Granula, named for its whole grains, first fortified the infirm in 1863. Rebranded and rediscovered, granola sagged heavy in the backpack a century later. Big Cereal reworked the recipe into pop culture poses, from marshmallow sticky to protein-bar buff. Now granola struts modern style, from hemp hearty to coffee crazed. Fanciful flavors, marred by the essential granola fallacy: that oats enjoy oil. The combo always sets my teeth on edge. I prefer a brown-sugar version browned in butter. Cynics call it crumbled cookies. I call it delicious.
