"It is advisable to keep a goblet exclusively for porridge. Allow for each person one breakfastcupful of water, a handful of (medium) oatmeal (about an ounce and a quarter), and a small saltspoonful of salt. Use fresh spring water and be particular about the ality of the oatmeal. Midlothian oats are unsurpassed the world over.
"Bring the water to the boil and as soon as it reaches boiling-point add the oatmeal, letting it fall in a steady rain from the left hand and stirring it briskly the while with the right, sunwise, or the right hand turn for luck and convenience. A porridge-stick, called a spurtle, and in some parts a theevil, or, as in Shetland, a gruel-tree, is used for this purpose. Be careful to avoid lumps, unless the children clamour for them. When the porridge is boiling steadily, draw the mixture to the side and put on the lid. Let it cook for from 20 to 30 minutes according to the quality of the oatmeal, and do not add the salt, which has a tendency to harden the meal and prevent it swelling, until it has cooked for at least 10 minutes. On the other hand, never cook porridge without salt. Ladle straight into porringers or soup plates and serve with small individual bowls of cream, or milk, or buttermilk. Each spoonful of porridge, which should be very hot, is dipped in the cream or milk, which should be quite cold, before it is conveyed to the mouth."
The Scot's Kitchen