Morning Briefing
The New York Times
Jan. 9, 2017
Back Story
If one of your resolutions this year is to eat healthier in the morning, consider porridge.
The combination of grain and water is arguably comfort served in its most humble form. The dish has also been feeding the world for thousands of years.
Congee, a rice-based porridge, has been eaten in China since about 2500 B.C. Koreans make several variations called juk, including one with pine nuts as the main ingredient.
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On many cold mornings, Americans start their days with oatmeal. The actor Wilford Brimley famously pitched the food’s health benefits in an ad, saying, “It’s the right thing to do.”
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And oats have been a staple of what is now Scotland since the Roman Empire. A village in the Scottish Highlands even hosts a global porridge-making competition, where the Golden Spurtle is the top prize.
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The former oldest living woman in Scotland swore by the dish. Before her death in 2015 at age 109, Jessie Gallan revealed her secret to longevity.
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“A nice warm bowl of porridge every morning,” she said, and “staying away from men.”
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Remy Tumin contributed reporting.
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