Parritch with Cream,
Honey, & Bilberries
Agness was stirring the parritch that was heating in the big black pot over the fire.
“I will set out the honey and berries we picked yesterday. The Cameron men are always hungry.“
- The Piper & The Prophecy
We’re cooking our way through the story! Today we’re making parritch and learning a little about spurtles and bilberries.
Parritch, or porridge, was an essential food in Scotland in the 1700s. A bowl of cooked oats filled your belly and meant warmth for your bones, strength for the day, and hospitality for those that came to visit.
It was cooked simply. Stone-ground oats, water, and salt. And maybe you’d add some cream from your cow, berries you picked among the heather, and a splurge of honey from bees you might be lucky enough to be keeping. Leftovers could be saved, cooled, and then cut into wedges to fry later in the day.
Since this is a straightforward recipe, let’s take a minute to learn about the spurtle. A traditional Scottish spurtle is a rounded, smooth wooden rod that was a little long. It was specifically used for stirring parritch, as it prevented the oats from clumping together better than a spoon. Parritch was eaten daily, so the spurtle was a valuable item in the home.
Even though it was practical, there’s always a bit of superstition in Scotland, so only the right hand would hold it and stirring always went clockwise. This was believed to keep mischief away.
The sisters laid out honey and berries for the lads with the parritch. Earlier we read that Jennet was doing the morning milking, so I’ve taken the liberty of adding a little cream. We later learn that Isabel keeps bees, so a bit of honey for the boys’ return would be a treat as it was generally used sparingly.
For the berries, they could have been dried berries that were put up earlier in the summer. But some late summer/early autumn berries that are plentiful on the hills of Scotland among the heather are blaeberries, or bilberries.
They are a tart, little berry very reminiscent of wild blueberries. The insides are red and were sometimes used in seasonal dyeing. They are useful for digestion, but are famous for benefiting eye health. You can find an excellent quality dried bilberry from Frontier Co-op, rehydrating them if you like. Or you can use blueberries for a similar experience.
To make;
Parritch with Cream, Honey, & Bilberries
serves 4
1 cup steel-cut oats (Bob’s Red Mill)
4 cups water
1/4 tsp salt
cream and honey to taste
optional 2-3 tbsp dried bilberries (or swap for blueberries)
optional tool, wood spurtle
I. Bring water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add the salt and oats. Meanwhile cover the dried berries with boiling water or even do it the night before.
II. The cook time is 20-25 minutes depending how much chew you like. A longer cook time will make it creamier. Stir occasionally until it thickens and then keep stirring often. Use your right hand and only stir clockwise for luck. My spurtle really did do a better job than my spoon!
III. Strain the berries, saving that tart juice for a morning shot. Plate your oatmeal. One ladle is a serving size. Top with cream, honey, and berries.
IV. Spoon any leftovers onto a plate to cool. Once it is solid, cut it into wedges and fry it up in a pan over medium-low heat (about 4 minutes per side) for a midday snack or for tomorrow morning’s breakfast.
~ from the table of Summer crosby hennessy of acorn moon mercantile ~