Pease Porridge Hot

"Pease Porridge Hot" is a traditional English children's rhyme and singing game with a history deeply intertwined with a long-standing culinary dish. Its earliest recorded version appeared around 1760 in John Newbery's "Mother Goose's Melody," where it was presented as a riddle concluding with "Pease Porridge in the Pot. Nine Days old, Spell me that in four Letters? I will, THAT," with later versions expanding to include the familiar chorus "Some like it hot, Some like it cold, Some like it in the pot, nine days old." The rhyme refers to a type of pea-based porridge known today as pease pudding (called pease pottage in Middle English), a dish that significantly predates the rhyme with origins tracing back to at least the 14th century. Pease porridge was a staple in British cuisine during medieval times and into the 18th century, particularly popular among poorer families due to being inexpensive, filling, and capable of being stored and reheated over several days—with a recipe even appearing in "The Forme of Cury," a royal cookbook from King Richard II's court dating to approximately 1390. The line "nine days old" reflects the reality of food preservation before refrigeration, where pease porridge could be consumed hot, cold, or reheated even after being in the pot for several days. Beyond its culinary roots, "Pease Porridge Hot" endures as a traditional English children's hand-clapping game, often played in pairs.