I like the German Rice Krispies



I love Rice Krispies. Been trying to figure out why. (Is it clear that I don't have much to do on this Friday evening?) It may have something to do with my spoilt childhood, but I'm sure Weet-Bix used to be my favourite then. Especially for supper, when the rest of the family would have cholesterol-lowering poached fish and vegetables and I'd call for a tray of Weet-Bix, fresh farm milk and white sugar to be brought from the kitchen. And I would get it, only child that I was.

Three decades later I no longer eat Weet-Bix (high GI) but I still prefer my rice cereal at supper time. Rice Krispies is not meant as food and should therefore not be confused with an actual meal like breakfast. (Unless you have a second bowl, in which case it does, in fact, count as a full meal.) It's in the same class as ice cream, Chuckles and microwave popcorn - meant to be consumed in front of the TV, with feet up and favourite cat lounging on lap; and it really is okay to have that second bowl.

I like mine with the milk warmed up, and at the stage of fresh sogginess that follows just after the popping. Not too long after, because then the rice bubbles acquire a sticky, leathery texture that detracts from the experience of not chewing, but squashing the soft spoonfuls between palate and tongue before swallowing. Very energy-efficient. I cannot fathom how some people can eat Rice Krispies with cold milk, and while they are still popping. That's akin to eating a live crayfish, or prawns with their shells on.
 
Rice Krispies are, in fact, multilingual, according to Wikipedia. Yes, Rice Krispies have their own entry on Wikipedia. They also have a Facebook page, and several fan groups. (There's a group on Facebook for just about anything. For those of us who can't bear to Love Hot Water Bottles all by ourselves. Join a group. Tell the world just how boring you really are.)*

English: "Snap! Crackle! Pop!"

Canadian French: "Cric! Crac! Croc!"

Spanish: "Pim! Pum! Pam!"

German: "Knisper! Knasper! Knusper!"

Danish: "Piff! Paff! Puff!"

Finnish: "Riks! Raks! Poks!"

Dutch: "Pif! Paf! Pof!"

Afrikaans: "Knap! Knaetter! Knak!"

Actually, I think they made a mistake. Don't the Afrikaans ones go "Knap! Knetter! Kraak!"?

And if you've ever wondered just how the eloquent little rice bubbles go about uttering their unique language, now you know.

So tonight I had my two bowls of Rice Krispies for supper. Admittedly I don't do this very often. But it did give me the opportunity to make another interesting discovery. Snap! Crackle! and Pop! go perfectly well with a glass (or two) of Durbanville Hills Shiraz 2007.

*I was thinking of starting this group. I know it will have at least two members, myself included. Anybody else keen to join? On second thought, perhaps it's the wrong time of year. Shelve idea till winter comes around again.



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