MAKE A SWEET START | Polenta taragna, a northern Italian specialty made with cornmeal and buckwheat, becomes a treat with a drizzle of maple syrup or molasses. OR SKEW SAVORY | Garnishes of peanuts, chives and fiery chili-sesame oil dress up a simple, soothing rice porridge infused with warming ginger. James Ransom for The Wall Street Journal, Food Styling by Jamie Kimm, Prop Styling by Daniel Murphy


But all that has changed and, along with a toasty pair of socks and a mug of tea, a steaming bowl of cereal is my new favorite way to ease into a dark winter's morning. Maybe my conversion is a natural consequence of age. A proper porridge's subtle flavor and long simmering on the stove do seem to demand an adult's restraint and patience. Or maybe I'd just never had a really good rendition. Rolled oats are the porridge base most Americans encounter, but there is a wide world of tasty grains out there—from amaranth to quinoa—that benefit greatly from a bath of water or milk and prolonged, gentle cooking.

My palate is partial to cornmeal, which yields a soothing, sunny porridge with a faint sweetness. Whether you call it grits or polenta or plain old mush, it's perfectly delicious plain and even more irresistible when shot through with nutty kernels of toasted buckwheat—a hearty preparation known as polenta taragna in the Lombardy region of northern Italy.


Beyond that, a pat of butter and a sprinkle of coarse brown sugar lend some creaminess and crunch. Or, if you're feeling a bit more indulgent, you can take my lead and nod to Indian pudding—a Yankee cornmeal dessert I spooned up eagerly whenever it was placed before me as a child—with a generous glug of molasses or dark maple syrup.

Still, there are mornings when my sweet tooth sleeps in and I want something closer to the salty end of the spectrum. To my mind, the savory breakfast cereal of champions is congee, a silky, soupy rice porridge that is thought to have originated in China during the Zhou dynasty and remains a morning staple throughout East Asia. In its most elemental form, congee is nothing more than rice simmered in stock or water until the grains disintegrate. It's the garnishes that let a cook get creative.

In China, laba zhou—a rich rice porridge of assorted grains, red beans, nuts and dried fruits—is traditionally eaten in early-to-mid-January, to kick off the celebration of the Lunar New Year. But even simple additions, like chopped scallions or a dash of fish sauce, can make a congee sing.

In deep midwinter, when roast chicken is my Sunday-supper constant, I often simmer a stock from the leftover bones. Monday morning, into my biggest pot that goes, along with a cup of rice, a flurry of salt and a knob of fresh ginger. An hour later, the kitchen is fragrant and cozy, and my stomach is rumbling. Finished with fiery chili-sesame oil and a spoonful of crushed peanuts, the result is a grown-up porridge that never fails to make my inner Oliver Twist beg for more.

Cornmeal and Buckwheat Porridge

Total Time: 1 hour Serves: 6

⅓ cup kasha

8 cups water

1⅓ cups polenta (not instant)

Pinch of salt

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

Grade B maple syrup and/or dark molasses (optional)

1. Grind kasha: Add kasha to a blender or food processor and pulse briefly until grains are coarsely broken up. Set aside.

2. Bring water to boil over medium-high heat in a medium-large saucepan. Stir in polenta, kasha and salt. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring often, until grains are tender and consistency is thick but not dry or stiff, about 40 minutes. (Add more water to the pan as needed.)

3. To serve, ladle porridge into bowls while hot. Top each portion with a pat of butter and a generous drizzle of maple syrup and/or molasses, if using.

Ginger Chicken Congee

Total Time: 1¼ hours Serves: 6

4 cups chicken stock

6 cups water

1 2-inch piece ginger, peeled and minced

1 cup long grain white rice, such as jasmine

1½ teaspoons salt, plus more to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

Chopped chives, for garnish

Crushed peanuts, for garnish

Chili-sesame oil, for garnish

1. In a medium-large saucepan, combine stock, water, ginger, rice and 1½ teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then stir and reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until rice has broken down and congee has consistency of a thin oatmeal, about 1 hour. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

2. Ladle congee into bowls. Garnish each portion with chives, peanuts and a drizzle of oil.