Cassell's dictionary of cookery

stances ; whilst to almost all who have ever been accustomed to its use, it is extremely palatable. Generally speaking, there is no better article of food for the nursery, none more likely to maintain a healthy condition of the stomach, or to give vigour to the frame, although there are exceptional cases, both amongst the young and amongst adults, in which the use of porridge is unsuitable, producing painful distention of the stomach and indigestion. Whilst the caprices of children ought not to be heeded in such a matter, the actual condition of their constitutions ought to be carefully observed and regarded. Pomdge is in general made by simply boiling oatmeal in water, stirring all the time to prevent singeing, and to secure the thorough mixture of the meal and water into a homogeneous mass without knots. The quality of porridge very much depends on the amount of boiling which it receives. It cannot be too thoroughly boiled. Imperfectly boiled oatmeal porridge is a very coarse article of food ; and unfortunately much of the porridge used by the poorer classes in Scotland and elsewhere is of this character and the porridge prepared for the nursery is often no better, through the carelessness of servants who wish to get through their work with as little trouble as possible. It is not nearly so digestible, and, therefore, not so nutritious, as porridge really well made. A common mistake in the making of porridge must also here be noticed as tending much to the deterioration of its quality — the adding of meal by degrees, whilst the boiling goes on, until the proper thickness is acquired, the result being that part of the meal is imperfectly boiled. The cook ought to know the proper proportions of meal and water — knowledge not very difficult to acquire — and mix them at once, so that all the meal may be equally well boiled. But it is to be observed that the water must be boiling before the meal is put in, which is not to be introduced in a mass, but, as it were, strained through the fingers handful by handful as quickly as possible. " Whey is sometimes used instead of water for the making of oatmeal porridge, and affords an agreeable variety to those in the habit of using porridge every day. Milk porridge is another variety esteemed an especial luxury by the Scottish peasantry, and is certainly both an agreeable and a very nutritious article of diet. Whether fine oatmeal or coarse oatmeal should be used for the making of porridge is merely a matter of taste." Porridge, Oatmeal (another way). — Put a pint and a half of water or milk and water into a saucepan, and add a pinch of salt. W^hen the liquid fully boils, as it is rising in the pan, sprinkle gradually two ounces of oatmeal into it with the left hand, and at the same time stir briskly with a fork held in the right hand. Keep stirring until the lumps are beaten out. Boil the mixture for two or three minutes, pour it on a plate, and eat it with milk and sugar or treacle. A larger or a smaller quantity of oatmeal may be used according to taste. Porridge will be found to make a very nourishing and wholesome breakfast for children. The secret of making POR 615 ) POR it properly is to let the water boil first before putting in the oatmeal. Time, a quarter of an horn- from the tune the water boils. Probable cost, od. sufficient for one person.