[SallyintNorth]

A very nice Scottish spinner of my acquaintance (description fits fleecewife, but it wasn't fleecewife as it happens ) gave me a spirtle recently.  She'd previously told me you could use one as a nostepinne (for winding a ball of yarn.)

Now, I had recently treated myself to a pukka nostepinne (having made do with the inner of a loo roll for years) so didn't really need another.  But it's a very nice spirtle, and I love using things that people have bought me, and thinking about them as I use them, so I've been using it as a nostepinne.

However, I also make porridge every morning.  I cook it in a cast-iron saucepan, with the spoon I will use to eat it with resting in there for stirring purposes. 

A relative with Scottish connections told me that she thinks porridge stirred with a spirtle is better than porridge stirred with a spoon.

Given that I eat the porridge with the spoon I use to stir it, using the spirtle would mean more washing up.

Discuss!  (please  )

[Louise Gaunt]

I think you need to try porridge with the spirtle (I suggest taking the yarn off first!) and see if you feel the improvement in taste is worth the extra washing up!

[Bionic]

Seeing as I don't know what a spirtle is and that I make my porridge in a microwave I am just going to sit back and watch the comments from others 

[Buttermilk]

My spirtle got pinched by the OH for stirring his paint.  Now I only use it for mixing the animal feeds.

[benandjerry]

Seeing as I don't know what a spirtle is and that I make my porridge in a microwave I am just going to sit back and watch the comments from others 

Ditto 

[Fleecewife]

I used to use a spirtle (it's just a stick  ) for porridge til someone nicked it. Now I use a wooden spatula so the porridge doesn't get stuck on the bottom of the pot.  Trying to keep one spatula for porridge only is my problem, and if you use one which has stirred something strongly flavoured, no matter how you've scrubbed it, there will be a hint of taste in your breakfast.  That's where a spirtle is supreme, because it's not much use for anything else so doesn't get used for curry and doesn't spoil your porridge.
I don't use a nostepinne so I've never tried a spirtle for that, even if I still had mine  .

[ballingall]

I don't use a spirtle, but I do use a wooden spoon to stir it with. Therefore I still have two implements to wash. I don't like porridge done in the microwave, on the hob it tastes much better.    So I think you should try a spirtle.


Beth

[RUSTYME]

I cook on a camp fire atm and use an enamel sausepan , a metal  spoon to stir and eat with . Even cooking on a camp fire it doesn't stick  , so far !  Spoon or whatever , as long as it is cooked , i don't care really .

[SallyintNorth]

I totally agree that porridge is miles better cooked on the hob.  I always used to do it in the microwave until the microwave broke 8 years ago.  I've never replaced it and I wouldn't use if for porridge even if I got another.

I see the benefits of the 'porridge only' wooden stirrer... just wonder whether there is something about the consistency, perhaps, which is better if stirred by stick rather than spoon.  (And/or wood rather than metal - although as FW says, it needs to be uncontaminated wood.)

I'm actually loathe to test it unless I have some confidence I'll like it better, because once it's been used for porridge I think I won't use it for winding wool any more.  Now, it's not as good a nostepinne as the purpose-made one I bought, but as I said above, I do love using things that someone has given me, so I would hate to end up with this gift unused! 

I suppose if I find I don't want to use it for porridge, I can always use it to stir the raddle!   

[sabrina]

As I don't have a spirtle I use a wooden spoon when making porridge .

[devonlady]

I too use a wooden spoon to stir porridge, it seems more right somehow. Also, I cook my porridge oats in water adding a pinch of salt and nothing more.
Should I ever come across a spirtle I will certainly use it.

[Fleecewife]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spurtle

Funny - it was originally a spatula, which is what I use.

Easy enough to make your own.

[Bionic]

Ahhh, it sort of looks like a dibber but a bit longer 

[devonlady]

I will make one! What type of wood does anyone recommend, ash or hazel? I don't have any beech.

[Fleecewife]

Ash