Breakfast can be absolutely fantastic. Forget the “good nutrition” stuff. It has the makings of lots of kinds of major food blowouts ... sausages of all kinds ... eggs cooked every which way ... orange juice and apple juice ... strawberries and apple slices ... cold cuts ... sugary cereals you know aren’t good for you ... biscuits and gravy. Let’s not forget the waffles, God bless ’em!
It’s all just a great smorgasbord.
I’ve got a business friend who for years has secretly dreamed of opening a breakfast-only joint. You know the type. Has a counter. Maybe looks a bit 1950s. You’ve got a couple of waitresses writing up the orders, and he’s in back in a tiny, hot kitchen just grinding out the order after order after order and sending food back through the little window. Bacon, yeah!
Do you like pancakes or waffles? Do you want cream with your coffee? And let’s not forget a good, hot cup of joe in the morning! What kind of sausage do you want?
TONS to be said for a steak and eggs breakfast. And biscuits and gravy. Corned beef and eggs.
Omelets can’t be taken lightly. These can be crudely thrown together, and stupidly overcooked ... or actual works of culinary distinction. Me, I make crepes. As crepe chef extraordinaire, I don’t get to eat any ... there’s no time to eat once the process gets rolling: I just whup them up one after another and dish them out to the family. Usually they go for Nutella spread, but I advocate apple butter, or going full French and using chestnut spread. Or going savory with it and doing something like a ham and cheese crepe. I’ve tried going fancier, and I’ve done the work and I’ve cooked gourmet crepes. Something different. It’s a nice treat for a Sunday.
We have the small blessing of fresh eggs. These are a whole ‘nother experience than you get with store-bought. Ask anyone who knows. These are so much tastier and so much fresher than the dozen you buy down at the grocery. Yolks are a bit darker. Cook them up nicely in butter, and man, just that egg with a slice of toast is a fine treat!
Like most folks, breakfast options can be so tempting that you have breakfast for supper!
Linda the gourmet chef, and wife to me, has sometimes done the full Olde English breakfast. You’ve got your beans and bangers, mushrooms and onions and tomatoes, eggs and other odd bits of stuff. Huge platter of food. It’s really the only meal you need for the day ... or at least, I’m guessing, until it’s teatime and you have a cookie or two. It is SUBSTANTIAL.
As a bachelor I used to whip up potato latkes for breakfast. Then go play hockey. These are also good heavy stomach ballast and you don’t need to eat for hours afterwards. They sustain.
I have no idea what the best breakfast can be ... and figuring it all out is a great “work in progress” to which I am committed!
- Todd Volker lives in Ottawa with his wife and son, and they enjoy reading, kayaking, hiking, tennis and camping. He’s a lifelong learner with books in his hands.