Today’s Prompt for Writing 101: Tell us something about your favorite childhood meal — the one that was always a treat, that meant “celebration,” or that comforted you and has deep roots in your memory.
Free free to focus on any aspect of the meal, from the food you ate to the people who were there to the event it marked.
Today’s twist: Tell the story in your own distinct voice.
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Although I have written about this before, for lack of anything else that made such an impact in my childhood memories regarding food, I introduce you to my favorite meal as a very small child, hot cocoa and toast.
My earliest memories of my childhood have this beloved breakfast memory imbedded in them.
During my childhood years there were no such things as “instant” cocoa or ready to buy, chocolate milk. “Back in those days”, it was a labor of love to make hot cocoa.
When I think back to these early childhood memories, I search for any memory that would confirm that my parents lurred me to bed at night with the promise of “cocoa and toast” in the morning. I think I might have dreamed of hot cocoa and toast all night because 5:00 am found me waking my mother up to make me my favorite breakfast, hot cocoa and toast.
I watched her as she poured the milk in a pan, added the tablespoons of cocoa powder and sugar and stir the mixture while it was heating on the stove.
I watched her as she carefully buttered the bread, then put the bread on a pan placed in the bottom of the oven until they became nice and “toasty.”
Finally, my delightful and much anticipated breakfast would begin. I would dip the crunchy toast in the hot cocoa until the bread was soaked with cocoa and with each bite I took, the cocoa would joyfully dribble down my chin.
At that young age my little mind had no concept of heaven or what heaven might be like. Yet, if you told me heaven was like eating cocoa and toast, I would completely understand.
Even now, thinking of these memories takes me back to that time in my life where life was safe and warm and my happiness was so easily achieved merely by making me a breakfast of hot cocoa and toast.
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BEAUTIFUL WORDS 
Aww PJ, I loved reading this, gave me such a warm and TOASTY feeling before bed 🙂 Such sweet memories of a labor of love by your Mom.
Thank you JR! You might be dreaming of hot cocoa and toast tonight. 😀 😀
Good one JR – you nailed it! A warm and toasty post – warmed my heart PJ! xo
Thank you sooo much!
Haha! I just might! Will let you know 🙂
Okay! LOL!!
Sweeeeet , even imagining this is warming up my heart with happiness 😀 😀 Even today I feel the breakfasts I had as child tasted much much tastier than anything of today 😀 I can still remember the flavors !
That’s true! Our breakfast foods tasted much better when we were children. I don’t know why, but they were!!
I enjoyed this touching story. To think food can bring about feelings of safety and love.
Thank you Donna! Yes, these memories bring back my childhood memories of feeling safe and happy.
Priceless moments of childhood!!!
Yes! Indeed. 🙂
I love cocoa too…what a nice memory to have 🙂
Thank you. Yes, it is a nice memory and I think of it with fondness. Sometimes when I need to feel comforted, I will make me cocoa and toast.
You have me craving for that hot cocoa now. I can almost taste it when i read your post.
I know! ….:D….. it sounds good doesn’t it? It does to me too. 😀
I can imagine you sitting with your toast and cocoa and your face and hands filled with dripping chocolate. You look cute 🙂
My chin was always covered with dripping cocoa. haha LOL! I loved my cocoa and toast for breakfast!
I had hot chocolate and croissants for breakfast in France, now that was heaven!
That sound really yummy! Yummm
It’s wonderful that just a simple thing like coco and toast can bring back such warm and secured feelings. The memory can be a true blessing.😊
Yes, it is Jessie. It is a blessing to me to have this memory.
Your telling of this made it sound like heaven to me too Priceless. Beautifully done!
Thanks Colleen! Whenever I need some comfort food I have cocoa and toast. 😀
I have toast every single day. It is good food indeed. 🙂
Such wonderful memories, PJ. That hot chocolate sounds absolutely delicious, especially when accompanied by that crunchy toast. It must have been really amazing to get up at 5am for! Very well done! .
Thank you Millie! For me, it was “heaven.” I couldn’t wait to get up and have it. I was probably 3 – 4 years old. It doesn’t take much to keep 3-4 year olds happy.
Very true … but cocoa and toast would definitely make me happy, too. 🙂
😀 🙂 😀
beautiful memory…and cocoa and toast are always awesome…but we sometimes had it before bed! Thanks for the memory!
Sounds like a yummy thing to have before bed! Thank you for your comment. 🙂
It sounds really yummy. Love what mothers do for their children especially treating them with delicious meals and sweet treats. 🙂
Thank you! It is one of my sweetest memories. 🙂
That was beautiful, it touched my heart. I could see your Mom making everything, I could smell the cocoa and imagine the butter melting on the toast. As “they” say it really is the simple things in life! Well done.
Thank you so much Deb!
I think somebody saw you back then and got the idea for the eventual name of Dunkin’ Donuts, PJ! Way to enjoy your toast and cocoa to the max!
Hey, I never thought of that but you’re right. That’s MY idea. LOL! I loved my hot cocoa and toast every morning when I was just a tow headed little brat.
Sounds much like paradise to me. I can remember my mother making me cocoa with full cream milk poured from bottle that the milkman left on the front step. Such great memories, ‘back in the good old days’.
Our milk was delivered to our side door steps as well. Yes, those were the good ol’ days.
After reading this post last night, I made myself a cup of hot chocolate. Not made the way your mum made it, but it was delicious and definately influenced by your post : )
I’m glad it was delicious. Hot cocoa just has something special about it…. thank you for telling me this.
I SO get that! Probably would have been my second choice for a food to write about. Glad to see I wasn’t the only one that dipped their toast in the cocoa. There was just something about the blend of melted butter and cocoa that it made it so yummy. I’d also forgotten about having to fix toast in the oven. How quickly we begin to take our everyday appliances for granted! LOL
Our everyday appliances, such as a toaster, doesn’t do toast justice. LOL! It tastes so much better from the bottom of the oven.
This is the real meaning of comfort food.
Thank you. 🙂
Oh that sounds really yummy 🙂
I have had it as an adult and it was much tastier when I was 3 years old.
Every child should experience that moment of happiness that they can look back to as an adult and remember how life simple pleasures were hot cocoa and toast 🙂
I agree! Hot cocoa and toast is a great way to think of childhood, being safe, warm and loved. If I need to be nurtured, I will treat myself to cocoa and toast. 🙂
Sounds so yummy and good right about now 😀
How funny, I thought the very same thing! 😀 😀
Yes, heaven is Cocoa and Toast. Thank you for reminding me. In love and light Cheryle
Thank you! 🙂
This brought back good, if somewhat vague, memories for me. Thank you! 🙂
You’re welcome! (Mmmm Cocoa and Toast)