What’s for Breakfast?

What’s for Breakfast?

This was the discussion between my self and two other guys the other evening.

Me? I can remember Saturday mornings with pizza when I was growing up. I didn’t warm it up – just ate it cold. Those were the days before microwaves, so we’d put it in the oven, or toaster oven, or skillet. But more often than not, I’d eat it cold. I was in a hurry!

Typically, we had pizza on Friday nights in my childhood. Detroit has TWO big threes … the big three automakers (GM, Ford, Chrysler) and the big three pizza makers (Domino’s, Little Ceasar’s, Hungry Howie’s). Pizza Hut, and Pizza Inn were around then, but not able to compete with not only these three, but also the neighborhood places in the ethnic communities around Detroit. Papa John’s and Cici’s came MUCH later!

Well, there would sometimes be a slice or two left over and many guys I knew thought it was great on Saturday. I developed re-warming pizza into an art … in an electric skillet using some foil or a pie pan; in the toaster oven with a touch of olive oil; on the grill with a some oak wood to flavor it; adding some ingredients like olive salad or cheese; there were LOTS of ways to “salvage” leftover pizza.

I was appalled to find out my neighbors actually threw away the extra pizza. I’m pretty sure it embarrassed my dad when the neighbors would then bring over their left-overs to our back door about 10pm on Friday nights for Mike. Geeeez ... it’s like he didn’t feed me enough. Yes, at one time I made the comment – “we’d have a lot of money if dad didn’t spend it all on food.”

Living in Texas, we decided our favorite quick breakfast has become breakfast tacos. Any kind of meat (bacon, sausage, chorizo), some potatoes, eggs, onions, some cheese … whatever fits into a warm tortilla. YUM.

But then our breakfast discussion got around to the several fast food chains offering chicken and biscuits for breakfast.

“You can’t have chicken for breakfast,” said Chip, a Mississippi native who studied at the University of William Faulkner. “You gotta have PORK for breakfast.”

Indeed, a great Southern breakfast includes pork - either sausage or bacon, maybe ham - and all kinds of other goodies, like maybe pancakes, but surely hash browns, biscuits, grits, cream gravy ... and I like tomatoes with my biscuits and gravy. My dad even made fried cornmeal mush.

The there's Shipley’s Donuts … and kolaches.

Shipley’s is a Houston-based donut company. I did their advertising for a while. Native Houstonians, my wife and daughter included, swear by them. And I can tell you their secret – it’s right on the box. Potato flour. Yep, it was Lawrence Shipley’s idea that mixing some potato flour into the regular wheat flour would make Shipley’s donuts stand up to the humidity of Houston and the Gulf Coast. The chain of Shipley’s throughout Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi is testament that he had the right idea.

Kolaches are a Czech pastry version of donuts. Perhaps the most famous kolache place is West, Texas on I-35. I stop there going to Ft. Worth. But there are Czech bakeries between here and Austin and San Antonio. In the Ft. Bend County area, where a number of Czech’s migrated,  there’s several recipes. The fruit ones, the cheese ones ... and meat filled. Yummmmmmmmmmy.

In Hawai’i, breakfast included rice and Spam … and a blending of Asian and mainland cuisines. Malasadas are Portuguese donuts … and unlike the ones on the mainland, they are maid fresh while you wait, they are not sitting there waiting for you. Hot and fresh is yummy. If you Google “malasadas” the first matches are Honolulu, Oahu, Maui, and Big Island. The best I had were at Tex’s on the Big Island. Tex was short for Teixeria … just like the big leaguer.

So ... what’s for breakfast?