#english porridge

Literary Recipes—Miss Mary’s Porridge

A table in the center was set with a good substantial breakfast, but Mary had always had a very small appetite, and she looked with something more than indifference at the first plate Martha set before her.

“I don’t want it,” she said.

“Tha’ doesn’t want thy porridge?” Martha exclaimed incredulously. “Tha’ doesn’t know how good it is. Put a bit o’ treacle on it or a bit o’ sugar.”

“I don’t want it,” repeated Mary.

“Eh!” said Martha. “I can’t abide to see good victuals go to waste. If our children was at this table they’d clean it bare in five minutes.”
—The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett.


Porridge, which is made of boiled oats, was considered an extremely healthy breakfast, and children of all classes ate it regularly for breakfast. Eaten hot or cold, it was nourishing, filling, and inexpensive to make. Wealthy children often ate porridge with sugar and cream, while poorer children ate it with skimmed milk and treacle (English molasses) or salt.


Ingredients—

• 1 cup water
• ¾ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• pinch of salt
• 2 tbsp. currants or raisins (optional)
• pinch of cinnamon (optional)
• pinch of nutmeg (optional)


Directions—

• Pour the water into a small saucepan and bring it to a rapid boil.
• Stir in the oats, salt, and if you are using them, currants or raisins, and cinnamon and nutmeg.
• Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
• Serve hot in bowls, topped with brown sugar and milk to taste.