flipHaworth Oat Porridge
Haworth Oat Porridge
Why this dish? Oat porridge opened every morning at the parsonage, before the hours of writing around the parlour table. Frugal, hot, and fortifying, it armed Charlotte and her sisters against the damp of the moors.
A porridge of oats slowly cooked in water and milk, salted in the Northern style, smooth and comforting. Served piping hot, sometimes topped with a drizzle of treacle or a spoonful of cream.
Permit me to serve you, as we did at Haworth as soon as morning prayers were said. I would let the oats swell all night, then stir them unceasingly over the peat fire until not a single lump remained — for a poorly made porridge is a laziness my father would not have tolerated. A little salt, never sugar with us; and when the wind howled over the moor, believe me, that steaming bowl was worth all the sweets of London.
- •Oat groats (pinhead oats) — a good handful per person (base)
- •Spring water — twice the volume of oats (cooking)
- •Milk — to taste (creaminess)
- •Salt — a pinch (seasoning)
Haworth Oat Porridge
A porridge of oats slowly cooked in water and milk, salted in the Northern style, smooth and comforting. Served piping hot, sometimes topped with a drizzle of treacle or a spoonful of cream.
Why this dish? Oat porridge opened every morning at the parsonage, before the hours of writing around the parlour table. Frugal, hot, and fortifying, it armed Charlotte and her sisters against the damp of the moors.
Permit me to serve you, as we did at Haworth as soon as morning prayers were said. I would let the oats swell all night, then stir them unceasingly over the peat fire until not a single lump remained — for a poorly made porridge is a laziness my father would not have tolerated. A little salt, never sugar with us; and when the wind howled over the moor, believe me, that steaming bowl was worth all the sweets of London.
Ingredients (period version)
- Oat groats (pinhead oats) — a good handful per person (base)
- Spring water — twice the volume of oats (cooking)
- Milk — to taste (creaminess)
- Salt — a pinch (seasoning)
Ingredients
- Rolled oats or pinhead oats — 80 g (base)
- Water — 300 ml (cooking)
- Whole milk — 200 ml (creaminess)
- Salt — 1 pinch (seasoning)
- Treacle or cream (optional) — 1 tsp (finish)
Method
- If using pinhead oats, soak them overnight in water to reduce cooking time.
- Put the oats, water, and salt in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring gently to a simmer.
- Cook over low heat for 5 to 20 minutes depending on the oats, stirring often to prevent lumps and sticking.
- Add the milk at the end of cooking to loosen the porridge to a thick cream consistency.
- Serve immediately, piping hot, with a drizzle of treacle or a little cream if you wish.
How it was made : In Yorkshire, oats were often soaked overnight and then cooked slowly over a peat fire. In Northern tradition, it was salted rather than sweetened, and everyone dipped their spoon into the shared pot.
The contemporary twist : A moorland porridge: lightly sweetened whipped cream and a few crushed blueberries as a nod to the Pennine heather.
Charlotte Brontë · Charactorium
