Traditional Guatemalan Breakfast, Aaron and Stephanie’s apartment, Playa del Rey California

Stephanie and Aaron have been our hosts all week and they have been great! Ian and I have been treated very well indeed and yesterday morning we were treated to a traditional Guatemalan breakfast courtesy of our hosts. I was not aware of what a traditional breakfast in Guatemala entailed but since Stephanie is from Guatemala she was only too happy to cook one and explain to us why they ate these things. We start with mashed black beans seasoned with aromatic onions, fried plantains, over easy eggs, fresh fruit, sour cream, plenty of Cholula hot sauce, and a homemade tomato and onion sauce to go over top of the eggs. Stephanie was very proud to tell us all about her culture and her heritage and the wonderful breakfast added a wonderful touch to our vacation. Ten out of Ten Steph and Aaron!

The Original Pancake House

Sunday morning, on the heels of the enchiladas, I went with Nick, Amy, Rob, Cheryl, and Charlie to The Original Pancake House in Centerville. This was my first trip to the restaurant and I was pleased. The menu here is extensive and includes huge three egg omelets, waffles, French toast, egg dishes, and of course pancakes. I found out later that this is actually a chain, which is surprising given the quality, portions, and handmade feel of everything.

I ordered the salami and scrambled eggs pictured above with a stack of bacon pancakes. I realize that this is a heart stopper but I felt obligated as Cheryl was lecturing me about heart health (thanks Dr. Mom!) I was really happy with the meal. The eggs were soft scrambled which is the correct way to cook scrambled eggs and the salami was great! This is not a combination that would have occurred to me but it really worked. I will say that it is hard to beat all beef kosher salami in anything. The pancakes were where the restaurant really soared. They used high quality bacon that was neither too salty nor too smoky. Also the mark of good bacon is that it doesn’t shrivel when cooked and it certainly stood up to the test. The cakes themselves were fluffy and light, which is good since the rich, heavy, bacon accompanied them. Then to top this salty, smoky, fluffy, goodness with sweet maple syrup is incredible!

Everyone else seemed to be pleased with there dishes as well. Service was fast, courteous, and well done. I will say that it is nice to know that there is one more good breakfast place in Dayton to go to on a sleepy Sunday morning. 10 out of 10.

French Toast Explosion!

Steve and Anja put Ian and I up for the Chicago weekend. As a way of returning their kindness I decided to cook a big breakfast Sunday morning after the LSF show. I made French scrambled eggs, home fries, bacon, and French toast. The real star here was the French toast. To make really good French toast you must start with French bread. Cut the loaf in one inch thick slices on the bias and allow the bread to stale for at least an hour, or overnight if possible. Next comes the custard that you will batter the bread in. Six eggs to a pint of heavy cream will really coat the bread nicely as well as crisp up due to high amount of protein in the eggs. To season the batter I always use cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar. Other items that compliment these flavors include vanilla, clove, and bourbon if you have any.

To cook the toast properly melt plenty of butter over a medium heat, dunk each slice in the custard, and place in the skillet. Cook three to four minutes per side or until a nice golden crust has been achieved. Hold the finished slices in a warm oven while cooking the remainder of the toast. Serve with warm maple syrup and more softened butter. This is sure to BRIGHTen up any Sunday brunch!