans is a resident of The Villages.
