Brose

It is recorded in 1794 that single men, working on farms in the Carse of Gowrie and living in primitive bothies where they had to prepare and cook their own food, were given by the farmer, as part of their wages, a daily supply of food per person consisting of 2lb 4oz (1 kg, 9 c) oatmeal, 1 pt (600 ml, 2½ c) fresh milk, 2pt (11, 5 c) buttermilk, and a little salt. It is just possible that they could have consumed a 12 oz (350 g, 3 c) bowlful of oats for each of their three meals! Given that the average cattlemen worked a ten and a half hour day, spread over the time from 5.30 a.m. to 8 p.m., it is not surprising that the meal mostly ended up in a bowl with water, sometimes heated, but often enough cold. Brose, three times a day, and in such quantities! No wonder they tired of it, no wonder the habit declined. For some, even today the idea of eating brose conjures up poverty and deprivation.