PORRIDGE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXX, Issue 10217, 11 December 1893, Page 6

PORRIDGE.

{The Hospital.) I To a doctor and a oietefciciau, one of the ; most interesting facts ia the daily life of tha Scottish people-is the profound respect in which they hold oatmeal porridge. It chanced to the present writer, during a recent visit lo the “land o’cekt s,” to have daily set before him at breakfast a plats of porridge of very rare quality. Being an Englishman, and somewhat of an amateur at porridge-eating, ha had been content wilh a daily composition of very inferior j quality in. bis own southern heme. But | the appetite grows with what it feeds upon, | and there seemed to bo so reason why as j good porridge should not be made in London I ts in a Scottish village, with a rational i cook and good oatmeal. Accordingly, inquiries were instituted as to the proper quarter for securing a regular supply of the very best Scotch oatmeal. Tha shop of the villsge was declared to have au excellent pre-eminence for its meal. It was the respect with which tbe serious spinster in charge of the shop spoke of the cereal whiou first opened the eyes cf the visitor to the place occupied by oatmeal in the Scottish mind. Jt is clear that this particular grain still constitutes the favourite food of the average Scot. A visit paid to the kitchen to ask the cook for a practical lesson in tho art of porridge - boiling deepened the conviction that, nest to his PrcKbytarianic-m, oatmeal porridge is the chief pride of the Scotch msn’a life. After fifteen successive mornings cf perfect porridge, the Southron was convinced that tho Scot is not without justification for his canonisation of oatmeal. It is au appetising, satisfying, and staying food, , when made of good meal and perfectly cooked; and it has the advantage of being very economical. That it produces brain, bone, and muscle of the very finest quality, Scotland herself is an irrefragable proof. From tho point of view of brain, bone, and muscle, we would like to see porridge universally eaten in England. With this object wo now disclose the secret of producing one of the finest and moat wholesome of all our national dishes. The secret is twofold and very simple. First, get the beat o? meal; and, secondly, let the porridge-maker make the porridge of a judicious consistency, and, above all, stir and boil it thoroughly. We have been assured both by cooks and their miitresseu that there are no other “secrets” about porridge.-making than thtse two. In Scotland all classes love the “halesome parriteh.” Wo are convinced that, if all classes ia England would imitate the Scotch in this as they have begun to do in the royal game of golf, we should have batter appetites, better bones, and better brains. A Southron doffs ’ his hat to “ my Lord i Porridge.”