CULINARY ADVENTURE
I am a cereal lover. When I get my way at home, I enjoy a nice bowl of cereal in the evenings for supper instead of a heavier cooked meal, which Case and Deanna still enjoy. In our house, I oversee a certain sect of grocery shopping. I handle cereal, milk, cream, potato chips and coffee — all the important things.
Recently, I revisited something from my childhood, Grape Nuts Cereal.
We’ve been eating grains forever. Oatmeal, whether dehulled, sliced, roasted or rolled, had long been known in Europe. Texas Indians had grits and hominy, but breakfasts for 19th century Americans, had evolved to meat. Meusebach’s flock, traipsing from Neu Braunfels, were likely nibbling on Brötchen, jams and Wurst. Meanwhile, the Americans they encountered, including Texas Ranger Robert A. Gillespie, were lacking fiber and suffering from constipation. The aromas of a new land greeting immigrants must have been interesting.
When the vegetarian movement began — reforms followed. Who would have suspected that the Seventh-day Adventists making eating healthy a part of their religion would help change everyone’s diet and play a significant role in the discovery of breakfast cereals.
Today, cereals are popular breakfast foods, but Americans are only the world’s fourth-largest consumer of the grain. Twelve percent of Americans eat nothing. Remarkedly, when preparing for our first trip to Europe in the early ’60s, we were told Europeans had only Continental Breakfasts — coffee and bread. We feared the consequences but were pleasantly surprised.
In the mid-19th century, Ferdinand Schumacher introduced the first cereal — handground oats — which evolved into the Quaker Oats Company. Dr. James Jackson’s creation, Granula, made from Graham flour, did not gain traction due to its requirement for overnight soaking. Subsequent innovations like Wheatena and the broadcast success of Wheatenaville Sketches did not resonate with consumers.
The emergence of Grape-Nuts, initially called Malted Nuts, marked a milestone in the cereal story. Developed by William Kellogg and his brother, John, at their health sanitarium, Grape-Nuts aimed to provide an alternative to heavy, meat-laden breakfasts. The intricate process of perfecting the cereal’s flaked texture remained a secret, though they allowed patients to observe, inadvertently inspiring Charles W. Post.
Post, deeply influenced by Kellogg’s methods, established his own cereal company, and introduced Grape-Nuts to the world. Despite its name, Grape-Nuts contains no grapes or nuts, but is made from wheat and barley. Its main selling point was that it promised significant nutritional value. Post’s marketing claimed that a pound of Grape-Nuts provided as much nutrition as 10 pounds of meat.
Grape-Nuts, accompanied by inventive advertising campaigns, became part of various historical events, including Admiral Byrd’s Antarctic expedition and as rations for U.S. forces during World War II.
In the ’50s, much changed. By the age of 9, I was the last kid at home. Cereal boxes had tempting cut-outs — something to assemble or wear, like masks, or something to collect that required buying another box. Stand-up cut-outs were popular. Some folded into pioneer buildings — entire villages. I tried hard to consume enough boxes before the cereal went on to other topics.
Grape Nuts, the crumbly and malty cereal has sustained itself for over 120 years, but this may be coming to an end. Fewer Americans are eating cereal every year, despite some of them offering a substantial amount of fiber, a critical nutrient in which 95% of Americans are deficient. Decades of marketing that focused on children has convinced millions of Americans that cereal is merely a sugary treat.
At one time, Grape-Nuts was the seventh-most popular cereal. By 2005, it held less than 1% of the market. Now the formula has changed; the husks from milled grain are ground into the flour and the cereal is pitched as whole grain, albeit at the cost of detracting significantly from mouthfeel.
You may have expected me to include a recipe for Grape Nut Muffins or some breakfast treat. I found something more interesting: GRAPE NUTS BAKED MEATLOAF
Ingredients:
• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 large Spanish onion
• 2 pounds ground beef, lean
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 cup Grape-Nuts cereal
• ½ cup whole milk
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons horseradish prepared (strained)
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• ⅓ cup ketchup for mixing
• ¼ cup ketchup for topping
• ¼ cup fresh chives
• ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme chopped
Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare baking sheet with silpat (silicone baking mat) or parchment paper.
2. In large skillet over medium heat, sweat onions and garlic in canola oil until soft and translucent (no color).
Remove from heat and transfer to plate. Cool in refrigerator.
3. In small mixing bowl, whisk together eggs and egg yolks. Add Grape Nuts, milk, horseradish, and Worcestershire. Stir to incorporate. Allow to set for 10-15 minutes for Grape Nuts to soften.
4. In large mixing bowl, mix ground beef and ground pork with hands until incorporated. Add cooled onion mixture, ketchup, salt, pepper, herbs, and Grape Nuts mixture. Mix well.
5. To test for seasoning, make a small meat patty (2-inch diameter) and sauté in skillet. Allow to cool and taste for seasoning. If under-seasoned, add more salt and/or pepper.
6. Once combined, transfer the meatloaf mixture to the prepared baking sheet and firmly form into a brick shape, about 2 to 3-inches high by 5-inches wide. Meat should be compact, not loose. Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes.
7. Remove meatloaf from oven and brush the remaining ¼ cup ketchup over the top of the loaf. Return to oven and continue baking for 15-25 minutes more, until internal temperature reaches 160°F. Remove from oven and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and chives.
