From the web.
Porridge purists reject the instant varieties for the traditional pan method, which involves stirring the oats with a wooden 'spurtle'. There are some superstitious sorts who still claim that porridge should only be stirred using your right hand in a clockwise direction to ward off bad spirits.
Superstitious or not, if you want to be a true Scot, you should dismiss all thoughts of a 'luxury' version with brown sugar and cream, and instead prepare your morning tastebuds for porridge with salt. After all, porridge was made from water and oats long before anyone thought of making it with creamy milk and sugar.
Oats have been grown in Scotland since the late medieval period and porridge has long been notable as the staple diet of crofters throughout the land. The mixture would be prepared at the start of the week, then poured into a 'porridge drawer', where it was cooled and consumed by a family over the following days. The solid mixture could be sliced and taken out as lunch to be eaten cold or the slices could be fried up for breakfast.
At the very least, we'll cook some of the more substantial recipes and give them a try. Thanks for the awesome thread, Spareribs!
