Recipes

As children, we visited our aunts regularly, staying for several days at a time during the school holidays.  One of my most vivid memories is of sitting on Auntie M's knee, with her feeding me porridge - which was a total indulgence as I could really feed myself very well.  

The old-fashioned house had many of the comforts which are prized today - open fires, lovely gardens, a pet collie dog and an Aga cooker.  The kitchen was always cozy, the Aga usually warming the house.  Auntie M made beautiful toast on the Aga hot plate, cooked ham in the oven and Auntie B made chocolate cakes, meringues and Scottish tablet ....  what treats.

Back to the porridge.  When we were old enough, Auntie M allowed us to stir the porridge oats as they were cooking.  This was our first excursion into learning the technique of making the perfect breakfast food.  We used a spurtle to keep the porridge from burning or sticking to the bottom of the very heavy cast iron pan.  The spurtle was probably as old as the Aga which had been installed in the house in approximately 1935 - so it wasn't in the first flush of youth.  

The porridge had to be of a perfect consistency for me - neither too thick or too thin.  I loved sprinkling sugar on the top to give it a crunch and then the addition of milk poured carefully along the side of the bowl ensured that the porridge would float, making it easy to get a spoonful of porridge and milk to eat.  Oh, happy days!

Here are a couple of quick and easy recipes which would be served at home :)