A dessert spoonful will thicken half a pint. It may be made with milk, and flavoured at pleasure, and according to circumstances, if for the sick. The method of mixing is, to moisten the arrow-root with a very little liquid, and stir it into a smooth paste; then pour the rest of the milk to it in a boiling state, stirring it one way all the time, and a minute or two afterwards. If it is not thick, return it to the saucepan, but that wastes it. If you pour it carefully, it will be thick by mixing the milk, and quite smooth.

658. Gruel is made of Scotch oatmeal, or cracked groats, or common oatmeal. The Embden, or cracked groats, or Scotch oatmeal, is preferable to the common, both for flavour and nutriment, but cannot be made so quickly. A block-tin saucepan, or a brass skillet, is the best for preserving the colour of the gruel; and a hair sieve to strain. Set on the groats in cold water, half a pint to three quarts of water. Let it boil three quarters of an hour. In that time it will be reduced to two quarts. Then strain it. The groats may be boiled up again, and will make another quart of gruel, but they must be boiled longer than at first. Scotch oatmeal may be made a mess at a time. To a pint of water two ounces of oatmeal; mix it with a little cold water, and stir it into the rest while boiling. This may be strained or not. Let it boil ten minutes.

659. Robinson's prepared Groats are prepared in the same way, but do not require so much boiling; a large spoonful of this will make a pint of gruel. A bit of butter and salt are generally stirred in gruel; or sugar and nutmeg, according to taste.