Pioneer
Oatmeal Porridge with Molasses
How New Brunswick started the day
New Brunswick historical recordRolled oats bought in large sacks were the most economical way to feed a family breakfast during the Depression. In New Brunswick, porridge was always served with a drizzle of molasses — not maple syrup, which was too valuable to use daily. A warm, filling start that cost pennies.
Source: New Brunswick historical record
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup milk
- ½ tsp salt
- Molasses to serve
- Cold milk to serve
Instructions
- Bring water and milk to a gentle boil in a saucepan. Add salt.
- Stir in oats. Reduce heat to low.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5–7 minutes until thick and creamy.
- Spoon into bowls. Drizzle generously with molasses.
- Pour cold milk around the edge.
✦ Kitchen Notes
- Steel-cut oats were traditional but slow. Most Depression-era homes had switched to rolled oats by the 1930s.
- Children's bowls got extra molasses. It was how you got them to eat their porridge.