# Hot Gruel for the Winter's Chill? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 4, 2009, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gruel-for-the-winters-chill/479865 "2009-01-04T22:57:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gruel-for-the-winters-chill/479865/1 "2009-01-04T22:57:41Z")
I came home from a long hike today to a smell that I have not smelled in quite a long time. My wife made gruel for dinner tonight and I felt a certain kinship towards my colonial frontiersman grandfathers. There was rice, carrots, venison and peas it was really amazing. I digress a little - Does anyone else resort to seemingly ancient remedies for the winters chill? Rum, stew, porridge whatever - what’s your favorite cure for a winters chill? ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gruel-for-the-winters-chill/479865/2 "2009-01-04T23:06:33Z")
Chili is great for a winter’s day. Interesting that you call the venison concoction “gruel” - usually that’s just a plain dish of boiled grain ([Gruel - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gruel)). As in Oliver Twist or whatever. I doubt those orphans got anything as yummy-sounding as your dish! ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gruel-for-the-winters-chill/479865/3 "2009-01-04T23:13:35Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > Chili is great for a winter’s day. > > Interesting that you call the venison concoction “gruel” - usually that’s just a plain dish of boiled grain ([Gruel - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gruel)). As in Oliver Twist or whatever. I doubt those orphans got anything as yummy-sounding as your dish! I think she started it without the meat in it…just some rice. It wasn’t traditional gruel - but it very well could have started that way, so thats probably why she kept the name. I got the distinct impression she perseverated over the naming of the dish! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Alpine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpine/32/17813_2.png) [@Alpine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpine)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gruel-for-the-winters-chill/479865/4 "2009-01-04T23:17:24Z")
Definitely stew and chili of several kinds. Meat hits the spot. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gruel-for-the-winters-chill/479865/5 "2009-01-04T23:32:13Z")
> [@Alpine](#): > > Definitely stew and chili of several kinds. Meat hits the spot. I’ll be out in your neck of the woods [according to your location] with some friends next weekend - I hope there’s good snow! We’re bringing in some New England Stew to go along with some beef stew they are providing! It’s going to be a carniverous weekend I can already tell. But the skiing should level it off! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Alpine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpine/32/17813_2.png) [@Alpine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpine)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gruel-for-the-winters-chill/479865/6 "2009-01-04T23:47:34Z")
> [@Phlosphr](#): > > I’ll be out in your neck of the woods [according to your location] with some friends next weekend - I hope there’s good snow! We’re bringing in some New England Stew to go along with some beef stew they are providing! It’s going to be a carniverous weekend I can already tell. But the skiing should level it off! 🙂 We broke a record for snow in December! It’s epic. We got another 8 inches in the last day or so. It’ll probably still be dust over crust to some extent on the mountain since the last dose was light and fluffy. But I just checked and it looks like we’re due for another shot in a few days. PM me if you need any dining or activity recommendations and enjoy your stews! Mmmm, stew. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gruel-for-the-winters-chill/479865/7 "2009-01-05T00:03:57Z")
Korean soft tofu soup, which I had for lunch today. It’s served in a stone bowl which has been heated until it’s glowing hot, and the soup is actually boiling in its bowl when they bring it to you. In addition, it’s laced with red chili so it warms you two ways. ---
**Author:** ![Alpine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpine/32/17813_2.png) [@Alpine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpine)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gruel-for-the-winters-chill/479865/8 "2009-01-05T00:28:20Z")
> [@teela\_brown](#): > > Korean soft tofu soup, which I had for lunch today. It’s served in a stone bowl which has been heated until it’s glowing hot, and the soup is actually boiling in its bowl when they bring it to you. In addition, it’s laced with red chili so it warms you two ways. Wow! That sounds yummy. ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gruel-for-the-winters-chill/479865/9 "2009-01-05T07:42:28Z")
Hot Grape Nuts in a mug, with a little butter, honey, and brown sugar. But chili’s always good. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![criminey.jicket](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@criminey.jicket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/criminey.jicket)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gruel-for-the-winters-chill/479865/10 "2009-01-05T12:15:26Z")
Hearty soups. I just made Italian Wedding Soup–I rolled 70 tiny beef and pork meatballs, poached them in the chicken stock, loaded it up with 2 bunches of fresh chopped spinach and about a cup of dried pasta. That lasted 2 days. ---
**Author:** ![seodoa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@seodoa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seodoa)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gruel-for-the-winters-chill/479865/11 "2009-01-05T12:32:26Z")
Lots of different stews, soups, and nabes for me. My favorite ‘gruel’ is _umezousui_, which I make with rice, leftover chicken or fish stock, beaten egg, and pitted pickled plums. Really simple and satisfying. Oatmeal is another favorite for the cold winter mornings. For drinks I usually have lots of coffee, tea, cocoa, and shiruko (sweet adzuki bean soup). Coffee and tea during the day and cocoa and shiruko in the evening. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gruel-for-the-winters-chill/479865/12 "2009-01-05T14:34:22Z")
> [@criminey.jicket](#): > > Hearty soups. I just made Italian Wedding Soup–I rolled 70 tiny beef and pork meatballs, poached them in the chicken stock, loaded it up with 2 bunches of fresh chopped spinach and about a cup of dried pasta. > > That lasted 2 days. That sounds amazing! ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gruel-for-the-winters-chill/479865/13 "2009-01-05T15:16:36Z")
Chili that is mainly ground meat with spices, beans, tomatoes, celery, and some other stuff added. The ground meat is essential: It can be beef, deer, antelope, or some mix thereof, but it has to be the dominant ingredient by weight and volume. _That_ is cold-weather food. ---
**Author:** ![Vihaga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Vihaga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vihaga)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gruel-for-the-winters-chill/479865/14 "2009-01-05T15:29:49Z")
I was flipping through a Mr Boston’s book at my parents and decided to make hot buttered rum. Holy Crap that stuff is good, and I’m not even a rum fan! I had it again a few nights ago when we got back from a walk. It’s incredibly warming, but also incredibly soporific, so use with caution. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gruel-for-the-winters-chill/479865/15 "2009-01-05T16:21:14Z")
_::flutters hand and whispers hoarsely::_ Brandy!! ---
**Author:** ![unefemmeseule](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3ab097/32.png) [@unefemmeseule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unefemmeseule)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-gruel-for-the-winters-chill/479865/16 "2009-01-05T16:29:27Z")
I’d have to agree with the drink, my version of a hot toddy (which I know is not the historically correct version) is a cup of tea with rum or brandy & honey. Of course, about the only time I’ll actually remember to drink it is when I’m sick, and then I’ll add some lemon for the vitamin C. Knocks me out for the night & when I wake up, I’m clear as a bell. If I have chest congestion too, I’ll make a nettle tea. Of course since I’ve taken this particular spin, and it is cold season also, I’ll tell you another fantastic cold remedy, that sounds kind of nasty. Chopped garlic in honey. One spoonful & the cold germs run away screaming in terror. Just doesn’t work for vampires. And I apologize for the jump off topic.