“When the girl returned, some hours later, she carried a tray, with a cup of fragrant tea steaming on it; and a plate piled up with very hot buttered toast, cut thick, very brown on both sides, with the butter running through the holes in great golden drops, like honey from the honeycomb. The smell of that buttered toast simply talked to Toad, and with no uncertain voice; talked of warm kitchens, of breakfasts on bright frosty mornings, of cosy parlour firesides on winter evenings, when one’s ramble was over and slippered feet were propped on the fender, of the purring of contented cats, and the twitter of sleepy canaries.”
― Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows
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We had a comfy morn today. MTM’s birthday at Buffalo River Farm in Summertown, TN. I’m grateful for this little respite before I head to New Orleans. 🙂
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It sounds wonderful, Andra; for both MTM and for you, too. I hope his birthday was happy.
Good luck in New Orleans. I sure do wish I could be there. 🙂
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Toast is wonderful at teatime, Penny, and so are hot buttered crumpets. Mmmm… 🙂
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Mmmmmm, indeed! I have never had crumpets, except in my imagination from reading. I need to remedy that soon, Perpetua.
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Comfort reading to accompany comfort food with…”the purring of contented cats.” Just can’t be better than this combination. As many times as I have read Wind in the Willows, I do not recall this excerpt. Now I can look for it and make it a favorite passage.
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Ah, you have the final component, Marilyn; the contented cats. 🙂 Right now, I have a quiet canary. (Not really a canary, but, a cockatiel. Good old literary license.) . This passage is from when Toad is in “gaol”. I think the chapter is “Toad’s Adventure”. The “Wind and the Willows” has so many good lines, doesn’t it?
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You had me drooling Penny, with this deliciousness. It love the butter running through the holes, ‘like honey from the honeycomb’. Like Marilyn, I don’t recall this passage either. Thank you for this tasty beginning to my day.
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Isn’t it the most delicious quote, Juliet? As I mentioned to Marilyn, it is when Toad is in gaol. This morning was the perfect morning for posting it.
You are most welcome. I hope your day is delightful, Juliet.
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Poor Toad, dreaming of home while he is in jail or should I say gaol? The toast makes my mouth water. Whoever coined the phrase comfort food came up with just the perfect description for warm food that makes you think of home.
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Isn’t it the best of phrases, Janet? I agree. Though it is warmer today, winter is the perfect season for comfort food. We had chicken soup the other night and I’m in the mood for a good, hearty beef barely, but, it was English muffins this morning and a bit of time with Toad.
Hope you are doing much, much better, dear friend.
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I loved that book! To be read to or to read out loud to others. And now I want breakfast for supper.
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Breakfast is the “bestest” of meals for supper! We do it often. 🙂 Whatever you are having, Sallie, enjoy it – and maybe a bit of “Wind in the Willows” soon.
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And all was well in the best of all possible worlds.
What a lovely picture.
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I know, Friko; if only all could be in such contentment (and Toad is in gaol at the time). I’ve a habit of slipping into children’s literature when fantasy fills a need now and then.
Thank you.
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I sent a large, beautifully illustrated version of The Wind in The Willows to my great-granddaughter for Christmas, Penny. I must confess, however, that when I received it from Amazon, I momentarily contemplated keeping it for myself. 🙂
The thought of warm butter and English muffins…. Mmmm Mmmm!
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Ah; I have just those sort of momentary contemplations myself, Karen. It sounds like a gorgeous edition.
Isn’t it a toasty thought? I may have to make more. 🙂
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I am hungry, having a muffin dripping with butter would be so good, I might add some honey. I will have to read the book again, it’s been a long time!
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it would be even better with honey, Gerlinde. Amazing how something so homey and simple can be so comforting – and told through the words of Toad, no less. I do hope these words gave you a small measure of comfort right now.
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The little bits & pieces I’ve read from “The Wind in the Willows” have been cozy, just like this. I can smell that English muffin through the computer screen! Delicious!
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One of the joys of “The Wind in the Willows” is just that, Janet; you can read bits and pieces and find much enjoyment in them. Of course, reading the whole book is fun, too. 🙂 I was missing the WordPress snow. Nice to know that it now has smellovision. tee hee Thanks, Janet – and hope you have a buttery, toasty English muffin soon.
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