How did I become so passionate about porridge?
Porride is a tradition in our family. My mother ate oats, porridge oats that is, every morning. It was most likely all that she knew how to cook for the first few years of her adult life. Her mother fed her porridge then she fed all of us porridge so we grew up on this nutritious food. When I became an adoptive mother of two sons, upon their arrival, both at about the age of two, I fed them porridge oats. It was a fast, easy and highly nutritious breakfast for hungry and scared toddlers who had another new home to cope with, although mine was to be their forever home. I can only imagine the fear they must have felt especially when my first son had already been in four different foster homes before the age of one. You read correctly! I would have been his fifth mother! It took him a very long time to attach but we got through it and porridge was a part of the warm breakfast that helped build his security.
In 2018 I found a mention in the British Magazine, Country Life about the Golden Spurtle - World Porridge Making Championship that would take place in Carrbridge, Scotland in October. I would have to apply in writing telling them why I would be a good candidate and why I was passionate about porridge.
In my application letter I mentioned how porridge had helped my second adopted son to grow and thrive, and how I believed it was due to love, guidance and lots of oats porridge. When he arrived at the age of 22 months, he was malnourished and was barely within the 10th percentile of growth for his age. He was far too tiny for 22 months of age but I didn't have to think hard about what to feed him. You guessed it! I fed him porridge with milk, yogurt and banana every day. It was easy to digest food that tasted delicious! He loved it so much he ate it practically five times a day. He'd say, "Momma, wan' powwidge, wan' powwidge!", and I'd feed it to him. I fed it to him until he finally was full, building his feeling of security with the knowing that there was always another meal available. He grew so very well that today at 14 he is taller than I.
In 2018 I was accepted to the World Porridge Making Championship and was the first Canadian to be accepted to enter. I didn't win but I had a lot of fun and I learned a lot about porridge oats and spurtles. When I entered the championship I took a spurtle, the original Scottish porridge stirring stick, with me thinking it would bode me well! I'd not only look professional but I would show my committment to porridge making. Weeks before I was to depart for the championship I ordered one from Etsy. After a few uses and to my amazement, I learned it was made of toxic wood and this wood was not of culinary grade! Ouch! How did I know? After a few use family members began to sneeze and when I stopped using the Etsy spurtle, allergic reactions disappeared. That was an eye opener!
While in Scotland for the championship I acquired a hardwood little spurtle that I enjoyed using but sadly, after a few uses in my own kitchen, this little spurtle split. Know that when wood splits, those cracks become a breeding ground for bacteria! UGH! Second one down!
After experiencing these two low grade spurtles and not being able to find a high grade, non-toxic spurtle suitable for culinary use, I decided I should take on the task of designing and producing a high grade spurtle of my own. One that would be highly suitable for culinary use, be resistant to splitting, have no characteristic odour, be easy to use and be the optimal stirring utensil for any and all recipes that require stirring. And would only be made of hardwood sourced from sustainable forests.
Introducing The Porridge Mom Canadian spurtles!
Each spurtle is made of Canadian sustainable forest-sourced hardwood maple that is non-toxic, has no characteristic odour, is resistant to splitting and is highly suitable for culinary use.
Available in two sizes - small 9.5" for small batches in small pots or bowls and large 12" for larger batches in large pots or bowls.
Order yours today!
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