my island in the Phillipines

When Barbara of Winos and Foodies announced that she would once again be hosting A Taste Of Yellow to celebrate LiveSTRONG Day I knew two things for sure: 1. That I was definitely participating (like I did last year!) and 2. What exactly I would make.

You may remember that Hay Hay it’s Donna Day round I hosted (serendipitously enough another event created by Barbara!) where I ended up with a stockpile of semolina after using just a smidgen for my pizza. A lot of you answered my plea for semolina recipes to effectively utilize my stash. To all of you: a big Thank You! I will be trying them out and if they end up on this blog you are certainly getting credit :)

The first semolina dish I decided to make was the simplest – Semolina Porridge. I have come across many a blog post reminiscing about childhood breakfasts with this. Even a good friend of mine (the very same one that made the Jollof rice for our weekend at the farm) remembered this long-ago breakfast staple – When she spied my semolina stash she immediately exclaimed, “This is for porridge!”

And when I found out, after casting my net in the Net, that this was none other than what is known in some parts of the world as Cream of Wheat, I realized it was part of my childhood breakfasts too!

So, for A Taste Of Yellow 2008, I’d like to submit these tiny yellow grains and the wholesome and comforting porridge they make…simple and humble, yet touching the memories of people from Europe, Africa, America, and all the way here to my island in the Phillipines.

- Heat milk in a heavy-bottomed saucepan until almost to the boil.
- Stirring with a wire whisk, add semolina in a thin stream.
- Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring continuously, then turn off the heat (or leave at the barest minimum) and cover the pan. Leave covered for about 15-20 minutes, stirring every now and then to prevent porridge from burning or forming a skin on its surface.
- Season the porridge with a little sugar, salt, and a pat of butter. Serve with fresh fruit, jam, honey, or any combination thereof! I've drizzled it with honey here :)

Semolina comes from durum wheat (and other hard and softer wheat) and is used in making pasta, couscous, and bulgur. It is also used to make puddings, desserts, and cakes. In India it is used to make rava dosa and upma. In Greece they use semolina to make halva (which has its own versions in Cyprus, Turkey, Iran, and other Arab countries). Cream of Wheat comes from semolina taken from a softer kind of wheat.

Please head over to Barbara’s for more information on A Taste of Yellow. This year, aside from posts about yellow food, there is also a photo contest! And even though I am far from a pro, and don’t quite know what all the buttons in my camera do yet, I am submitting the first photo above. That’s my husband’s LiveSTRONG band…he’s a biker too! :)