Nosey Nanci wrote:
> Of the store bought brands, which is the best tasting? Oprah says she
> likes steel cut oatmeal. What exactly is that?
>
> Lastly, what is the best way to serve oatmeal? My buddy likes it with
> butter and sugar. I would like to read your opinions and suggestions,
> especially when naming the best brands to get and what to avoid.
I like steel cut oats best, they have the best texture and because they
are far less processed than rolled oats they also have a more oaten
flavor. Since steel cut oats require more time and effort to prepare I
prefer the slow cooker method, where I cook enough to last me like 4-5
days, keep in the fridge and reheat in the microwave as needed. I've
found that the best flavored steel cut oats and also the least
expensive are avaialble at:
http://store.honeyvillegrain.com/ind...arch=GO&Page=1
The 50lb sack is a great buy... it seems like a lot but perhaps you
can find someone to share.
How to season oatmeal is only limited by your imagination.... I usually
add a pat of butter and a drizzle of honey.
oats
According to a definition in Samuel Johnson's 1755 Dictionary of the
English Language , oats were "a grain which in England is generally
given to horses, but which in Scotland supports the people." Since oats
are by far the most nutritious of the cereal grasses, it would appear
that the Scots were ahead of the rest of us. Today, whole oats are
still used as animal fodder. Humans don't usually consume them until
after the oats have been cleaned, toasted, hulled and cleaned again,
after which time they become oat groats (which still contain most of
the original nutrients). Oat groats can be cooked and served as cereal,
or prepared in the same manner as rice and used as a side dish or in a
dish such as a salad or stuffing. When steamed and flattened with huge
rollers, oat groats become regular rolled oats (also called
old-fashioned oats ). They take about 15 minutes to cook. Quick-cooking
rolled oats are groats that have been cut into several pieces before
being steamed and rolled into thinner flakes. Though they cook in about
5 minutes, many think the flavor and texture are never quite as
satisfying as with regular rolled oats. Old-fashioned oats and
quick-cooking oats can usually be interchanged in recipes. Instant
oats, however, are not interchangeable because they're made with cut
groats that have been precooked and dried before being rolled. This
precooking process so softens the oat pieces that, after being combined
with a liquid, the mixture can turn baked goods such as muffins or
cookies into gooey lumps. Most instant oatmeal is packaged with salt,
sugar and other flavorings. Scotch oats or steel-cut oats or Irish
oatmeal are all names for groats that have been cut into 2 to 3 pieces
and not rolled. They take considerably longer to cook than rolled oats
and have a decidedly chewy texture. Oat flour is made from groats that
have been ground into powder. It contains no gluten, however, so -
for baked goods that need to rise, like yeast breads - must be
combined with a flour that does. Oat bran is the outer casing of the
oat and is particularly high in soluble fiber, thought to be a leading
contender in the fight against high cholesterol. Oat bran, groats,
flour and Scotch oats are more likely to be found in health-food stores
than supermarkets. Oats are high in vitamin B-1 and contain a good
amount of vitamins B-2 and E.
© Copyright Barron's Educational Services, Inc. 1995 based on THE FOOD
LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.
---
Sheldon