The History of Oatmeal (with Giveaway) By Donna Schlachter

Photo by Vie Studio from Pexels

When we think of oatmeal, we often think of Scotland. Oatmeal became a staple in Scottish cooking because oats are better suited to the soil and climate of Scotland than is wheat. As a result, the plentiful grain offered lots of opportunities to incorporate it into everyday eating, particularly of farmers and the poor. Imagine how humiliating, however, when oatmeal was referred to “food for British horses or Scottish farmers”. 

Photo by Jonas Togo from Pexels

However, while not known conclusively, most experts agree that oatmeal originated in Asia Minor, primarily because of the many subspecies of oats that grow there naturally. In fact, oats have been known since about 2000 BC by the Egyptians, and perhaps even earlier by the Chinese. While most of these cultures thought of oats as little more than weeds, and even the Greeks and Romans of 1000 BC considered them as nothing better than food for barbarians.

Still, thanks to the Romans, oats made their way to the British Isles and eventually to Scotland.

One reason oats are not as popular as wheat and barley is because they go rancid more quickly if not stored properly. While the fat content is generally the healthy kind, preserving the grain took more work and more dry conditions.

Image by Benjaphon Khidhathong from Pixabay

Once the grain gained a reputation for being good for livestock, it was not eaten by people, except the very poor. However, in Scotland, oats have become the national grain, and oatmeal the national dish, right up there with haggis, which itself contains oatmeal.

Although less than five percent of commercially grown oats are consumed by humans today, it still comprises a staple breakfast food in the form of oatmeal, porridge, and the like. Oats are often ground into flour for those who are gluten intolerant, and there are a variety of processes to prepare it for cooking, including steel cut, rolled, and ground.

Image by PublicDomainArchive from Pixabay

In America, oats were brought from Scotland with immigrants. However, the grain wasn’t grown in quantity until the 19th century. A cookbook from 1903 said that oatmeal cooked for 24 hours was best. This form of hot cereal was made with groats, which was hulled and crushed grain, cut into pieces and soaked overnight. Oatmeal could also be substituted either as flour or whole in breads, cakes, and cookies.

https://www.quakeroats.com/about-quaker-oats/quaker-history

Quaker Oats, created in 1877, sold oats in boxes and in bulk by 1885. Steel cut oats were often browned in butter, then simmered in water for twenty minutes, making them toasty and chewy at the same time.

Another use of oats was as a food for sick infants and adults in the form of gruel. Similar to watery porridge, the oats are stewed with water or milk into a thin mixture. Sometimes this thinning of the cereal was used in orphanages and poor houses as a way to fill an empty stomach without spending much money.

Throughout history, other non-culinary uses for and benefits of oatmeal have been discovered. It is a remedy for dry, itchy skin when used in bath water. Oatmeal purges the liver of cholesterol, forcing the body to find its source of lipids in the bloodstream, which can lower cholesterol levels for bad fats. Oatmeal can remove odors from enclosed areas such as closets, basements, and, in modern times, refrigerators, in much the same way baking soda will. Oatmeal will ease your pet’s itchy skin, absorb oily kitchen spills, and treat poison ivy or chicken pox itching.

However you choose to consume oatmeal, one thing is true: it’s good for you in many forms.



Question: What’s your favorite use of oats or oatmeal? Leave a comment to enter a random drawing for a print (US only) or ebook copy of “Time Will Tell”.



About Time Will Tell:

Sadie Bauer inherits her father’s watch and clock repair shop in the Mall beneath Main Street, Pueblo. However, she soon learns that Fate conspires against her operating this business and keeping her father’s memory alive.

Will O’Reilly, recently dismissed for fighting, longs to help this beautiful damsel in distress, but she’s about as prickly as a porcupine. He’d like their relationship to be more than employer-employee, but if she learns of their connection through their ex-fiances, she might not want to have anything to do with him.

Can Sadie overcome her mistrust of men in general, and of a certain suave salesman in particular? Can Will get past his former betrothed’s infidelity? And can both learn to trust the God who makes all things beautiful in His time?



About Donna:

 

 

Donna writes historical and contemporary mystery, and has been published more than 50 times in novellas, full-length novels, and non-fiction books. She is a member of several writing communities; facilitates a critique group; teaches writing classes; ghostwrites; edits; blogs regularly; and judges in writing contests. She lives in Denver with her husband and two cats, finding mysteries wherever she travels. You can find her books on Amazon under both her name and that of her former pen name, Leeann Betts.

 

 

 

 

 

www.DonnaSchlachter.com Stay connected so you learn about new releases, preorders, and presales, as well as check out featured authors, book reviews, and a little corner of peace. Plus: Receive a free ebook simply for signing up for our free newsletter!

www.DonnaSchlachter.com/blog

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/DonnaschlachterAuthor

Twitter: www.Twitter.com/DonnaSchlachter

Books: Amazon: http://amzn.to/2ci5Xqq






Resources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oatmeal

https://www.krcu.org/2021-01-25/a-harte-appetite-the-origins-of-oatmeal

https://magazine.fighttimes.com/a-brief-history-of-oats-and-how-you-should-eat-them/

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/history-of-breakfast-in-america/

https://thesecretyumiverse.wonderhowto.com/how-to/10-alternative-uses-for-your-old-oatmeal-0145261/

Tartans and Plaids

Since this is my first post here at Hero, Heroines, and History I thought I might take a minute to introduce myself. I’m Amy Lillard and I write a variety of genres. Recently I got back to my first love, historical romance. My primary genre is Amish romance, but I started writing with historicals, went on to contemporary, then circled back around. Currently, I’m working on the follow-up to my first historical novella, The Gingerbread Bride, which releases next month. The Wildflower Bride, slated to come out next summer, features a Scottish hero who now lives in America. Ian MacGruer is the best man at his childhood friend’s wedding. And what would any self-respecting Scotsman wear for such a special occasion? Why a kilt of course. And so the research begins. 

That should be easy enough. All I wanted to know was what type of kilt/tartan/plaid Ian would wear for the event. But it seems there’s much more to kilt wearing than meets the eye. (No pun intended.) Wikipedia defines the kilt as “a knee-length garment with pleats at the rear, originating in the traditional dress of men and boys in the Scottish Highlands of the 16th century. It is most often made of woolen cloth in a tartan pattern.” Kilts are easily the national dress of Scotland. And everyone knows that each clan has a tartan plaid of their own. But it goes a little deeper than that. 

Tartan vs. Plaid 
As late as the 1830s, tartan was defined as a “plain cloth without any patterns.” The Scots introduced “plaid” patterns to the cloth and today the two words are practically synonymous. Both refer to patterned cloth, whose pattern is the interweaving of vertical and horizontal stripes of varying widths in multiple colors. But there was a time when the words were separate from each other and referred to different pieces. Tartan originally meant a type of cloth, and not the pattern. It comes from the French word tiretain, which references a woven cloth. But a plaid is the upper part of the garment we call a kilt. It’s the rectangular woolen “scarf” or cloak draped over the left shoulder of Scottish Highlanders and worn as a cloak. 

(A little more about Plaid: the word is derived from the Scottish Gaelic language and originally means blanket. Today, of course, plaid refers to any cloth with the tartan pattern.) The Scottish kilt dates back to the early 16th century. But these garments weren’t the colorful tartan that we’ve come to expect today. Being self-dyed, the material was dull white, brown, green, or black. It wasn’t until weaving technology improved in the late 18th century that they grew closer to the garments that we imagine when someone says kilt. 

How to Wear a Kilt 
From Celtic Dress of the 16th C. by Meistr Gwylym ab Owain, OL OP DWS: “The tartan cloth was about 5 feet wide (made of two strips 30 inches wide and sewn down the length) and some 12 to 18 feet long. The cloth would then be laid out on the ground and would be pleated long-wise to a length of 4 or 5 feet. A couple of feet would be left unpleated at either end. The wearer would then lie down on the tartan with the middle of the knees equal with the lower edge of the tartan. The unpleated ends would be wrapped across the front of the wearer's body and then would be belted on at the waist. Pleating the tartan over your belt makes the process easier. After standing up the wearer would put on their jacket and then would arrange the top portion of the tartan on the shoulders (either over one shoulder or both).” http://www2.nau.edu/~wew/celt-clothing/> 

What would Ian wear? 
During my research, I found that in the early 19th century (the time frame for my story) Ian would indeed wear a kilt for a formal/special occasion. After searching for his last name in a Scottish registry, I discovered that he would be from the clan Fraser. I ran a search for his clan’s plaid, but found several choices of tartan design belonging to the Frasers. The colors are mostly the same though the specific weave is different. 

A few moments in the history of kilts 
 The knee-length kilt didn’t develop until the late 17th-early 18th century. 
 King George II levied the Dress Act of 1746, which made it illegal for the Highland regiments to wear garments of Highland dress, including the tartan kilt. 
 The walking kilt (one that reached the knees) became a form of protest against the oppressiveness of the English government. 
 The ban was lifted in 1782, but by then the kilt became the enduring representation of Scotland itself. 

A couple more things about kilts 
 There are over 3500 tartan patterns today. 
 Because the tartan pattern cannot be broken in the weave, almost all are made by hand even today. 
 Modern-day kilts have twenty-nine pleats and use eight yards of tartan fabric. 

Mystery solved 
The biggest question concerning kilts has been what does a Scotsman wear underneath his? Oh, there have been countless jokes, most which don’t bear repeating. But the truth of the matter is most Scots (at least through history) did indeed wear nothing underneath. Why? Because kilts were often used in battle. It was purely for the convenience of taking care of their personal business quickly in the field. Not nearly as romantic as some would think, but the truth all the same. Isn’t that the way of it?

Amy Lillard is a 2013 Carol award-winning author. She attributes her writing to her love reading romance novels from contemporary to Amish.

A transplanted Southern belle, Amy was born and raised in Mississippi. She now lives in Oklahoma with her husband of twenty-five years and their teenage son. The family is rounded out with two cats (one of which is a Hemingway) and a lazy beagle.

Amy can be reached at amylillard@hotmail.com and found on the web at www.amywritesromance.com

Check out Amy’s latest release, Take Me Back To Texas, Book 1 in the Loveless Texas Series. Take Me Back To Texas is an inspirational contemporary romance about second chances and coming home.

GREAT SONGS OF WORLD WAR II

Anne Greene

here. I’ve written about what Scottish men wore under their kilts, and what happened to their kilts. I told you that you would find more spectacular information about what changed the Scottish Highlanders and their way of life in my book Masquerade Marriage.

 

And the story continues in my long awaited book, Marriage By Arrangement, which releases on the 6^th of next month, December 6, 2013.

 

This 14^th day of November, I’m writing once again about events during World War II.

 

During World War II the American people kept their spirits and hopes high with the many new songs that blossomed during the first dark years of the war when America was losing the battle to Hitler’s Germany and Japan’s Hirohito.

 

World War II was the first conflict to take place in the age when almost ninety percent of American households had radio. Never before had it been possible for songs to be so widely distributed to the population. Never before had the number of listeners been so high.

 And overseas, American troops had regular access to radio in all but the most difficult combat situations. American troops listened to popular music on Armed Forces Radio between bouts of combat.

 

The song, They’re Either Too Young or Too Old took a light-hearted look at the men left for the women on the home front while American Troops were off fighting the war.

 

Popular songs like Sentimental Journey, I’ll be Seeing You, Moonlight Serenade, and I’ll be Home for Christmas, all spoke of women’s longings for loved ones overseas and the troops yearning to be home. Those songs gave society’s blessing that it was okay to miss your man because he fought for the good of Americans everywhere. And the many patriotic songs brought smiles to faces and pride to the hearts of Americans on the home front and abroad.

 

Earlier in the century big band music had grown wildly popular and still was in the 1940s. Some of the more popular war songs were:

 

There’ll Be Bluebirds Over The White Cliffs of Dover by Jimmy Dorsey & His Orchestra.

Be Careful It’s My Heart by Irving Berlin. 1942

Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy by the Andrews Sisters 1941

Comin’ In On A Wing and A Prayer by The Song Spinners

Don’t Get Around Much Anymore by Duke Ellington & His Orchestra

Don’t Sit Under The Apple Tree With Anyone Else But Me by 1942 by Stept, Brown, and Tobias.

Every Time We Say Goodbye by Cole Porter 1944

GI Jive by Johnny Mercer

I Don’t Want To Walk Without You by Harry James& His Orchestra 1942

I’ll Be Seeing You by Bing Crosby

It’s Been A Long Long Time by Harry James

I’ll Get By As Long As I Have You by Harry James& His Orchestra

Kiss The Boys Goodbye by Frank Loesser 1941

Praise The Lord and Pass The Ammunition by Frank Loesser 1942

 

People in the USA held the same desires as their leaders, and the government counted on popular music to reflect the same war aims that Franklin Delano Roosevelt wanted. Everyone hoped for a quick final victory over the Axis, and the songs about a world after the war with the boys coming home met those wishes.

 

This unity gave the USA an enormous energy that allowed the nation to accomplish far more, at less human cost, than the other major powers in the war. So during the dark years of the war where almost every citizen lost a loved one, music kept spirits high. 

 

Have you heard any of these popular songs, and if so, which is your favorite? 

 

Leave a comment and one lucky winner will win my book, A Texas Christmas Mystery. Please leave your email address so I can contact you for your address.

 

ANNE GREENE delights in writing about wounded heroes and gutsy heroines. Her second novel, a Scottish historical, Masquerade Marriage, won the New England Reader Choice award, the Laurel Wreath Award, and the Heart of Excellence Award. The sequel Marriage By Arrangement releases December 6, 2013. A Texas Christmas Mystery also won awards. Anne makes her home in McKinney, Texas. She graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor’s degree in Literary Studies from the University of Texas. Tim LaHaye led her to the Lord when she was twenty-one, and Chuck Swindoll is her Pastor. View Anne’s other books, her blog, travel pictures, and art work at http://www.AnneGreeneAuthor.com. Her highest hope is that her stories transport the reader to an awesome new world and touch hearts to seek a deeper spiritual relationship with the Lord Jesus.

 

Join Anne for excellent writing tips on her blog,

http://www.anneswritingupdates.blogspot.com.

 

Buy Anne’s books at http://www.PelicanBookGroup.com. Or at http://www.Amazon.com.

 

Don’t forget to leave a comment. Anne loves to talk with her fans.