more ovaltine, please

More Ovaltine, Please...

The other night a friend said the word, "Ovaltine" and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. I should probably just buy some so that I can get rid of this nagging craving. For some reason I am always surprised when people know about Ovaltine. In my head, it's something top secret. I feel like it's something that only I had when I grew up...a special treat that was passed down from generation to generation. It is sacred, associated with a happy childhood.

But that's not the case. Ovaltine is actually distributed nationwide and many, many people have tasted of its goodness. Just so you know.

The nice thing about it, though, is that it does remind me of my childhood...mostly my Mom. She was, after all, the one who first introduced it to me. She would tell me stories of how she and her Father would sometimes have Ovaltine together as a "night cap" and naturally, I would look forward to those times when I got to do the same...with both her and my Grandfather.

I also remember, very distinctly the night that I had my first Ovaltine malt. I remember the texture. It was perfect. Not too thick, not too thin. I drank it with a bendy straw. The taste was a perfect blend of Ovaltine and extra malt. One didn't overpower the other. I thought that my Mother had created a masterpiece, something that the world, once they found out about it, would clamor to have. In the end, she didn't go public with the recipe but it was probably for the best. Our apartment was too small to accommodate long lines of raging fans.

Other times, I remember sneaking into the kitchen, (after I had brushed my teeth, of course) grabbing a spoon, walking over to the can of Ovaltine and taking out a heaping spoonful (because that's what the directions said to do), making sure that I scooped out the largest little nuggets of heaven because they popped just right in my mouth. I would hold the spoon steady and let my tongue press against the tip of the Ovaltine heap so that the top of my tongue would be covered. I would let that dissolve and then do it again and again until my spoonful was gone. Sometimes I would go back for more. Other times, it was too risky. But every time I was satisfied. Had I known that Ovaltine was "rich in essential vitamins and minerals", I might not have felt so guilty. It would have been more like I was doing my Mom a favor...

This craving, I'm sure will pass. It will go as quickly as it came. But I sure am glad that those nostalgic memories are here to stay.