Woke too early this morning. Gave up on trying to go back to sleep. Boiled water. Got out the blue bowl to make Cream of Wheat. (Blue, vs. white, is important for detecting the difference between the Cream of Wheat and the bowl.)
We buy the store-brand generic cream of wheat when it's available, but when it's not we get the original brand. Generic comes in a bag. Today it was the box, thus the brand-name version. On which I expected to see the black chef in the puffy hat but of course he's gone.
The Cream of Wheat man and the Quaker Oats man who reminded me of Captain Kangaroo were the companions of my childhood breakfasts. Along with my dad, who cooked the cereal and served it to me.
As an adult, now, I understand the historical reasons why the black chef was problematic--though if he were introduced now, when chefs are idolized, wouldn't he just be a Betty Crocker type of personification of the brand? It seems less trustworthy now that no one is on the box to vouch for it.
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