porridge

Late at night, just before bed, take a small saucepan from the cupboard near the stove. Toss in a pinch of coarse sea-salt from the bowl next to the stove-top. Place the saucepan on the island bench. Carefully lift the huge glass jar of rolled oats down from the shelf above the bench beside the stove.

Now take the half-cup measure in the shape of a duck from the shelf above the island bench. Put the measure in the saucepan and pour in the oats. This prevents excess and escaped oats going all over the bench and floor. Put the big glass jar back on the shelf above the bench next to the stove.

On a narrower shelf above the island bench is a canister of cinnamon, jars of sultanas, sundried, and currants. Drop a generous half-teaspoon of cinnamon—a parfait spoon is ideal—onto the oats and swirl the saucepan round to mix it through the oats and coat them with the spice. Now drop a not-too-small handful each of sultanas and currants into the mix.

Take the container of Saunder’s malt extract off the shelf, keeping it horizontal so as not to get the sticky stuff on the underside of the lid. Pry it off with the long-stemmed parfait spoon. Twirl a small amount of malt onto the spoon and place the spoon on top of the oat mixture. The long-stemmed spoon rests on the side of the saucepan, whereas a normal teaspoon would slide down into the mix.

To seal the deal, add one cup of water and place the saucepan, with lid, on the smallest gas-ring to soak overnight. In the morning the gas is turned on but to the slowest heat. After  seven minutes the mix starts to simmer,  so stir in a small amount of milk—full cream, not that watery shit with a marketer’s name.

The porridge thickens from this point. It’s important now to occasionally stir with a wooden spoon as the malt and cinnamon can stick to the bottom of the saucepan. Another five minutes should achieve the right consistency, not gluggy at all.

Serve in narrowish bowl if retaining heat is important, but a shallower soup bowl is better for desirable toppings. The ideal topping in a little more milk, cold, and a goodly dollop of cream. Then sprinkle a healthy spoonful of raw sugar evenly all over. A soup spoon is the best instrument for getting the porridge from the receptacle to the gob.

Preceded by the juice of two freshly squeezed oranges, how good a way is this to start each and every day?

Rock on.