The problem of redundancy and other aesthetic questions

A few notes.  I've been running out of breakfasts to post about.  This doesn't mean I love breakfast any less, but there simply has been a lot of redundancy.  Perhaps I've reached the limits of this home breakfast blog - although I do love eggs and this hasn't been terribly egg-centric.  I also imagine I would like to begin to document lovely and amazing breakfasts served in the vast sea of cafes, restaurants and hotels in this big and beautiful world of ours.  I have not given up on that as a possibility.  It is a lovely and idyllic dream.

Now, as for today's breakfast, I need to straight up admit that while the above-pictured La Brea Bakery pecan raisin toast was nice, I've solidly decided that it has been demoted to third best of my current faves.  First place hands down goes to Weaver Street Market's walnut raisin (yes I know it's not pecan and therein might alone be a huge flavor difference, but they're really quite similar - similar enough to compare - and this, after all, my blog so I kind of make the rules).  The WSM version is just super crusty and has a sour dough-ish tang to it.  All in all it's heartier and has more soul.  This kind of makes me sad, actually.  I used to live around the corner from La Brea Avenue in Los Angeles, around the corner from the actual La Brea Bakery.  This was a magical place and I'm wondering - nay, I'm assuming - that the version that I'm now purchasing at the Harris Teeter Market in Carrboro, North Carolina, has been created for the mass market - baked, frozen, shipped and finished at the market.  Somewhere in that process something has been lost.  Sad.

As for my current second-place fave that one goes solidly to the Whole Foods version.  It's quite good.

That's it for now - we'll see what the next post brings...

Breakfast adventures in the real world

Once again I was so focused on my breakfast that I dug in before documenting the unbitten version.  I have my kindly breakfast companion to thank for pointing out that perhaps I might want to grab an image before proceeding.  Here we have a local diner breakfast.  Breadman's in Chapel Hill, NC.  Custom omelet with broccoli, provolone, salsa, sour cream with home fries (extra crispy) and rye toast (with, by request, real butter).  I know it's kind of sad that one has to specify the butter to be real, but at least they give you the option.  Note the charming golden packages of Land O' Lakes butter.  Hot coffee, water.  Service completely on point.  Like ridiculously on point.  Every picky detail was taken care of like for example I prefer to have the ingredients in my omelet folded in - the chef there sometimes floats the cheese on top.  Done.  Extra crispy home fries.  Done.  The aforementioned real butter.  Done, done and done. And it was served piping hot.

Encore! Encore!

Yesterday's breakfast was so enjoyable, I thought to myself, why not bring back the magic today?

Proof of a nice breakfast

This morning I was so jazzed about breakfast that I began before documenting it (hence the bite out of the toast).  Here we have unparalleled raisin walnut toast (by the bread artisans @ Weaver Street Market in Carrboro, North Carolina), Couturier goat cheese (mild, creamy), perfect organic Valencia orange slices (sweet! juicy!), hot coffee, water, and the most mild spring day.  The world outside is draped in a sheer overlay of pale yellow pollen. 

Evidence.  Fig. No. 1.  This orange was so ideal I needed to prove to you that it was, indeed, THAT good.

Better late than never

Hot buttered seeded toast with thinly sliced sharp cheddar and organic flame raisins.  Hot coffee.  Water.  Late enough in the day for this to be brunch.  Or lunch, really.  But as I stated earlier, the first meal is by definition breakfast.  And this is no exception.  The savory element and substantial bite of the cheddar makes this a meal that will keep me going until dinnertime.  I'll leave that meal for others to blog about.

Every morning a new opportunity

I suppose by now it has become apparent that the ideal breakfast is not fancy.  Which is not to say that once in a while a fancy breakfast is not worthwhile or special or important or valid.  Not at all.  However think about it.  Breakfast is an opportunity that you get every day.  There are plenty of missed opportunities in life but breakfast - you get a shot at that one pretty much every day.  And please know that for this I am grateful.  Food is precious and if you're reading this you're most likely sufficiently nourished to indulge in reveries about lovely ways to start your morning.  So, you and I, we're both doing ok.

Here we have seeded toast with salted organic butter drizzled with clover honey.  Hot coffee.  Water.  And the sounds of birds welcoming the spring through the backdoor screen.