# So about Porridge **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 5, 2017, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-about-porridge/783814 "2017-04-05T15:09:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2017, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-about-porridge/783814/21 "2017-04-05T18:52:00Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > What have we done to you, that you should wish such horror upon us? Hey man, the HIGHLIGHT of my trip to Scranton this Saturday will be to stop by Chickie’s Diner and have an omlette with a side of Scrapple. Ahhh…Scrapple- comprised of meat products not high enough quality to be used in a hot dog. 😃 Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2017, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-about-porridge/783814/22 "2017-04-05T18:54:23Z")
When I went to China, I was introduced to congee, which is a kind of rice porridge. You basically just cook the rice with way more liquid than you’d use for making rice, and cook for a long time so that the rice releases a lot of starch and you end up with this thick liquidy stuff. Congee by itself is basically a blank slate; you can dress it up a thousand different ways. Chicken congee was the most common I saw. Make it with chicken stock instead of water, add some shredded chicken, and hey presto, chicken congee. I had shrimp congee, too. At least, I hope it was shrimp. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2017, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-about-porridge/783814/23 "2017-04-05T21:41:31Z")
> [@glee](#): > > Here in England, I like porridge with milk and a little sugar. > > In Scotland it’s popular to have it with salt. :eek: Yes, everyone knows true Scotsmen never put sugar on their porridge. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2017, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-about-porridge/783814/24 "2017-04-05T21:55:20Z")
> [@glennwith2ns](#): > > I think the only time I’ve seen or heard about porridge was in Goldilocks and the Three Bears. As far as I know I’ve never eaten it or been anywhere or been with anybody who has served it. I looked in our local supermarket and they don’t carry it. > > It seems like it is popular across the pond in England, Now I live in southeast PA and I’m wondering,is porridge a regional thing in the states? Or maybe I should get out more? > > thanks Have you ever had oatmeal, cream of wheat, Wheatena, farina, grits, Maypo, kasha, cornmeal mush, polenta, semolina pudding, or congee? They’re all types of porridge. Oops, I guess I was way late. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2017, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-about-porridge/783814/25 "2017-04-05T21:55:31Z")
Porridge topped with a mix of ground, roasted sesame-seeds and salt (gomasio) with a swirl of butter is just wonderful fare. On a recent trip to SE Asia I had a black-rice porridge with roasted coconut and fresh fruit, and that was damned near the best thing I’d ever tasted. Going back in four weeks and that will be my first stop after getting off the plane. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2017, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-about-porridge/783814/26 "2017-04-05T21:56:32Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > Yes, everyone knows true Scotsmen never put sugar on their porridge. Nor do I, as I like my oatmeal savory. I make steel cut oatmeal seasoned with thyme and a bit of salt. When it’s done, I crumble up a piece of bacon and mix it in and top it with a fried egg. Beats all that sweetened yuck hands down. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2017, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-about-porridge/783814/27 "2017-04-05T21:59:43Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Nor do I, as I like my oatmeal savory. I make steel cut oatmeal seasoned with thyme and a bit of salt. When it’s done, I crumble up a piece of bacon and mix it in and top it with a fried egg. Beats all that sweetened yuck hands down. I prefer to put dried cranberries in my oats while it cooks. Or chunks of apple, some sugar, and some cinnamon. Quick oats don’t get fruit. I use them to make gruel, and give them a squirt of sugar-free imitation maple syrup. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2017, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-about-porridge/783814/28 "2017-04-05T23:59:43Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I prefer to put dried cranberries in my oats while it cooks. Or chunks of apple, some sugar, and some cinnamon. > > Quick oats don’t get fruit. I use them to make gruel, and give them a squirt of sugar-free imitation maple syrup. I used to like the brown sugar and cinnamon route, but finally realized that it was hiding the nutty flavor of the oatmeal, which I like. If I want sugary, I make pancakes or waffles instead. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2017, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-about-porridge/783814/29 "2017-04-06T00:22:09Z")
Interestingly, I eat my oat porridge sweet, but my corn porridge savory. But my fav may have been the rice porridge that my sons got when they were being weaned: made with just a little apple juice stirred in with the water, the rice cereal was awesome. MrsEsq. (now ex-MrsEsq.) used to have to hit me when I ate too much of it myself. 😃 The closest I’ve come to wheat porridge is what happens when you leave Wheaties in the bowl with the milk too long. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Trancephalic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trancephalic/32/380_2.png) [@Trancephalic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trancephalic)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2017, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-about-porridge/783814/30 "2017-04-06T00:31:53Z")
This thread is reminding me of that old [CoCo Wheats commercial](https://youtu.be/EADtOBVqG2g) I used to see all the time. I think I had it once and was disappointed. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2017, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-about-porridge/783814/31 "2017-04-06T04:03:25Z")
Do I really want to know what scrapple is? And porridge is made from oats. All these other things being discussed are nae porridge. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2017, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-about-porridge/783814/32 "2017-04-06T04:18:32Z")
I’ve had steel cut oats with butter and salt and they were remarkably good, similar to rice with butter and salt. But only once, I can’t seem to get past the thinking ‘gotta put sugar and milk on oatmeal’. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2017, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-about-porridge/783814/33 "2017-04-06T05:17:50Z")
Porridge, Oatmeal, Cream of Wheat, Maypo. it’s all mush to me. ---
**Author:** ![Hocus\_Pocus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/41988e/32.png) [@Hocus\_Pocus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hocus_Pocus)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2017, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-about-porridge/783814/34 "2017-04-06T05:54:34Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I prefer to put dried cranberries in my oats while it cooks. Or chunks of apple, some sugar, and some cinnamon. > > Quick oats don’t get fruit. I use them to make gruel, and give them a squirt of sugar-free imitation maple syrup. What brand of s/f syrup? I have yet to find a s/f maple syrup that I like. ---
**Author:** ![Evan\_Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@Evan\_Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evan_Drake)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2017, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-about-porridge/783814/35 "2017-04-06T07:43:35Z")
Some misfortunate wights in Britain stir in Golden Syrup. I adore both oats and Golden Syrup but never should the twain meet.\*\* East, West, Salt is Best.\*\* ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2017, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-about-porridge/783814/36 "2017-04-06T07:47:00Z")
> [@Evan\_Drake](#): > > Some misfortunate wights in Britain stir in Golden Syrup. > I adore both oats and Golden Syrup but never should the twain meet.\*\* East, West, Salt is Best.\*\* What is Golden Syrup? Is it like corn syrup with caramel coloring? ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2017, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-about-porridge/783814/37 "2017-04-06T07:59:27Z")
What’s with the “steel cut” thang? Does this impart some selection of vitamins and minerals to the product? Is there a holy war between the disciples of “steel cut” vs. the acolytes of “stone ground”? Does “stone ground” impart a different selection of vitamins and minerals? What is the right oat to eat? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2017, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-about-porridge/783814/38 "2017-04-06T08:18:59Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > What’s with the “steel cut” thang? Does this impart some selection of vitamins and minerals to the product? > > Is there a holy war between the disciples of “steel cut” vs. the acolytes of “stone ground”? Does “stone ground” impart a different selection of vitamins and minerals? What is the right oat to eat? The general distinction is between steel cut and rolled oats. The difference is in the texture and flavor, not in the vitamins. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2017, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-about-porridge/783814/39 "2017-04-06T08:24:11Z")
Here have [an annoying commercial](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTcA-e6bqVY). ---
**Author:** ![Evan\_Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@Evan\_Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evan_Drake)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2017, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-about-porridge/783814/40 "2017-04-06T08:33:13Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > What is Golden Syrup? Is it like corn syrup with caramel coloring? _sobs_ Tis nectar: the food the lotus-eaters had for special days as a treat. **[Golden Syrup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_syrup)** Might be too sweet for American taste. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-about-porridge/783814.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-about-porridge/783814.md?page=3)