When thinking about or discussing Norwegian foods, one food will undoubtedly come up: porridge. Porridge has had quite the role throughout Norway’s history. In fact, it is quite possibly the oldest hot dish in the Norwegian diet. The main grains used were barley and oats, as it was difficult to grow other grains in the cold climate. However, those “fancier” would often use rice. In its most basic form, it would consist of crushed grain and water, though throughout history the ingredients have expanded to include sweet milk, butter, flour, salt, syrup, sour cream, etc. Porridge was so popular in Norway that there was even a series of public debates in the 19th century on the proper way to cook porridge, known as “The Norwegian Porridge Feud.”
Porridge was served multiple times a day in the olden days. It was first served hot for breakfast and the leftovers would make an appearance later in the day, but this time it would be cold. It was also taken to work by field laborers for lunch. Not only was it a common occurrence in daily life, but it also always had a place on the table at special gatherings such as weddings, holidays, or funerals. It is still a staple of Norwegian food today and is more often seen on special occasions. A Norwegian Christmas tradition involving porridge still lives on today; a single almond would be added to the porridge pot before serving and the person to find the almond would win a prize or all the attention.
The village of Mosjøen, Norway takes their affinity for porridge quite seriously as each year they host Verdens lengste Julegrøtbord (The world’s largest Christmas porridge table). Last year, over 4,000 gathered for the fun. They are hoping to have another record-breaking year. Click here to see a video from a past year.
As is evident, porridge has an important place in the food culture of Norway. The love for porridge has also made its way into a Norwegian expression: å være midt i smørøyet. The direct translation is “to be in the middle of the butter eye.” This saying refers to the delicious pat of melted butter found in the middle of risgrøt or rømmegrøt. It means that something is in an excellent location. So, the next family gathering you have, indulge in some Norwegian porridge or at the very least practice your Norwegian and use the above expression.