Читать книгу The Official Narnia Cookbook - Литагент HarperCollins USD, Ю. Д. Земенков, Koostaja: Ajakiri New Scientist - Страница 8

Porridge originates in Scotland, where the climate is such that oats grow well. The first porridge was probably made of oats, winnowed to remove most of the husks, and then bashed with a rock and boiled in water. In Britain you can still get old-fashioned stone-ground porridge, just as in the old days when grains were ground between big flat stones in wind- or water-powered mills. To this day, in parts of Scotland and Narnia, porridge is eaten with salt, as a savory food. Many of the people of northern Ireland originally came from Scotland, and Jack sometimes liked his porridge with salt and sometimes sweet. In Narnia quite a few of the creatures like porridge—Giants, Dwarfs, Fauns, Centaurs, and others—and because sugar is imported from Calormen, and there is honey in Narnia and salt from the sea, they eat their porridge either way.

“And here’s porridge—and here’s a jug of cream—and here’s a spoon.”

—THE HORSE AND HIS BOY

Quick Porridge

4 SERVINGS

2 cups milk

1½ cups water

¼ teaspoon salt

2 cups rolled oats, 5-minute style

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the milk, water, and salt to a boil.

2. Stir in the oats and return to the boil.

3. Lower heat and cook slowly for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Old-fashioned Porridge

4 SERVINGS

4 cups water

¼ teaspoon salt

1 scant cup steel-cut oats

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the water and salt to a boil.

2. Stir in the oats and return to the boil, continuing to stir for a minute or so.

3. Lower heat and simmer until the oats are tender and the water is absorbed, adding more water if necessary, about 20–30 minutes.

Either version of porridge should be served hot with milk or cream and honey and, if you like, a sprinkle of salt. For a delicious change in flavor try a spoonful of brown sugar or cane syrup.