For a very long time (in fact, right up to the moment I began this article) I thought there was no such thing as gruel. I considered it to be a fictional food item used as a literary device to indicate when a story's hero or heroine was being mistreated.

So imagine my surprise when I took a moment to do a little research for this article and discovered that, lo and behold, gruel really does exist! However, I am not quite sure why anyone would want to eat it. According to Mr. Breakfast (mrbreakfast.com), gruel is a "thin porridge or soup (made of rice, flour or millet)." From the recipes shown on the Mr. Breakfast website, emphasis in a description of gruel should be on the word "thin." "Watery" is another word that could be used to describe gruel, as are "bland" and "tasteless". No wonder so many authors use this substance to illustrate anguish and woe!

One of the most famous applications of gruel is, of course, in Charles Dickens' "Oliver Twist". The cruelly treated orphans had nothing but gruel to eat and even that was offered so stingily that poor Oliver felt the need to ask for more. I think that life must be pretty dismal if one is moved to want more gruel.

Fairy tales are another place where gruel plays a starring role. The Brothers Grimm fed gruel to everyone from Hansel & Gretel to Cinderella. Actually, I am not sure if Cinderella ever really did eat gruel but it certainly would have fit right in with her impoverished lifestyle.

Gruel seems to have gone out of style as a device of literary torture upon the beginning of the 20th century. This may be because by that time man had invented many more intriguing ways to torture people. However, all is not lost for gruel just because it no longer has a place in literary fiction. Modern-day citizens can still experience the benefits of gruel by using it to plaster wallpaper. In fact, gruel may very well find new fame this Halloween as it would be perfect for crafting papier mache masks, pinatas and party favors.

Learn more about this author, Mara Yoresh.
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