An ode to porridge

Hi readers,

I hope you’re well lately and enjoying a fab end to summer J One thing and another, I haven’t written much over the past few weeks – fear not, I’ve been off having fun. There’s been a wedding, a hen do, and even a trip to Greece! I’ll be back at it soon, sharing recipes with you fantastic people. Thank you for reading.

In the meanwhile, here’s a sort of poetic ode to porridge which I wrote in the early hours while I couldn’t sleep last night, followed by some suggestions for tasty porridge toppings. For all you porridge lovers out there – enjoy!

Take care lovely humans,

H x

---

An ode to porridge 

Porridge is humble food

Warm

Comforting

Oaty

Stodge for your podge

It’s filling

Plain, simple food

Feed all the family from one big pot

Eating porridge together

Tiredly, quietly, not yet fully awake.

Porridge is winter food

Just what you need

When the cold outside fogs up the windows

When ice is creeping up the glass

And you wake with cold toes

Stick a leg out, no

Prised away, finally, from the comfort of bed.

Porridge is eaten in the dark, with morning yet to come

Looking out into the night 

From the safe light of home

Sheltered from the storm 

Thoughts of the day ahead

Thoughts of the next meal, already

Remembering your dreams and sharing them with others

Sharing your porridge, too.

Porridge can be eaten under a woolly blanket

In your cosy PJs

With big socks on

Maybe in your favourite bowl, with a big spoon

In bed, with your big spoon beside you

Toasty together under a thick quilt

Eating porridge, not toast.

Porridge tastes pretty good when it’s snowing outside

And things are warm in your belly

With a ready brek glow

Hats, gloves, scarves on the radiator

Still damp from snowball warfare

With more yet to come

A snowman’s waving from outside the window

He’s enjoying the snow

You’re enjoying your porridge.

Or, is porridge taste eaten beside the Christmas tree?

Shaken (with cinnamon), and stirred

That’s a cosy scene, now

Curled up on the settee

Nursing a hot bowl, with sleeves over hands

Decked in a festive onesie

Porridge and an eggnog, porridge and a cuppa tea 

Whatever your bev, suits me.

Porridge paired with an Advent calendar

Open today’s door

Have you tried this yet?

Melting your treat 

... not on your tongue

But on your porridge

Yes, stirred thought your oats

Chocolatey goodness

As Jesus would have wanted.

Porridge makes me think, often

Not of the nativity

But of bears

Now I wonder why

Bears like honey, we know

Pooh Bear’s favourite food

And I like porridge with honey

But, would bears like porridge?

Goldilocks and her three bears

How did the story go?

Did they eat her in the end?

Or, did they all eat porridge together?

I hope that was it.

Porridge in pop culture

The workhouse comes to mind

Gruel, I’m thinking of 

Along with Oliver Twist

Please sir...

Windmills under blue skies

With beardy quakers milling oats

In stop motion 

I think of Scotland, on a blowy day

Barren moors, ginger folk

Donning jumpers and tartan kilts 

Blustery clouds fill the sky, they’re heavy and iron grey

Cold stones flag the cottage floor

And by a cauldron over an open fire

The Scots stir their porridge.

Porridge

Gets me through winter

One hot bowl of oats

To the next

Find me nodding in the kitchen

Until the microwave pings

Fill my boots with breakfast

And then the day begins.

---

ChefBeHere recommended porridge toppings

Honey & raisin – classic flavours & speedy to prepare if you’re in a rush

Cinammon & banana – personal favourite, this porridge tastes like banana bread!

Peanut butter & jam – a treat porridge best enjoyed with a big day ahead

Nutella – stir a tablespoon through, that’s all you need, and sprinkle with nuts

Dates & coconut – sweet, dry, exotic, a porridge inspired by faraway places

Prunes & vanilla – give your belly a call to action with a healthy dose of prunes

Apricot, maple syrup & seeds – feed healthy with a seedy start to the day

That’s all for now – I hope these ideas shake up your regular bowl of porridge!

Heat safely,

Hayley