The magic of the spurtle: How Scotland turns humble oats into world-class art

NPR | By Lauren Frayer

Published August 22, 2026 at 6:43 AM CDT

Porridge has three ingredients: Oats, water and salt. Each fall, foodies gather in Scotland to answer that question. Welcome to the Golden Spurtle! The World Porridge Championships.

Lauren Frayer

Lauren Frayer is NPR's international correspondent based in London.

See stories by Lauren Frayer

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