# Is Porridge a Desirable Thing to Eat? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 31, 2011, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-porridge-a-desirable-thing-to-eat/607952 "2011-12-31T15:41:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2012, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-porridge-a-desirable-thing-to-eat/607952/21 "2012-01-01T05:52:57Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > (bolding mine) > > Who eats _raw_ oatmeal? My point being; when is oatmeal referred to as “oatmeal”? I’ll often have fruit, yoghurt and raw rolled oats for breakfast in summer - which is in effect raw oatmeal. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2012, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-porridge-a-desirable-thing-to-eat/607952/22 "2012-01-01T06:05:36Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > (bolding mine) > > Who eats _raw_ oatmeal? My point being; when is oatmeal referred to as “oatmeal”? I use oatmeal in cooking- cookies, binder for meatloaf etc. while it gets cooked, it’s not porridge. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2012, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-porridge-a-desirable-thing-to-eat/607952/23 "2012-01-01T06:59:06Z")
Who eats raw oatmeal? My point being; when is oatmeal referred to as “oatmeal”? > [@\*\*Girl From Mars\*\*](#): > > I’ll often have fruit, yoghurt and raw rolled oats for breakfast in summer - which is in effect raw oatmeal. Ok, who eats raw oatmeal that’s _not_ from Mars? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2012, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-porridge-a-desirable-thing-to-eat/607952/24 "2012-01-01T07:27:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Having never eaten (or even seen) a bowl of porridge, I have to ask: does it taste good? Only if it’s JUST RIGHT… ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2012, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-porridge-a-desirable-thing-to-eat/607952/25 "2012-01-01T07:27:01Z")
If it’s not too hot or too cold, then yes, it’s desirable. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2012, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-porridge-a-desirable-thing-to-eat/607952/26 "2012-01-01T13:44:49Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Who eats raw oatmeal? My point being; when is oatmeal referred to as “oatmeal”? I’m looking at a recipe for cookies right now that calls for 4 cups oatmeal, uncooked. Another, for meatloaf, calls for 1/2 cup old fashioned oatmeal, uncooked. You don’t eat raw, unless you want to I guess, but it’s still called oatmeal, so distinguishing cooked from uncooked makes sense. Or am I totally missing what your on about? ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2012, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-porridge-a-desirable-thing-to-eat/607952/27 "2012-01-01T13:54:26Z")
Muesli is a breakfast cereal made with uncooked rolled oats along with fruits, berries and milk. > **[Muesli](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muesli)** > > Muesli (/ˈmjuːzli/ MEWZ-lee) is a cold Swiss breakfast dish, the primary ingredient of which is rolled oats. Most often, it is set to soak overnight and eaten the next morning. Additional ingredients, such as grains, nuts, seeds, and fresh or dried fruits, are added, along with milk or cream, a squeeze of citrus juice, and honey to add sweetness. Yoghurt or other mammal or plant milk products are now commonly added to both homemade and commercially packaged muesli recipes. > Developed around 1900 ... I used to love Alpen brand muesli, great stuff! It doesn’t seem common here in the U.S. though. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2012, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-porridge-a-desirable-thing-to-eat/607952/28 "2012-01-01T14:04:00Z")
> [@chiroptera](#): > > Muesli is a breakfast cereal made with uncooked rolled oats along with fruits, berries and milk. > > [Muesli - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muesli) > > I used to love Alpen brand muesli, great stuff! It doesn’t seem common here in the U.S. though. Yes, great stuff. I get Alpen brand here in CT. ---
**Author:** ![nikonikosuru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f8ce5/32.png) [@nikonikosuru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nikonikosuru)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2012, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-porridge-a-desirable-thing-to-eat/607952/29 "2012-01-02T03:23:06Z")
As boring and bland it may sound to me now, and considering how infrequently I eat it, I always do enjoy a good bowl of oatmeal. Always sweet, but I’ll have to try it savory sometime. I love to add chopped, fresh strawberries with sugar and some milk (or strawberries, splenda, and a dash of vanilla extract when I’m trying to be a bit healthier.) It sounds so…blah to me right now, but oatmeal and museli were two things that I desperately missed about home and craved like crazy during my year in Japan and I paid the arm and a leg just to get the good stuff. I might just have a bowl tomorrow with dried fruit and cinnamon, now. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2012, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-porridge-a-desirable-thing-to-eat/607952/30 "2012-01-02T05:10:17Z")
> [@Girl\_From\_Mars](#): > > I’ll often have fruit, yoghurt and raw rolled oats for breakfast in summer - which is in effect raw oatmeal. Me, too. I often put oatmeal in my yogurt, or even eat oatmeal with cold milk, not bothering to heat it up. When I cook oatmeal, I tend to eat it savory, with an egg, hot peppers, that sort of thing. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2012, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-porridge-a-desirable-thing-to-eat/607952/31 "2012-01-02T18:09:49Z")
There is no kind of porridge I’ve encountered yet that I wouldn’t like to eat: oats, barley, frumenty, farina, buckwheat, congee, maizemeal, peas, sorghum… ---
**Author:** ![expectopatronum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/expectopatronum/32/173_2.png) [@expectopatronum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/expectopatronum)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2012, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-porridge-a-desirable-thing-to-eat/607952/32 "2012-01-02T21:25:47Z")
> [@JThunder](#): > > If it’s not too hot or too cold, then yes, it’s desirable. i lol’ed. ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2012, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-porridge-a-desirable-thing-to-eat/607952/33 "2012-01-02T23:18:48Z")
I’m a big porridge fan. Ate various hot cereals daily for a while. I currently love Bob’s 7-grain (or 11-grain or however-many-grain it is). It’s one of few things that really “tastes like health food” that I still really like. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2012, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-porridge-a-desirable-thing-to-eat/607952/34 "2012-01-02T23:33:34Z")
For savory porridge I go for trite with butter, salt, a lot of black pepper and a sunny side up egg. The egg.yolk being the porridge finishing stroke. Mmmmm. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-porridge-a-desirable-thing-to-eat/607952/35 "2012-01-03T00:21:15Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > For savory porridge I go for trite with butter, salt, a lot of black pepper and a sunny side up egg. The egg.yolk being the porridge finishing stroke. Mmmmm. What’s “trite”? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-porridge-a-desirable-thing-to-eat/607952/36 "2012-01-03T00:31:52Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > What’s “trite”? I’m guessing she missed a couple of keystrokes and meant to type grits. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-porridge-a-desirable-thing-to-eat/607952/37 "2012-01-03T00:48:27Z")
Grits are a delivery system for everything you put on them, nothing else. The proper serving method is to hit them with more butter than is legal, crumbled bacon, Crystal sauce, enough cheese to choke a moose, salt, pepper and whatever else strikes your fancy. Proper grits should make Paula Deen go “Shit, boy! Think you used enough butter there?” in a _very_ sarcastic tone. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-porridge-a-desirable-thing-to-eat/607952/38 "2012-01-03T00:52:55Z")
I like grits, cream of wheat, and oatmeal. I eat the first savory (buttery and cheesy), and the others are eaten sweet, with milk. I’ve also had congee, rice porridge. It’s not as good as the others, but anything is servicable with enough butter, salt, and pepper. Goldilocks and the Three Bears was always my favorite fairy tale growing up because of all that talk about porridge. Lately, I’ve been realizing my tastes tend towards the bland and boring. Oh well. That just means more hot cereals for me. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-porridge-a-desirable-thing-to-eat/607952/39 "2012-01-03T01:11:47Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I’m guessing she missed a couple of keystrokes and meant to type grits. Getting the hang of my Christmas Kindle Fire. Anemone is correct. I meant grotesque. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-porridge-a-desirable-thing-to-eat/607952/40 "2012-01-03T01:17:11Z")
Stupid auto-correct. Why does it hate the word “grits”? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-porridge-a-desirable-thing-to-eat/607952.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-porridge-a-desirable-thing-to-eat/607952.md?page=3)