Nordic Pear Porridge

 Every great meal has a story, and this one begins at a cozy little cafe tucked away in Neal’s Yard, London.

Always on the quest for good coffee and a reading spot, I stopped by 26 Grains one overcast (okay, so in London they’re all overcast) Saturday morning. Feeling both cold and incredibly hungry, I decided to order what is now my all-time favorite breakfast: porridge. Let me be clear, I am not talking about oatmeal. This is not the chewy, raisin-topped concoctions of American childhoods.

This porridge was creamy, spiced to perfection with toppings like blackberry compote, fresh-from-the-oven granola, yogurts and even edible flowers for aesthetic. The result? 1 part breakfast, 1 part dessert and 1 part hug in a bowl. 

Needing to recreate this recipe in my own kitchen, I took to the web. All of my searches for porridge turned up more or less the same: 2 parts liquid to rolled oats, cook for 20 minutes. However, I kept ending up with sad oatmeal that no amount of edible flowers could make, well, edible. Undeterred, and hoping my patronage had earned me some points, I went straight to the source and asked the porridge pros at 26 Grains. They were happy to help, and gave me two tips that forever changed my porridge (and breakfast) game.  Are you ready?

1. The night before cooking, soak your oats! This may sound like a pain, but it only takes two minutes. Throw them into a bowl with half of your cooking liquid (in this case, almond milk) and head to bed.

2. Scottish Oats. Is that the same as Irish oats? Or old-fashioned oats? Turns out, no. Scottish oats aren’t cut or rolled, but rather ground, making them resemble a course flour with varied textures. It cooks up perfectly creamy with just the right amount of chew. 26 Grains uses UK favorite, Scott’s, but a local alternative is Bob’s Red Mill, here. 

That’s it! Now that you’ve got your base it’s time to suit it to your taste. Combine with creative spices like cardamom, fresh sweeteners like fruit purée, and add some crunch in the form of granola, nuts or seeds. Voila! Perfect porridge from London to your kitchen. Here, I’ve recreated my go-to order: Nordic Pear. The granola, from the 26 Grains cookbook, is the one they use in the shop and worth the extra step. Any leftovers make for a quick breakfast, topping or snack.

So here’s the dish:

Who: Literally anyone. From 5-95, porridge is a crowd-pleaser.
When: Breakfast, weekends, cold days.
With: A cozy sweater. Good book preferred but not required.