Porridge is a big deal in Denmark – when you have a baby you are recommended to start weaning them with baby porridge and for adults there is a vast selection of porridge oats available in supermarkets – the oldest and most popular brand being Solgryn with its eye-catching red and yellow box which has hardly changed in design over the years. Porridge here is the real thing, no Ready Brek glow for the Danes!

There is even a cafe, Grød, (with an outlet in Torvehallerne) devoted to porridge of all kinds from traditional oats to millet and spelt. A friend of mine said the porridge she had at Grød was the best she had ever tasted outside Scotland – a compliment indeed.

But what is it about porridge and Denmark (and indeed Scotland)? It can probably be traced back to Viking times. Vikings were big consumers of grains and also dairy products and of their two meals a day at least one was porridge. Before Industrialisation in the 1860s, porridge was still a very popular dish in Denmark and continued after that time.

Solgryn was first produced in 1898 and over the years has been advertised by a number of high profile Danish sports people, most recently Micheal Laudrup (I confess I had to Google him but then I know nothing about sport).

You can easily get your hands of porridge on the go here, MacDonalds offer it on their breakfast menu (which I have noticed are often very influenced by local tastes), you can get little pots from Grød at the 7Eleven which you just add water to.

As we move into the winter months, my magic porridge pot will certainly be getting some use. How about you, are you a true Viking porridge lover?