We love all things oatmeal, but especially steel cut oats. A hot bowl of these tasty, nutty oats with a little milk and sugar is the best winter breakfast we can imagine.
Well, it turns out that the Scottish nation takes this morning bowl of oats very serious. So seriously, in fact, they have a running competition for the world's best oat porridge! Here's a look at this year's winner of the Golden Spurtle.
The award is called the Golden Spurtle, which we find unabashedly Harry Potter-esque. A spurtle, however, is not some mystical beast or magical instrument; it's a thick stick used for stirring oatmeal, or porridge, as it is known in this competition. (You can read more about the spurtle here.)
There are multiple prizes in this contest, which takes place in Carrbridge, Inverness-shire, Scotland. The whole competition is sponsored, naturally, by Hamlyn's -- a leading oatmeal brand in Scotland.
The main prize for the competition this year went to a Mr. Ian Bishop, an enthusiastic home porridge maker. (You can see him above with Miss Scotland.) He credits the water he uses, which comes from a bore hole tapped into an underground river.
Addy Daggert, on the other hand, a Dutchman, won the speciality prize for his marzipan porridge with Glenfiddich whisky ice cream and vanilla marinated stewed apple. (Also pictured above, with the very interested little boy looking on.) Yum! We looked for a recipe but we think it is remaining a competitive secret at this point. We certainly wouldn't mind waking up to a bowl of that sort of oatmeal!
What's your favorite kind of oatmeal, and do you think it's good enough to win the Golden Spurtle? If so, you can find the entry form to the World Porridge Championship here.
Related: Breakfast for Lunch: Steel-Cut Oats with Dates, Coconut, Cinnamon and Pecans
(Images: Golden Spurtle)
© 2010 Apartment Therapy
Mmmm. Steel cut oats. My favorite preparation of steel cut oats begins with frying the dry oats for a few minutes in a tablespoon of butter. Then water, cinnamon, and a small handful of dried tart cherries are added. That bubbles away until the oats are basically done. I then add a teaspoon or so of maple syrup and a small handful of chopped pecans. Finally the oatmeal gets plated (bowled?) and I add some thinly sliced apples on top.
I suppose it's a classic/traditional preparation of the oats. But wow do I love it...
view laetitiae's profile
After many years of eating oatmeal for breakfast during the fall/winter months, I finally got on the steel cut bandwagon just a few months ago. The price and the cooking method kept me from trying it earlier but now I buy my oats in bulk at my neighborhood grocery store and make a weeks worth in the slow cooker overnight on Sunday evenings so I have some available all week long. I was a quick convert and haven't looked back.
view rosebud's profile
I pre-soak my steel cut oats overnight to help them cook a bit faster and then stew them in the Le Creuset with a cinnamon stick in the morning.
I'll have to try that dry toasting technique next time though.
view EasilyAmused's profile
I keep forgetting that a friend who visited Scotland brought a spurtle home for me. It's still in a drawer at home. I'll have to bring it out and give it a whirl.
Marzipan porridge sounds AWESOME. I can only imagine how someone could combine almond paste with oatmeal, but it's worth a few experiments!
view OneWallKitchen's profile
Fascinating! I'd never heard of a spurtle, much less these awards in Scotland - what fun! I reget to say I've never had the opportunity to try steel cut oats, but you've certainly piqued my interest. And, bring on the whisky vanilla ice cream with mine!
view Sara LeeAnn's profile
I'm trying to find a yummy, reasonably healthy savory oatmeal recipe.
view sphinxie's profile
Sphinxie -- Have you tried Groaty Pudding? It's steel cut oats with beef, leeks, and onion. There are several old British recipes for savory oats/groats.
I like making oatmeal with black cherry preserves and mascarpone, or stewed blueberries if I want something lighter.
view Minerva of the Airship's profile