This being my first blog post, I wanted to tell you about the history of porridge. When I speak of porridge I'm referring to oats porridge. For millions, yes, millions of years ago, humans began eating oats. Why? Evidence of oats porridge eating dates back to the paleolithic/stone age in southern Europe and far reaching western Europe better known as the United Kingdon but specifically Scotland. There is also evidence that oats were eaten in China in the far east as far back as 7,000 years ago and in Greece. Oats are a very versatile food and one of the reasons is that it can be successfully grown in soil that is unsuitable for many other crops. Oats are a hardy crop and can be grown without pesticides, and in seemingly poor soil where little else will grow. This makes for a highly environmentally friendly food that is packed with nutrients such minerals and vitamins, protein, carbohydrates and fibre. It's pretty much a complete food and only lacking in vitamin C.
Add fruit and yogurt, cream or milk and you have a complete meal!
Still other countries like Germany and Switzerland tend prefer a kind of cold porridge in that the oat flakes are soaked overnight and then eaten without actually being cooked. Typically, when the Scots, Irish, Greeks, Italians and Chinese cooked their oats it was stirred to a creamy consistency. Most families even left the porridge in the pot on the fire or stove all day so when anyone was hungry, or came in from the fields, they could help themselves to a nourishing and warm, hardy meal. This, all going back more than 300 years ago!
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