Many people nowadays don't prefer Marmalade!

[Patrick]

The King asked the Queen,
And the Queen asked the Dairymaid:
"Could we have some butter
For the Royal slice of bread?"

The Queen asked the Dairymaid,
The Dairymaid said, "certainly,
I'll go and tell the Cow now
Before she goes to bed."

The Dairymaid she curtsied,
And went and told the Alderney:
"Don't forget the butter for
The Royal slice of bread."

The Alderney said sleepily:
"You'd better tell His Majesty
That many people nowadays
Like marmalade instead."

Not any more it seems!

Sales figures suggest that marmalade is fast falling from favour, along with the other breakfast staple: honey. While jam, still the top most popular spread, has remained steady, two relative newcomers to the breakfast table have increased sales substantially over recent months. Calorific and salty peanut butter and sweet chocolate spread are winning over younger consumers, the statistics indicate.

A substantial 800,000 fewer litres of marmalade – or about 2.5 million fewer standard sized jars – were eaten during the 12 months to October 2010, compared with same period the year before, according to Kantar World Panel, the leading grocery research firm.

In total 29.6 million litres of marmalade was eaten, a fall of 2.8 per cent. Sales of honey also fell by 1.9 per cent, with 17.2 million litres consumed. Meanwhile 22.2 million litres of chocolate spread and peanut butter were consumed, with sales of these increasing by 8 per cent and 7.5 per cent respectively.

Traditional cooks were left weeping into their thick-cut Oxford marmalade. Xanthe Clay, The Daily Telegraph's food columnist, said: "Oh these statistics are just tragic.

"Marmalade is one of the great British foods and it is, when made properly, quite a sophisticated taste, packed with thick bitter Seville oranges. Peanut butter is just a salty hit – you don't get anything more than that.... click for more.

[everso]

So what is everyone's favourite breakfast spread?

Mine is DEFINITELY marmalade. A breakfast of bacon, eggs, fried bread, grilled tomatoes and beans with HP sauce, followed by marmalade on toast and a cup of strong tea - food of the gods.

OMG I could really eat that breakfast now.

[Weyland]

Jan 12, 2011 10:17:29 GMT everso said:

So what is everyone's favourite breakfast spread?

Mine is DEFINITELY marmalade. A breakfast of bacon, eggs, fried bread, grilled tomatoes and beans with HP sauce, followed by marmalade on toast and a cup of strong tea - food of the gods.

OMG I could really eat that breakfast now.

Marmalade only occasionally. Never beans or sauce, or <blecchh> hash browns. Black puddin'. Toast with German raspberry jam (with seeds, of course -- Lidl's or Aldi's is very good). Two large mugs of strong tea.

Another favourite is kippers and buttered bread.

But usually I just have Shredded Wheat / Weetabix OR toast. Toasted plain bagels if I have any.

The tea is a constant.

B&B in Wexford, after two weeks touring Ireland having the Full Oirish every day (the above fry-up plus white puddin', and sometimes a potato cake, and soda bread), I asked the lady if she had kippers. No, she said, and promptly went out and got some.

B&B in Sligo. The owner recited The Lake Isle of Innisfree to a full breakfast room. We loved it, but the Americans were absolutely delirious. (Leo was his name, formerly mayor of Sligo. Me grandad came from there.)

Innisfree is a few miles from Sligo.

I love Ireland. I hear it in the deep heart's core.

[everso]

A few years ago we stayed in Kinsale, near Cork (where one branch of the everso tree came from), and one evening we had a wonderful time in a pub. They had a piano player (I hesitate to say pianist as it sounds too classical) who belted out all the favourites and had the whole pub singing. Again, there were lots of Yanks there and they had a ball.

Beautiful scenery, nice friendly people, but, frankly, crap weather. We toured the Ring of Kerry in a fog. I'd certainly go back again though.

[housesparrow]

Ah, weren't they austere in Milne's day?

It has never been "marmalade instead" in my household, or anyone else's that I know of. It is always been "as well as" butter.

Peanut butter may be high in calories, but only the greediest piggy eats it with the Lurpak type

(as I do)!

But for breakfast, it has to be marmalade - usually the thick cut stuff but orange and grapefruit makes a refreshing change.

[Weyland]

Jan 12, 2011 11:58:22 GMT everso said:

I'd certainly go back again though.

You absolutely have to go back, Ev, if only to meet the Mavourneen Trubs. The weather won't matter on that day (but she'll make a production of it anyway).

The Ring of Kerry in fine weather is drop-dead beautiful, as is most of the west coast. And if you get sick of scenery, Ireland is packed with fascinating history, distilleries, castles, horse fairs, pubs, etc, etc, and lovely people.

Did you know that the bloke who discovered the spiral nature of galaxies was Irish? He had the biggest telescope in the world then, and it's still there, at Birr, in County Offaly. Great museum and gardens. (Not very far from the Tullamore Dew distillery.)

Not only that, but his son invented the modern steam turbine, which still -- more than a century later -- provides the world with most of its electricity. (And propels nuclear submarines.)

[Weyland]

Jan 12, 2011 12:54:46 GMT housesparrow said:

Ah, weren't they austere in Milne's day?

It has never been "marmalade instead" in my household, or anyone else's that I know of. It is always been "as well as" butter.

Yes, I wondered about that. I couldn't eat it without the butter.

Dorothy Parker used to write a review column for The New Yorker with the heading Constant Reader. This was the gist of her review of Milne's The House at Pooh Corner:

Tonstant Weader frowed up.

Can't say I'm surprised.

~ ~ ~

Aubrey: That reminds me of an excellent short SF story I remember reading about 45 years ago, probably in Astounding or Galaxy, called The House at Pung's Corner. Might've been Pung. Can't remember the author. I'd love to read it again, but I can't track it down on the Web. Can you help?

[WY Memory Failure Report No. 2826: I tracked it down -- The Wizard of Pung's Corners, Frederik Pohl, 1958.]

[Alpha Hooligan]

I'm not really a breakfast kinda guy, but when I do breakfast, it's usually a cereal (coco pops, shreddies, sugar puffs... all the classy stuff).

As for marmalade, I do like that lemon flavour silver shred.

Jam is also nice.


AH

[Weyland]

Jan 12, 2011 14:25:50 GMT Alpha Hooligan said:

I'm not really a breakfast kinda guy, but when I do breakfast, it's usually a cereal (coco pops, shreddies, sugar puffs... all the classy stuff).

Alph: Just a little Style Tip here, completely free of charge . . .

If you'd only rephrased that as "when I do breakfast, it's usually a cereal (coco pops, shreddies, sugar puffs... all the classic stuff)", you could've got away with it, and even have used instead of . No need to thank me.

~ ~ ~

Should you desire more of such ace up-market Style Guidance, do not hesitate to contact [e-mail]. Be sure to clearly specify the long number on your credit/debit card, the security code, the PIN, and any other incantation your bank may require in the privacy department.

Discount available for all SC regulars, at the same percentage as the lowest interest rate set by UK high-street banks. Conditions apply. YMMV. Beware the Ides of March.

[trubble]

Jan 12, 2011 14:13:25 GMT Weyland said:

Jan 12, 2011 12:54:46 GMT housesparrow said:

Ah, weren't they austere in Milne's day?

It has never been "marmalade instead" in my household, or anyone else's that I know of. It is always been "as well as" butter.

Yes, I wondered about that. I couldn't eat it without the butter.

Dorothy Parker used to write a review column for The New Yorker with the heading Constant Reader. This was the gist of her review of Milne's The House at Pooh Corner:

Tonstant Weader frowed up.

Can't say I'm surprised.

~ ~ ~

Aubrey: That reminds me of an excellent short SF story I remember reading about 45 years ago, probably in Astounding or Galaxy, called The House at Pung's Corner. Might've been Pung. Can't remember the author. I'd love to read it again, but I can't track it down on the Web. Can you help?

[WY Memory Failure Report No. 2826: I tracked it down -- The Wizard of Pung's Corners, Frederik Pohl, 1958.]

I love Winnie-the-Pooh, the original stories. I don't mean love in the normal sense, in the way that other, smaller animals love Winnie-the-Pooh, I mean LOVE writ large. The stories are me, I am the stories, they are mine, no one else really understands them like I do. I still cry at the last one. Sob is more fitting.


It has been one of my greatest inner struggles therefore to reconcile the awful things that Dorothy Parker said with my love for her. Because I love Dorothy Parker. LOVE writ large again, in the heaviest ink. She is me, I am her, she is mine...etc.

But when one loves, one must overlook over the cracks and faults, such as a tubby middle, very little brain and lots of fluff, suicidal tendencies and cynical rage that prompts the ripping asunder of all a little girl holds dear. Naturally, reader, I am describing Piglet. A sorry excuse for a man.

[trubble]

Oh, and this thread has prompted me to have toast and butter and marmalade for my breakfast.

To be frank, it's more of an all day breakfast having only just been eaten and I'll be skipping dinner to eat quality street chocolates at the Pantomime tonight so the marmalade has been vital as far as vitamin & fruit-and-veg intake goes.

Was anyone else listening to BBC7 repeats of the Life of Joe Grimaldi or the History of Pantomime? Wonderful, rich programmes.

[Alpha Hooligan]

Breakfast at 4 o'clock...I love you!


AH

[Weyland]

Jan 12, 2011 15:52:29 GMT trubble said:

But when one loves, one must overlook over the cracks and faults, such as a tubby middle, very little brain and lots of fluff, suicidal tendencies and cynical rage that prompts the ripping asunder of all a little girl holds dear. ... A sorry excuse for a man.

What new hell is this?!

That's such a giveaway that I just KNOW you mean me, you Anglo-Scotch-Irish vixen, but at least I know that you do love me, which heals all wounds.

PS: I've visited the Algonquin. Yes, that room. Nyah, nyah, nyah.

[Weyland]

Jan 12, 2011 15:58:15 GMT trubble said:

Was anyone else listening to BBC7 repeats of the Life of Joe Grimaldi or the History of Pantomime? Wonderful, rich programmes.

Yes. Yes. Yes. We peepooh of taste must stick together.

[everso]

Jan 12, 2011 12:54:46 GMT housesparrow said:

Ah, weren't they austere in Milne's day?

It has never been "marmalade instead" in my household, or anyone else's that I know of. It is always been "as well as" butter.

Peanut butter may be high in calories, but only the greediest piggy eats it with the Lurpak type

(as I do)!

But for breakfast, it has to be marmalade - usually the thick cut stuff but orange and grapefruit makes a refreshing change.

Me too. Thickly spread butter and thickly spread peanut butter. Then a quick weighing session on the bathroom scales and a bit of a whine.

My daughter bought us bathroom scales for Christmas. I'm sure they're wrong though.

[aubrey]

I've been trying to look up Greek breakfast - cup of coffee, a cigarette and a (trip to the big boy's room). Can't find the exact wording, though.


I usually have beans on toast if I have anything (a 1/4 can, with three slices of toast); this morning I was eating cheese and pickle sandwiches at 8.30, but I'd been up for 2 1/2 hours by then so that isn't breakfast.

I had marmalade on toast this afternoon, prompted by my disgust over the story - chocolate with bread or toast isn't right - but it was lime, which I found a bit sweet.

I don't know that Pohl story, Weyland.

DON'T READ THIS, TRUBBLE:

There was a story by Geo Alec Effinger called Three Sadnesses which has various children's story scenarios invaded by real life: so Hundred Acre Wood has little men in green running around, with the odd explosion, and the animals wandering about in a group, looking for Christopher Robin to explain what's happening - no one listens to Eeyore, who keeps saying "I don't think he's going to..." At the end, a little man pops up from behind a bush, and throws something in the middle of the group, which just lies there for a few seconds.

[housesparrow]

Jan 12, 2011 17:48:52 GMT everso said:

Thickly spread butter and thickly spread peanut butter. Then a quick weighing session on the bathroom scales and a bit of a whine.

My daughter bought us bathroom scales for Christmas. I'm sure they're wrong though.

From the same pen:

A bear, however hard he tries,
Grows tubby without exercise.
Our Teddy Bear is short and fat,
Which is not to be wondered at;
He gets what exercise he can
By falling off the ottoman,
But generally seems to lack
The energy to clamber back.

Now tubbiness is just the thing
Which gets a fellow wondering;
And Teddy worried lots about
The fact that he was rather stout.
He thought: "If only I were thin!
But how does anyone begin?"
He thought: "It really isn't fair
To grudge one exercise and air."

For many weeks he pressed in vain
His nose against the window-pane,
And envied those who walked about
Reducing their unwanted stout.
None of the people he could see
"Is quite" (he said) "as fat as me!"
Then, with a still more moving sigh,
"I mean" (he said) "as fat as I!

One night it happened that he took
A peep at an old picture-book,
Wherein he came across by chance
The picture of a King of France
(A stoutish man) and, down below,
These words: "King Louis So and So,
Nicknamed 'The Handsome!'" There he sat,
And (think of it!) the man was fat!

Our bear rejoiced like anything
To read about this famous King,
Nicknamed "The Handsome." There he sat,
And certainly the man was fat.
Nicknamed "The Handsome." Not a doubt
The man was definitely stout.
Why then, a bear (for all his tub)
Might yet be named "The Handsome Cub!"

"Might yet be named." Or did he mean
That years ago he "might have been"?
For now he felt a slight misgiving:
"Is Louis So and So still living?
Fashions in beauty have a way
Of altering from day to day.
Is 'Handsome Louis' with us yet?
Unfortunately I forget."

Next morning (nose to window-pane)
The doubt occurred to him again.
One question hammered in his head:
"Is he alive or is he dead?"
Thus, nose to pane, he pondered; but
The lattice window, loosely shut,
Swung open. With one startled "Oh!"
Our Teddy disappeared below.

There happened to be passing by
A plump man with a twinkling eye,
Who, seeing Teddy in the street,
Raised him politely to his feet,
And murmured kindly in his ear
Soft words of comfort and of cheer:
"Well, well!" "Allow me!" "Not at all."
"Tut-tut! A very nasty fall."

Our Teddy answered not a word;
It's doubtful if he even heard.
Our bear could only look and look:
The stout man in the picture-book!
That 'handsome' King - could this be he,
This man of adiposity?
"Impossible," he thought. "But still,
No harm in asking. Yes I will!"

"Are you," he said,"by any chance
His Majesty the King of France?"
The other answered, "I am that,"
Bowed stiffly, and removed his hat;
Then said, "Excuse me," with an air,
"But is it Mr Edward Bear?"
And Teddy, bending very low,
Replied politely, "Even so!"

They stood beneath the window there,
The King and Mr Edward Bear,
And, handsome, if a trifle fat,
Talked carelessly of this and that....
Then said His Majesty, "Well, well,
I must get on," and rang the bell.
"Your bear, I think," he smiled. "Good-day!"
And turned, and went upon his way.

A bear, however hard he tries,
Grows tubby without exercise.
Our Teddy Bear is short and fat,
Which is not to be wondered at.
But do you think it worries him
To know that he is far from slim?
No, just the other way about -
He's proud of being short and stout.

[Weyland]

Jan 12, 2011 18:27:57 GMT housesparrow said:

From the same pen

From the same gut — fwew up again.

Sowwy.

[everso]

I know this is probably anathema to Trubbs (indeed to any Pooh fan), but the Disney version of Pooh has him doing exercises in front of a mirror:



and it is rather cute.

Well, my excuse is I've been forced to watch it about a thousand times by my grandchildren.

[Weyland]

Jan 12, 2011 19:07:57 GMT everso said:

Well, my excuse is I've been forced to watch it about a thousand times by my grandchildren.

No wonder your tooth fell out.