Breakfast

[Mattical]

What do you have for breakfast?

I usually have a muffin or something, breakfast isn’t really my meal.

Just looking for inspiration.

[jbuck919]

Well, breakfast is my meal, and I like a hearty one. At the post in Bamberg I can get a mess hall breakfast with all the trimmings for under $2.00. I usually take bacon or sausage, eggs (which I enjoy just about every way), potatoes, and fruit. If I'm making my own I skip the potatoes and like English muffins when I can't get bagels. Back in the States I'll do the same and sometimes vary it by having toaster waffles, because I have access to real maple syrup here. Always juice and coffee, too.

Many of you probably do not know about the traditional German buffet breakfast, which, far from being continental, is very hearty--one of the best things Germany has to offer. I only get to indulge when I stay at hotels, but it includes a variety of high-end coldcuts and cheeses, fresh breads, smoked salmon, fruit, yogurt, and in better hotels omlets to order. Also American style coffee (or maybe we serve German style coffee). I could and occasionally have sat there most of the morning.

[Ralph]

Usually just have time for a bagel with butter or cream cheese and juice.

[mourningstar]

If i ever have the time for it, without being hasty and all, i'll go for the English breakfast. but most of the time, i'll eat some commerical tasty fastmeal poridge

[RebLem]

My breakfast is usually built around 2 or 3 eggs, over easy, scrambled, or in omelets. I make eggs in any configuration myself. Favorite filling combos for omelets are onions and cheddar cheese, sauteed mushrooms and cheddar cheese, feta cheese with (sometimes) spinach. Usually, I prefer the usual American single fold omelet, favored in the US, not because, as snobby French lore has it, because American chefs don't know how to do French omelets (I do, and occasionally do make one), but because American tastes call for a higher proportion of filling to egg than can be accommodated in a French omelet. Sometimes, that isn't even enough for me, though, and I make an open faced omelet or fritatta. Once in a while, I will do the other kind of American omelet, the thin trifold omelet. In some ways, that's the easiest, because there is little stirring involved. You just pour the whipped eggs into a large buttered pan so that it spreads out very thin, reduce heat, and wait for it to set. Covering it while it does so is an option which helps it to set a bit more evenly. Then add filling, cover again for a minute if cheese is involved, so it can melt, and fold. Salt it while its in the pan setting. Don't do it beforehand, and don't wait until service to do it. I usually pepper it in the pan, too.

Sometimes, I make myself hash browns. The way to do this is to peel (or not) the potatoes, slice to an even thinness, two ways so you have them more or less julienned, put in lightly salted water, bring to a rapid boil, remove from heat as soon as rapid boiling starts, then drain and spread on a parchment covered sheet pan and dehydrate in the oven (can be a toaster oven). Don't dehydrate in the microwave unless you want to fry them up without additional ingredients--I like to add onions, and sometimes bacon bits (bacon cooked and then cut up, not the ready made fast food bacon bits. I like to cook them in the microwave to drain the fat in the process, then cut, but you can cut them up and then fry them, too). Sometimes I will add bell peppers (red or yellow preferred) for color, and/or. sometimes, a finely diced jalapeno or some tobasco for heat. Then, fry 'em up in a sautee pan with peanut oil. Mix everything well before panning; crowd them in, thinly, in the pan, and wait for the edges to brown, the sign they are ready to be turned. Put a plate, serving side down, on top of the pan, turn, and let the potatoes fall out onto the plate, fried side up. Reoil the pan, heat a bit, then slide the potatoes, uncooked side down, back in the pan and cook. Presentation is important; if making a tradiotional American one fold, half-moon omelet, position it with the curve outward on the plate, and the potatoes in the same half moon shape on the other side of the plate. A line of quartered cherry tomatoes to separate them makes a nice, practical, edible garnish. Sprinkle the whole with chopped or dried parsley. Oh, yes, and an English muffin thinly buttered before toasting in the toaster oven is good. You might want to apply a very thin layer of preserves or jam afterward; my favorites are strawberry, apricot, and pear preserves. Top off with an outsize cup of New Mexican pinon coffee, and 6 oz of cranberry juice for the beverages.

Or, do the potatoes as above, with all kinds of add-ins, then put your eggs--sunnyside up or over easy, on top of the potatoes.

Other times, I will make steel cut oats with raisins, coffee, and toast or English muffin.

This morning, though, I am just having a ready made garlic bagel from a gourmet bagel shop, with chive cream cheese.

[Lark Ascending]

On weekdays, a brand of muesli called Alpen (without milk which I dislike) and a cup of black coffee. At weekends, fruit and coffee.

[david johnson]

teh best breakfst is -

biscuits made with lard and buttermilk
fried salt pork
gravy
cold milk
black coffee
oj

dj

[Corlyss_D]

Usually instant oatmeal with lots of cinnamon, nutmeg, peaches, pecans, drenched in half-and-half, all of which is to conceal from me the fact that I am eating oatmeal, which I can't stand. It usually works. My stomach seems to approve, and as long as I can't taste the oatmeal, I'm happy. Occasionally a can of Ensure. Once a week I join a friend for Brunch at IHOP for swedish pancakes (more like crepes) and lignon berries and the best ordinary coffee on the planet.

[miranda]

In the spring and summer: buttered toast, sliced fresh fruit, iced tea or iced coffee.

In the fall and winter: instant oatmeal with milk and honey, hot tea/hot coffee.

[RebLem]

Usually instant oatmeal with lots of cinnamon, nutmeg, peaches, pecans, drenched in half-and-half, all of which is to conceal from me the fact that I am eating oatmeal, which I can't stand. It usually works. My stomach seems to approve, and as long as I can't taste the oatmeal, I'm happy.

I am not particularly fond of the flat flaked mealy kind of oatmeal, but steel cut oatmeal is a different matter. Have you ever tried it?

[Corlyss_D]

Usually instant oatmeal with lots of cinnamon, nutmeg, peaches, pecans, drenched in half-and-half, all of which is to conceal from me the fact that I am eating oatmeal, which I can't stand. It usually works. My stomach seems to approve, and as long as I can't taste the oatmeal, I'm happy.

I am not particularly fond of the flat flaked mealy kind of oatmeal, but steel cut oatmeal is a different matter. Have you ever tried it?

No. Who makes it? I'll enquire at the groceries after it.

[Ralph]

From fatfree.com:

* Subject: Answer re differences between Steel cut oatmeal as opposed to rolled oats
* From: RBrown9213@xxxxxxx
* Date: Tue, 1 May 2001 09:25:00 EDT

To the individual who sought information on the difference between steel and
rolled oats, I recalled having saved to my personal filing cabinet the
following e-mail which I received from Dr. Mirkin's office approximately a
year ago regarding my query as to the differences between steel cut oats and
rolled oats:
<< 1) All types of oatmeal have all of the nutrients intact (nothing is
removed), but if you're diabetic or trying to lose weight, the larger the
pieces, the better. Whole oat groats (the seeds themselves) are available
in some health food and specialty stores, and cook up the same way as
oatmeal but take a longer time to cook. Next best are the Irish or
Scottish-type oatmeal cereals (often sold in metal cans) called steel-cut
oats; the seeds have just been broken up. Next best are rolled whole oats
(the long-cooking Quaker Oats type that come in round cardboard boxes). The
quick-cooking oats and instant oatmeal are least desirable -- the quicker it
cooks, the quicker it is broken down in your intestines, causing higher rise
in blood sugar.>>

[RebLem]

Usually instant oatmeal with lots of cinnamon, nutmeg, peaches, pecans, drenched in half-and-half, all of which is to conceal from me the fact that I am eating oatmeal, which I can't stand. It usually works. My stomach seems to approve, and as long as I can't taste the oatmeal, I'm happy.

I am not particularly fond of the flat flaked mealy kind of oatmeal, but steel cut oatmeal is a different matter. Have you ever tried it?

No. Who makes it? I'll enquire at the groceries after it.

Its available in the bulk section of most health food stores like Whole Foods, but it is also marketed in packages and cans as McCann's Irish Oatmeal. Just look in the hot cereals section of almost any supermarket. Its good with raisins, or dried, rehydrated cranberries.

You can even buy it on Amazon.
link

[Brendan]

Coffee. Too old for beer.

[Solitary Wanderer]

Monday - Saturday; One slice of wheat and gluton-free bread toasted with butter and vegemite. One 'Power shake' consisting of 300mls rice milk, 3 Tp coconut milk, one peeled banana, handful of almonds, 2 tp ground linseed, 2 tp yeast flakes. Whizz the lot up with a stick blender.

Sunday; Cooked 'brunch'. 1 organic sasuage, fried potatoes, 1 fried egg. 1 soy chai latte.

I don't drink coffee.

[Corlyss_D]

vegemite.

You mean people actually eat that stuff? I thought it was a national joke.

[Solitary Wanderer]

vegemite.

You mean people actually eat that stuff? I thought it was a national joke.

Oh yes its quite delicious! Actually I have vegemite for 4 months of the year, smooth peanut butter for four months and apricot jam for the remainder. I like variety.

[Brendan]

If I have breakfast at all, toast and vegemite is it. Delicious.

[Ralph]

If I have breakfast at all, toast and vegemite is it. Delicious.

*****



UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Solitary Wanderer]

If I have breakfast at all, toast and vegemite is it. Delicious.

*****



UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have a friend in Minnesota whom I've coresponded with for several years. I suggested to my wife [Canadian] that I send him some 'kiwi' food treats like vegemite. Wife said 'bad idea';they hate it in North America.

I'm interested to know if you folks have actually tried it? Is it available there? Why is it disliked so much?

[Corlyss_D]

I'm interested to know if you folks have actually tried it? Is it available there? Why is it disliked so much?

The reports of noxious fumes and tarry consistency sort of dampened my curiosity.

[Brendan]

The American sweet-tooth finds such salty, savoury goodness unpalatable. Weird, IMHO. But calling it 'kiwi' is worse!

[Madame]

To the dismay of those who love me, I have absolutely NO appetite when I get up in the morning. On the other hand, I don't like having the room spin on me by mid-morning.

I actually like a bowl of bran/whole wheat bites, no sweetener, with vanilla soy milk, and a piece of fruit. I never buy eggs or bacon or sausage. If I get a hankering for that kind of breakfast, I go down the road to my fave home-style restaurant and get the whole works, max every 2 weeks.

I used to love fresh side pork, but cooking it was a mess, loads of grease. I don't even see it in the stores any more.

I keep a supply of energy and protein bars on hand.

[Ralph]

If I have breakfast at all, toast and vegemite is it. Delicious.

*****



UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have a friend in Minnesota whom I've coresponded with for several years. I suggested to my wife [Canadian] that I send him some 'kiwi' food treats like vegemite. Wife said 'bad idea';they hate it in North America.

I'm interested to know if you folks have actually tried it? Is it available there? Why is it disliked so much?

*****

Yes, I once tried it (Vegemite too). It's AWFUL!!!!!!!!!!

[Solitary Wanderer]

But calling it 'kiwi' is worse!

Heh heh

[Barry]

I generally don't eat breakfast food during the week. I don't have to be at work until close to noon, so I sleep a little late and eat lunch an hour or two after getting to the office.
But I do like to go out for brunch on the weekends and eat things like pancakes, breakfast burritos with eggs, ham, onions and cheese, and bagels with some kind of smoked fish and cream cheese.

I also like the traditional southern breakfast of eggs, grilled ham, grits and biscuits. You may be able to find all of those things in Philly, but not many places have all of them. So it's a rare treat for me.

[Brendan]

Vegemite is not only delicious as a sandwich spread on its own, many Aussies use it instead of salt in many recipes. An all-pupose wonder-product more potent than snake-oil.

[Solitary Wanderer]

Vegemite is not only delicious as a sandwich spread on its own, many Aussies use it instead of salt in many recipes. An all-pupose wonder-product more potent than snake-oil.

Delicious as a hot drink too!

[DavidRoss]

Varies tremendously. Always coffee or tea, usually milk or juice. A light meal might consist of a bagel and sour cream or bowl of hot Wheatena with butter or maybe oatmeal with dried cranberries. Sometimes buttermilk pancakes or waffles with butter and maple syrup and occasionally French toast with honey. Maybe some granola or muesli with yogurt and fresh berries—or on the less healthy side, a batch of cornpone. Often a burrito with scrambled eggs and ham or chorizo and maybe some pan fried potatoes and cheese. Eggs, fried with toast and sometimes bacon or sausage, or loosely scrambled, often with cheese, onions, ham, etc. mixed in. Omelets, with whatever’s handy for filling—cheese, chopped tomatoes, ham, red or green peppers, avocado, alfalfa sprouts. Sunday mornings are often a special day, eating out or maybe making eggs benedict or migas with fresh tortillas and whipping up a thick, yummy fruit smoothie on the side. And then there’s my guilty pleasure—canned corned beef hash! Yum!

[Corlyss_D]

An all-pupose wonder-product more potent than snake-oil.

Are we talking flavor here, or laxitive?

[Brendan]

An all-pupose wonder-product more potent than snake-oil.

Are we talking flavor here, or laxitive?

This is starting to get old - and from folk of the nation that invented (and drinks!) Dr Pepper! To wash down their gross peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches! Made me nauseous as a kid to watch others hooking into such a vile concoction.

Just goes to show that even taste buds can be culturally determined/biased.

[RebLem]

Peanut butter is delicious, but I prefer jam or preserves rather than jelly. Strawberry is my favorite.

Peanut butter is also good with apples cut into slices. Just slather it on, and it tastes like taffy apples.

[Madame]

I also like the traditional southern breakfast of eggs, grilled ham, grits and biscuits. You may be able to find all of those things in Philly, but not many places have all of them. So it's a rare treat for me.

Brought back memories of a sweet and funny old boyfriend from Maine -- he went out for breakfast and the waitress tried to convince him to order grits as a change from his usual hash browns. He gave her "that" grin and said, OK, I'll try a couple of 'em.

[Fugu]

I usually eat shredded wheat or some other high fiber cereal. I then make a smoothie with 2-3 bananas, frozen berries, etc. from Costco, yogurt, milk or soy milk.

Don't eat a whole lot for breakfast but I can't eat bacon, eggs, or toast for breakfast.

[Corlyss_D]

This is starting to get old - and from folk of the nation that invented (and drinks!) Dr Pepper! To wash down their gross peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches!

Here's what I don't understand: if you want salt in your food, add salt. What does the vegemite add besides salt? What's the flavor? We have it on good authority that everything not beef or fish tastes like chicken. Does vegemite taste like chicken?

[Brendan]

No, vegemite does not taste like chicken. It is salty and savoury, without being pure salt. But how does one describe a flavour utterly familiar (to me) yet utterly alien (to you)? Describe 'red' to someone blind from birth. Saying "It's like marmite and promite but yummy" is the truth but probably doesn't help.

Perhaps its unique flavour means its enjoyment derives from early exposure, like lutfisk or something.

[Corlyss_D]

No, vegemite does not taste like chicken. It is salty and savoury, without being pure salt. But how does one describe a flavour utterly familiar (to me) yet utterly alien (to you)? Describe 'red' to someone blind from birth. Saying "It's like marmite and promite but yummy" is the truth but probably doesn't help.

Perhaps its unique flavour means its enjoyment derives from early exposure, like lutfisk or something.

Oh! Why didn't you say it was made of brewers yeast! I found a nice little site on it. I'll try to find some here or in Canada.

[Brendan]

Saying "It tastes like it is made from brewer's yeast" didn't quite convey the yummyness factor I was looking for.

[Corlyss_D]

Saying "It tastes like it is made from brewer's yeast" didn't quite convey the yummyness factor I was looking for.

Well, I've et brewers yeast and it don't scare me none.

[Mattical]

lol Corylss.