flipBarley Porridge with Iðunn's Apples and Berries
Barley Porridge with Iðunn's Apples and Berries
Why this dish? Loki is involved in the theft of Iðunn's golden apples, which keep the gods young: he delivers the goddess to the giant Þjazi, then must retrieve her. Because of him, the apple is the food of the Æsir's youth. Placed on everyday barley porridge, it links myth to the humblest dish.
Barley porridge (grautr) cooked in milk, sweetened with honey and topped with melted apples and tart berries. The staple breakfast of the Norse world, here tinged with the myth of the apples of youth.
Do you know why the Æsir never age? Iðunn's golden apples — which I nearly made them lose forever, ha! Pour the barley into hot milk, stir without ceasing, sweeten it with honey, and crown it with melted apples and sour berries picked at the wood's edge. A poor man's dish, you say? Perhaps. But swallow it each morning and you too will keep a little of the gods' youth.
- •Cracked barley — two handfuls (staple grain)
- •Milk — as needed for thickness (creamy cooking)
- •Honey — a drizzle (sweetness)
- •Apples — two (fruit of youth)
- •Wild berries (lingonberries, blackberries) — a handful (acidity and color)
Barley Porridge with Iðunn's Apples and Berries
Barley porridge (grautr) cooked in milk, sweetened with honey and topped with melted apples and tart berries. The staple breakfast of the Norse world, here tinged with the myth of the apples of youth.
Why this dish? Loki is involved in the theft of Iðunn's golden apples, which keep the gods young: he delivers the goddess to the giant Þjazi, then must retrieve her. Because of him, the apple is the food of the Æsir's youth. Placed on everyday barley porridge, it links myth to the humblest dish.
Do you know why the Æsir never age? Iðunn's golden apples — which I nearly made them lose forever, ha! Pour the barley into hot milk, stir without ceasing, sweeten it with honey, and crown it with melted apples and sour berries picked at the wood's edge. A poor man's dish, you say? Perhaps. But swallow it each morning and you too will keep a little of the gods' youth.
Ingredients (period version)
- Cracked barley — two handfuls (staple grain)
- Milk — as needed for thickness (creamy cooking)
- Honey — a drizzle (sweetness)
- Apples — two (fruit of youth)
- Wild berries (lingonberries, blackberries) — a handful (acidity and color)
Ingredients
- Barley flakes or grits — 120 g (porridge base)
- Milk (or milk + water) — 600 ml (cooking liquid)
- Honey — 2 tablespoons (sweetener)
- Apples — 2 (soft compote)
- Lingonberries, blackberries or blueberries — 1 handful (tart garnish)
- Crushed hazelnuts — 1 handful (crunch (optional))
Method
- Heat the milk, sprinkle in the barley and cook over low heat, stirring, 15 to 20 min.
- Meanwhile, sauté diced apples with a little honey in a pan until soft.
- When the porridge is creamy, sweeten with honey.
- Pour into a bowl, top with melted apples, berries and hazelnuts.
How it was made : Grain porridge (barley, oats, rye) cooked in water or milk was the daily food of everyone, from peasant to chieftain. It was garnished seasonally with honey, fruits and wild berries. Ancient Northern apples, small and tart, are well attested in Scandinavian archaeological contexts.
The contemporary twist : Serve in a light bowl with berries arranged in a spiral and a drizzle of golden honey; call it “porridge of the ageless gods.”
Loki · Charactorium
