La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
Most of you I’m sure know today’s nursery rhyme reference. There’s no traditional Spanish version but there are modern translations. Therefore, many Spaniards know it.
Jack Sprat could eat no fat,
His wife could eat no lean.
And so between them both, you see,
They licked the platter clean.
In 1639, it was printed this way in John Clarke’s collection of sayings:
Jack will eat not fat, and Jull doth love no leane.
Yet betwixt them both they lick the dishes cleane.
San Geraldo is Jack Spratt, which I suppose makes me Jull. Or it might be the reverse, since he likes fat more than I do. We balance each other well. He hates olives. I’ll empty the bowl. I loathe beetroot. He loves it. Ditto baked beans. I loathe them! He generally hates nuts. I eat his (oh, behave).
And when it comes to toast, He likes his nearly burnt and I like mine warmed. That’s how we do it at home and that’s how we order it out. He has a tostada very, very, very, very toasted. I have mine “light.”
San Geraldo bought a treat for us at the supermarket (he really needs to stop doing so; I met with a nutritionist and should be cleaning up my act). He brought home a box of Nevaditos. They’re a Spanish sort-of shortbread, although softer and flakier than shortbread. A traditional Christmas sweet, nevadito means “little snow-covered one.” Traditionally, they’re heavily dusted with powdered sugar (icing sugar) to make them look snow-covered. Ours are bathed in chocolate, so not at all traditional. I like them. San Geraldo had an unsettled stomach after he ate three after dinner. He thinks he had an allergic reaction. I think he had too much to eat. I didn’t argue. The rest of the box was mine.
Nevadito can also mean “smoked cocaine” when it’s sprinkled onto a cigarette or joint. I’ll stick with the cookies.
Seguro que la mayoría de ustedes conoce la canción infantil de hoy. No existe una versión tradicional en español, pero sí traducciones modernas. Por eso, muchos españoles lo saben. A continuación se muestra una traducción directa de la versión en inglés contemporáneo:
Jack Sprat no podía comer grasa,
su esposa no podía comer nada magro.
Y así, entre ambos, verán,
devoraron el plato.
San Geraldo es Jack Spratt, lo que supongo que me convierte en la esposa, Jull. O podría ser al revés, ya que le gusta más la grasa que a mí. Nos equilibramos bien. Él odia las aceitunas. Yo vacio el tazón. Yo detesto la remolacha. A él le encanta. Lo mismo ocurre con los frijoles horneados. Generalmente él odia las nueces. Yo como las suyas (oh, compórtate).
Y en cuanto a las tostadas, a él le gustan casi quemadas y a mí las mías calentitas. Así las hacemos en casa y así las pedimos para llevar. Él pide una tostada muy, muy, muy tostada. Y el mío está ligeramente tostado.
San Geraldo nos compró algo dulce en el supermercado (de verdad que debería dejar de hacerlo; quedé con una nutricionista y debería ponerme las pilas). Trajo a casa una caja de Nevaditos. Son una especie de galleta de mantequilla española, aunque más blanda y hojaldrada que las galletas de mantequilla. Tradicionalmente, el dulce navideño, se espolvorean con abundante azúcar glas para que parezcan nevadas. Las nuestras están bañadas en chocolate, así que nada tradicionales. Me gustan. San Geraldo tenía malestar estomacal después de comer tres después de cenar. Cree que tuvo una reacción. Creo que comió demasiado. No discutí. El resto de la caja era mío.
Nevadito también puede significar “cocaína fumada” cuando se espolvorea sobre un cigarrillo o un porro. Me quedo con las galletas.
Están están apilados dos de profundidad.
I have an affinity for olives myself. I love them. All kinds. A friend of mine that I used to teach with, detests them. I would laugh when we were out and she’d try one. The face she made was so funny to me. It is amazing how humans have different tastes. I loathe beetroot too.
At our ages, it is hard to change a lifetime of nutrition habits. And I question at this age, why?
David Godfrey:
Well, you could be around for another 30 years. But I get your point. When SG’s grandfather was 86 years old, his lab results were excellent. Yet his doctor told him to stop eating bacon and eggs for breakfast every day. His grandfather laughed at the doctor. He died at the age of 89 from complications from disintegrating vertebrae in his back, not from bacon and eggs.
I’m like you…I like my toast slightly toasted. If I don’t eat a big breakfast or have time, I always at least has toast. Nothing comes between my morning coffee and toast.
Mistress Borghese:
At home I usually have yogurt, fruit, and cereal. Out, I love a tostada (LIGHTLY TOASTED) with Iberian ham, cheese (or not), olive oil, and tomato puree. Mmm mmm.
Sinful little goodies once in a while make life worth living. A couple of days ago, I made my whipped Christmas shortbread cookies. Butter, pure butter! And a glace cherry.
Debra:
Shortbread is one of my major loves. Come to think of it, I have a lot of major loves.
You and sg are a symphony of opposites. It’s fine as long as nobody tries to convert the other! Boud
Boud:
We early on decided to not try to change each other. Lots of compromises. He can make a mess but not in our public spaces. I can enter his office but I can’t straighten it up. It works.
Ohhh, I’m chuckling away, as is so often the case, reading you 🙂
Those Nevaditos look like a thing of beauty. Yumm.
Judy C:
The Nevaditos were kid. I think they’re better as intended with powdered sugar. But I prefer real shortbread. And SG makes the best.
Family story: When my grandparents were first married, my grandmother burned her husband’s toast. She of course apologized profusely but he, being the kind and loving newlywed husband that he was, insisted that it was fine- in fact, the way he liked it!
And ever after he got almost-burned toast for breakfast every day.
Communication is key!
I had never heard the term Nevadito used as related to cocaine. (Or anything else, actually.) I don’t think I ever knew anyone who smoked cocaine but I probably did. I, too, would stick with the cookies. They look delicious.
Ms. Moon, of course.
Ms. Moon:
I didn’t know what nevaditos were and when I looked the word up, the first thing that appeared was the cocaine. That was news to me. I had to delve deeper. So, your grandfather didn’t actually prefer burnt toast? SG truly loves it.
Oh, no. He did NOT like burnt toast. He was only saying that to be sweet to his bride. It took him years to finally admit that he really didn’t.
Mary Moon:
What a sweet (odd) story.
I’ve never cared for fat, just didn’t like the way it looked or the feeling of it in my mouth which outweighed any flavor. It wasn’t until I hit the 70s that I began to eat a little bit with meat but I still cut most of it off.
My husband likes his toast almost burnt, actually a little burnt, completely crisp throughout. I like my browned on the outside but still soft enough.
ellen abbott:
Oh, but fat comes in so many delicious ways. Like in baked goods! SG is happy with almost burnt toast. I just can’t.
I’m on the nearly burnt side of toast and, in fact, mostly like everything I eat on the near burnt side. You should see what horrors I do when cooking eggs and salmon.
Shirley:
I don’t like anything nearly burnt. So, no thanks, I don’t want to see your burnt eggs and salmon.
We’re quite fortunate in that regard – both of us like proper toast with some colour to it, same with tea, and we are both fans of dark chocolate, so I am sure those Nevaditos would go down a storm! Jx
Jon:
SG and I do agree on dark chocolate.
I think most couples have the ‘Sprats’ gene/condition. Makes things interesting, eh?
Jim:
Maybe that’s how couples survive.
Jack Sprat could eat no fat, his wife could eat no lean
And so betwixt the two of them, they licked the platter clean.
That was our version, and I’ll take SG’s toasty toast over yours. Those dessert thingies look totally decadent (and delicious).
Kelly:
The nevaditos were good, but I would be happier with simply shortbread.
They look tasty. I’d also probably get a tummy ache from eating too many of them.
Kirk:
Three was my limit… at one time.
This year Ritz crackers on sale for Xmas are dipped in Fudge. Anything to sell Ritz crackers. Obviously
chocolate was not good enough it had to be fudge.
larrymuffin:
Have you tried the fudge-dipped Ritz crackers? Sounds interesting. I’d be happy with fudge.
I am Jack’s brother Jake: I can eat no fat but I choose not to.
Urspo:
Another stanza.