In a word name, C.S Lewis.
I’ve always liked breakfast. I’m a breakfast person. In fact, I usually have two breakfasts every day (my dinner often consists of bread and milk or a bowl of cereal). If I had a list of favorite foods, half of it would come from the kitchen table in the morning (namely, waffles, marmalade toast, tea, strawberries, bagels, muffins, coffee, hot chocolate, scones with cream, etc.). Of course, yes, I like all the other meals. But I have a particular attachment to breakfast. Honestly, I can’t say why. It may be I’m just exceedingly hungry in the morning.
But perhaps that’s why I’m so fond of C.S Lewis. Anyone who has read him extensively must know the man had no great lack of appetite. I’ve read Screwtape and Narnia, and I have come to the unshakeable conclusion that C.S Lewis held a dear, dear, dear affection for food – and like me – breakfast. One has only to consider this quote:
“He that but looketh on a plate of ham and eggs to lust after it hath already committed breakfast in his heart.” – C.S Lewis
But there is more evidence than one, mere quote. The man is known for Narnia, isn’t he? In reading them again recently (which I haven’t done in years), I find the Chronicles as delightful as ever. I also noticed for the first time how wonderfully the man describes things. He had a wonderful gift of description, C.S Lewis. Whether it be a faun in the woods or the great and terrible Aslan, C.S Lewis conjures up such charming pictures that delighted me then and still do now. And imagine my surprise in reading his books again and finding how well and how often the man describes the table things!
“…and immediately, mixed with a sizzling sound, there came to Shasta a simply delightful smell. It was one he had never smelled in his life before, but I hope you have. It was in fact, the smell of bacon and eggs and mushrooms all frying in a pan…” – The Horse and His Boy, by C.S Lewis
“…Mrs. Beaver brought out of the oven a great and gloriously sticky marmalade roll, steaming hot, and at the same time moved the kettle onto the fire, so that when they had finished the marmalade roll the tea was made and ready to be poured out…”
It was the latter quote that influenced my preference of marmalade over jam. Ever since I as a nine-year-old read that lovely description, I’ve preferred marmalade to jam. A silly reason, yes. But the description was so delightful to my young self that I forever let alone Mom’s bottle of jam and kept to the one of marmalade. Now, fortunately, I honestly and truly do prefer the orange flavor. Now, I do truly enjoy marmalade toast. And I have C.S Lewis to thank for it.
Yet one might say my preference for marmalade was rather amusingly formed. And it was. But C.S Lewis, de facto, is a good writer. And naturally, he has influenced me in matters other than those of the table. But truly, of all these, it is in the matter of marmalade toast that I am most grateful to him. Being particularly fond of breakfast, naturally.
words + pictures 