ca. five-mm "pearls", traditionally found in Russia and Finland. Quinoa porridge. Rye porridge: Rugmelsgrød, a traditional dinner of the Danish island Bornholm, made of ryemeal and water. Ruispuuro, a traditional Finnish breakfast. Spelt porridge. Tsampa is a toasted grain flour, usually barley, eaten in Tibet, often mixed with tea and butter. Yam porridge/pottage In Nigeria the words porridge and pottage are synonymous, and it is consumed as a main meal. Nigerian yam porridge/pottage includes tomatoes and other culinary vegetables along with the yam. It may also have fish or other meat. History Historically, porridge was a staple food in much of the world, including Europe, Africa and Asia, and it remains a staple food in many parts of the world, it becoming commonplace in agricultural societies that practice grain cultivation starting from the Neolithic period and onward. The dish has traditionally been closely associated with Scotland, possibly because oats can be successfully cultivated on marginal upland soils. In 1775, Dr. Samuel Johnson wrote that oats were "a grain which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland supports the people". Oats were introduced to Scotland in about 600 AD, but traces of barley porridge have been found in pots excavated in the Outer Hebrides which have been dated to 2,500 years ago. Northern Europe Historically, porridge was a staple food in much of Northern Europe and Russia. It was often made from barley, though other grains and yellow peas could be used, depending on local conditions. It was primarily a savoury dish, with meats, root crops, vegetables and herbs added for flavor. Porridge could be cooked in a large metal kettle over hot coals or heated in a cheaper earthenware container by adding hot stones until boiling hot. Until leavened bread and baking ovens became commonplace in Europe, porridge was a typical means of preparing cereal crops for the table. Porridge was also commonly used as prison breakfast for inmates in the British prison system during the 19th century and early 20th century, and so "doing porridge" became a slang term for a sentence in prison. See also Asida, from the Arabian cuisine Barley gruel Congee, a rice porridge common across Asia , a traditional Dutch porridge-like dessert List of porridges Macroom Oatmeal, the last traditionally stone-ground oatmeal in Ireland Quaker Oats, large multinational manufacturer, suppliers of Quaker Oats, Quaker Instant Oatmeal, etc. Ready Brek, a British brand