The glory of porridge (merged)

Smiley_Mum

Zziggi wrote:

I buy cheap oats too and usually do 1/2 water 1/2 milk, warm it up in the pan slowly until it thickens. My problem is that it is thick and lumpy no matter how slowly i warm it up. Any suggestions please? What proportions liquid to oats should i be using? Family refuse to east my lumpy porridge - forced me to buy ready brek this week at the supermarket :eek: I'd much rather make decent HM porridge.

Thanks

There is a recipe on this link for porridge.

http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/usrecipes/porridge/

Gingham_Ribbon

You can add more water or milk at any time when you're cooking, if you feel it's too thick. In fact, I tend to start with less than I need and add as I'm going on. Heat it slowly, too. This should avoid lumps.

competitionscafe

Heat it slowly and keep stirring until it thickens or start off with the milk/ water / milk and water first, heat that and then add the oats when the liquid is hot. Once it starts simmering and thickens you don't need to stir constantly, but keep the heat very low so it just sort of gives off the occassional 'plop' and stir from time to time.

Another recipe for perfect porridge:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A313291

Curry_Queen

arkonite_babe wrote:

I've heard of cranachan but I've never tried it. Might have a go this weekend!!

Ohhhh you must! It's lovely and is a favourite on Burns Night

I've not made it for years now but I used to do the whole Scot's supper complete with haggis etc for Burns Night (my ex is a Scot) and it was simply fantastic!

Curry_Queen

Maisie wrote:

JackieO I was born just before war started and my brother was born the day war was declared 3 Sept '39. My dear old mum made porridge like that but we had sugar on ours not salt. I remember when there was not even porridge for breakfast and we had bread and milk. Lumps of bread in bowl with hot milk and sugar. Loved it too.

We were very poor my dad died age 36 and mum was left with two kids age 6 and 4. No benefits then and she worked hard to keep us. We didn't have a bathroom so it was a tin tub in front of the fire (a black leaded fire surround that gleamed). Baths were twice a week and a washdown every night and morning.

Mum never had a washer etc. in fact the house had gas lighting and no electricity. There was one tap in the whole house and cold water! Had to heat water in pans on the stove.
They got bombed out too and lost everything. Was always upset about losing her wedding photos.

I remember going in the air raid shelters in the street and 3 kids sleeping in one bunk. There was a shop on the way to school and sometimes we could get a pat of peanut butter in paper as no sweets.

As you say we had no debt and went without if there was no money. We didn't feel deprived as everyone around was in same circumstances.
Mum always found enough for us to eat but I know she went without herself.
Mums put up with a lot in those days. When we asked what was for dinner she would say 'Air pie and love pudding ' but there was always a good meal.

We were in London during the war and lived through the bad times.

I know this is completely out of the thread so perhaps we should start a WW2 reminiscence thread.

Oh Maisie, reading this has brought tears to my eyes

Over the last couple of months I've been reading Helen Forrester's biography of her life in the 30's Depression in Liverpool and so much of what you've said rings true with her account of life as it was back then, albeit much worse in her case! It's been a real eye-opener!

My grandparents would have been children during WW2 so they must have experienced similar things too but they never talked about any of it, not to me anyway, so I didn't have a clue, apart from the basics we were taught in school, about what life was really like back then. I feel kind of ashamed that I never appreciated how much of a struggle life was for your generation, and not really that long ago either, and I'm not exactly a youngster myself! (not far from 40 :eek: ) and people think they have it hard today!!!

Smiley_Mum

C_Q, Maisie's story brought tears to my eyes too. I never know my grandfather, died when my dad was young but he often mentions about him and how things were when he was a kid. It was nice to hear Maisie's story.

Re the making of porridge.

I gradually add the milk stirring continuously to get any lumps out, just keep stirring it and don't cook it too long or you'll get a burnt skin on the bottom and it'll taint the porridge. I usually put some single cream on it and a splash of milk.

BTW, CQ my birthday is on Rabbie Burns and I love haggis, neeps and tatties. I have to admit though, I've never had Crannachan. I'll have to give the recipe that was previously posted a try. I have one in my Readers Digest cookery book too.

competitionscafe

Cranachan yum, one of my all time favourite puds. Shirley Spear from the Three Chimneys (great restaurant on Isle of Skye) also has a recipe on the page below (although it's basically the same as the one already posted), more of a summer pudding though when you can get fresh Scottish raspberries.

However you must try her hot marmalade pudding with drambuie custard, great comfort food! (recipe on same page, scroll down):
http://www.threechimneys.co.uk/recipes.html

Sarahsaver

I do mine in the microwave, made with water, can't stand milk. Golden syrup and a banana added to it - blissful;)
I also add oats to a crumble whan I make it especially if theres a lot of juice needs soaking up from the fruit.

Smiley_Mum

competitionscafe wrote:

Cranachan yum, one of my all time favourite puds. Shirley Spear from the Three Chimneys (great restaurant on Isle of Skye) also has a recipe on the page below (although it's basically the same as the one already posted), more of a summer pudding though when you can get fresh Scottish raspberries.

However you must try her hot marmalade pudding with drambuie custard, great comfort food! (recipe on same page, scroll down):
http://www.threechimneys.co.uk/recipes.html

With all these great recipes that are being posted on here, and the mention of the Hotel Chocolat chocolates on the Christmas thread, boy I'm going to be like the side of a house by the New Year.

arkonite_babe

Had my yummy organic porrige this morning! All the rest of my familty were going "yuck" but it was lovely!!