Porridge from Norway

One of the more unknown foods from Norway is grot. Grot is a porridge eaten by the Norwegians and is as important to them as oil to the modern day economy. This food has been eaten by the Norwegians for ages, and it is even likely that it is the food that fueled the Vikings.

There is however, not just one type of porridge. Some porridge is eaten hot and some of it is eaten cold. Hot grot is usually made from oats, wheat, barley, rye, or rice. This type of grot is usually eaten as dinner, topped with butter and sugar. Cold grot is usually eaten for dessert served with custard or fruit sauce. Sometimes left over grot is used to make waffles or is even fried!

On special occasions, there are special porridges to be eaten. For example, a woman who has just given birth is given an extra rich porridge, while on Midsummer's eve, it is not unusual to eat sour cream porridge. On Christmas, an almond is placed somewhere in a pot of rice porridge, and the person finds the almond in their bowl is usually given a marzipan pig as a prize.