One of the little pleasures in life, when I lived in Chiang Mai, came from the organic produce wholesaler where GazLanNaThai herb and spice stocks were bought.

They supplied porridge oats by the large sackful, although I generally restricted myself to buying them by the kilogram.  Maybe it’s my Northumbrian heritage, but during the winter and the cooler mornings, I’m partial to a bowl of hot porridge for breakfast.  Maybe it’s memories of the “Ready Brek” TV adverts of the 1970′s and 1980′s, with images of kids and adults strutting about in the snow and rain with the “Ready Brek glow” around them, but I genuinely believe a bowl of hot porridge is the best way to start a cold day.

I like it Scottish style – unsweetened, with a hint of salt added, made with water, but with a little milk poured over it in the bowl.  It’s one of the western foods that my wife makes exceptionally well, and in this she’s aided by the fact that those Chiang Mai oats were of the type I refer to as “one minute” porridge.  They, of themselves, were also an exceptionally tasty variety – many factory packaged oat flakes for porridge are bland and unappetising without added flavouring, such as heaps of unhealthy sugar and/or salt.  I’m also not overly fond of the long lists of additives shown on such packs.

This morning, it was a little “parky” first thing, and I casually mentioned that I’d not had “khao oat” for a long time.  Bless her, without a hint or a word of intent, off wife went to make me some with our leftover stock from last winter.  It looked its delicious self when it arrived, but it was distinctly different in taste.

Sometime during the long hot Isaan summer, the dry oats had soured.  They’d acquired a tang that lay somewhere between lemon juice and vinegar (both of which I’m also fond of in the right context), but it’s not quite right in the Scottish national breakfast dish.

Hungry as I was, I said nothing and got stuck in, clearing the bowl.

Later today, on my stock-foraging safari into the city, I’ll have to hunt out the local supplier of “khao oat”, and replace the ageing bagful in the kitchen – I’m not sure I can handle sour-porridge too often with rebelling.

Garry

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