The humble Scottish breakfast with rich cultural significance

The humble Scottish breakfast with rich cultural significance

September 4, 2026 · 8 min

About this episode

The episode explores the cultural significance and variations of porridge in Scotland, highlighted by the Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championship.

We go to the Scottish Highlands to learn about breakfast dish that has just three ingredients but countless variations: porridge, better known in the U.S. as oatmeal. Each fall, foodies and oatmeal lovers gather in Scotland for the Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championship. We learn what makes a good recipe and which direction you should never stir your porridge. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org . See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

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Mentioned in this episode

Products: porridge, oatmeal

Places: Scottish Highlands

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