A different breakfast every day
August 18, 2015 7:31 PM Subscribe
Breakfast -- Eating the World Every Morning is a series of dispatches about breakfast around the world.
A small taste:
FINDING MEANING IN THE MCMUFFIN: Egg McMuffins in Barcelona
SQUEEZING BREAKFAST FROM A HANDFUL OF STONES: Sangak in Yazd
FENDING OFF AÑORANZAS AT THE FLEA MARKE: Squash Blossom Quesadillas in North Carolina
START EACH MORNING COOKING BREAKFAST TOGETHER: Porridge on Lake Issyk Kul
BREAKFAST WHEN YOU ARE MODERATELY HUNGOVER AND HEADING SOUTH: Frites in San-Sébastien
NEW YORKERS WILL NEVER STOP TALKING ABOUT WHAT DEFINES A BAGEL, EVER: Salt Beef Bagels in London
RELYING ON THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS IN ASIA’S LARGEST SPICE MARKET: Masoor Daal in Old Delhi
A small taste:
I love some exotic breakfasts, couldn't find two of my favorites, Machaca and Quanta Fitfit in this list.
posted by BrotherCaine at 7:51 PM on August 18, 2015
posted by BrotherCaine at 7:51 PM on August 18, 2015
Machaca
I haven't had good machaca in a few years, but just reading the word makes me hungry.
I like the photos in these; I am a fan of trying new and good breakfast food when I travel.
posted by Dip Flash at 7:57 PM on August 18, 2015
I haven't had good machaca in a few years, but just reading the word makes me hungry.
I like the photos in these; I am a fan of trying new and good breakfast food when I travel.
posted by Dip Flash at 7:57 PM on August 18, 2015
Awesome,, thanks for this post. The western expectation that I be pleased to gobble down either some sugary sweet bullshit, or else eggs first thing in the morning is one I am not ok with.
posted by wats at 7:59 PM on August 18, 2015
posted by wats at 7:59 PM on August 18, 2015
THE ONLY DECENT DESSERT IN CHINA
by Samuel Ashworth
Chinese desserts are, as a rule, atrocities.
Yeah, that guy can fuck off.
posted by pravit at 8:04 PM on August 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
by Samuel Ashworth
Chinese desserts are, as a rule, atrocities.
Yeah, that guy can fuck off.
posted by pravit at 8:04 PM on August 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
Topokki is a basic snack food in Korea. Inexpensive and requiring minimal preparation, it can be bought and eaten at any time of the day, in any situation. In other words, it’s easily adaptable. Compared to bibimbap or bulgogi, topokki is not exactly my top pick for best Korean dish—it’s too gooey and starchy for my palate—but it’s a quick-fix for extreme hunger after a night of debauchery.
Impugning the transcendental glory of 포장마차 떡볶이 in any way, shape or form is indeed cause enough to get the pitchforks and torches. Who with me?
posted by curuinor at 8:11 PM on August 18, 2015 [3 favorites]
Impugning the transcendental glory of 포장마차 떡볶이 in any way, shape or form is indeed cause enough to get the pitchforks and torches. Who with me?
posted by curuinor at 8:11 PM on August 18, 2015 [3 favorites]
Sometimes on the weekends I sneak off to China Cafe in DTLA and get a big bowl of wonton soup for breakfast.
posted by Room 641-A at 8:16 PM on August 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Room 641-A at 8:16 PM on August 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
The Bataille special. Slogan: "Sit down and put this inside yourself!"
posted by turbid dahlia at 8:20 PM on August 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by turbid dahlia at 8:20 PM on August 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
Stopped reading at the words "Haters gonna hate."
posted by altersego at 8:45 PM on August 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by altersego at 8:45 PM on August 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
Needs more roti channai (or telur, if you're all fancy...)
posted by pompomtom at 9:16 PM on August 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by pompomtom at 9:16 PM on August 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
I have to point out that Smiley's in North Carolina is not in the rural mountains - it is just outside of Asheville.
You've never made a wrong turn in Fletcher. Things get rural and strange and mountainous and full of high-grade marijuana really quick. I used to get so lost with no signal when I lived there. I had to print and Boy would read it to me.
Many of the roads you see on GPS are either not there or horse trails you wouldn't dare take a 4wd custom rig up or down. ("It says you are supposed to make a left into the creek and there will be a road on the right Dad.") Then you have to get out and cautiously ask armed people who exit their homes the second you start up their driveway for directions and put up with the varying results.
I wasn't trying to blow anybody's grow operation, but I've got this boy slipping the gun from the glovebox into my pants. He thought it was the thing to do but he got seen and I got beat before I successfully explained anything. That whole valley smelled like skunkweed. So we just started driving around the damned mountains instead of over them, pretending we are sensible people.
But yeah, the food at Smiley's is pretty good. Produce too. And there are butchers in there who make some mean sausages. Stay on the main roads.
posted by Mr. Yuck at 10:34 PM on August 18, 2015 [10 favorites]
You've never made a wrong turn in Fletcher. Things get rural and strange and mountainous and full of high-grade marijuana really quick. I used to get so lost with no signal when I lived there. I had to print and Boy would read it to me.
Many of the roads you see on GPS are either not there or horse trails you wouldn't dare take a 4wd custom rig up or down. ("It says you are supposed to make a left into the creek and there will be a road on the right Dad.") Then you have to get out and cautiously ask armed people who exit their homes the second you start up their driveway for directions and put up with the varying results.
I wasn't trying to blow anybody's grow operation, but I've got this boy slipping the gun from the glovebox into my pants. He thought it was the thing to do but he got seen and I got beat before I successfully explained anything. That whole valley smelled like skunkweed. So we just started driving around the damned mountains instead of over them, pretending we are sensible people.
But yeah, the food at Smiley's is pretty good. Produce too. And there are butchers in there who make some mean sausages. Stay on the main roads.
posted by Mr. Yuck at 10:34 PM on August 18, 2015 [10 favorites]
And we were trying to get there for our first brunch that day.
posted by Mr. Yuck at 10:39 PM on August 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Mr. Yuck at 10:39 PM on August 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
NEW YORKERS WILL NEVER STOP TALKING ABOUT WHAT DEFINES A BAGEL, EVER
Oh god yes.
However, I am not convinced that this is the perfect breakfast.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 10:44 PM on August 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
Oh god yes.
However, I am not convinced that this is the perfect breakfast.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 10:44 PM on August 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
From the falafel one:
As I photograph my falafel, a Palestinian Christian woman walks over to me, smiling. Assuming I am Israeli, she asks in Hebrew if I could please not advertise the place. “There already isn’t enough for everyone,” she says.
To honor this woman’s wishes, I will not publicly share the exact location or name of this falafel shop. Good luck finding it.
God, that's just sickeningly precious. "Oh, look, I'm so great cause I found this special thing and now I'm gonna write about it but be all coy so I can keep a sense of superiority about it, aren't I great?"
I find that attitude deeply frustrating, so I'm gonna spoil it - I suspect the place she's talking about is Falafel Asfour, in Ajami. I might be wrong; it's been a few years since I went to Yafo (and I never went to the falafel place myself, I just heard about it via word-of-mouth) but it fits the description.
posted by Itaxpica at 10:50 PM on August 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
As I photograph my falafel, a Palestinian Christian woman walks over to me, smiling. Assuming I am Israeli, she asks in Hebrew if I could please not advertise the place. “There already isn’t enough for everyone,” she says.
To honor this woman’s wishes, I will not publicly share the exact location or name of this falafel shop. Good luck finding it.
God, that's just sickeningly precious. "Oh, look, I'm so great cause I found this special thing and now I'm gonna write about it but be all coy so I can keep a sense of superiority about it, aren't I great?"
I find that attitude deeply frustrating, so I'm gonna spoil it - I suspect the place she's talking about is Falafel Asfour, in Ajami. I might be wrong; it's been a few years since I went to Yafo (and I never went to the falafel place myself, I just heard about it via word-of-mouth) but it fits the description.
posted by Itaxpica at 10:50 PM on August 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
Wow, so much deliciousness on one page!
Except, you can keep your natto Japan, thank you very much.
Seriously, don't even come near me with that stuff oh goddamnit now I can smell it
posted by dubitable at 10:55 PM on August 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
Except, you can keep your natto Japan, thank you very much.
Seriously, don't even come near me with that stuff oh goddamnit now I can smell it
posted by dubitable at 10:55 PM on August 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
Check the bylines, these are written by a bunch of people, not one preternaturally well-travelled person. So you don't need to feel the urge to go to another continent and frantically breakfast yourself across it to catch up.
posted by 3urypteris at 11:00 PM on August 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by 3urypteris at 11:00 PM on August 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
Meat floss is hardly an industrial byproduct. Or at least it shouldn't be. So flippant or mistaken? I'll have to read more.
posted by Splunge at 11:54 PM on August 18, 2015
posted by Splunge at 11:54 PM on August 18, 2015
I love this series (and Roads & Kingdoms as a site generally). Their '5 O'Clock Somewhere' series about drinks is excellent as well, though doesn't seem to post quite as frequently. Also Know Before You Go is good (and accurate, if their Edinburgh entry is a good guide). Nowhere near as clickbaity as the titles suggest.
posted by Happy Dave at 1:12 AM on August 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Happy Dave at 1:12 AM on August 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
To honor this woman’s wishes, I will not publicly share the exact location or name of this falafel shop. Good luck finding it.
In general when a restaurant owner asks you not to publicize her place because it is too popular she is really asking you to tell everyone you know how popular it is.
Glad that Itaxpica threw the restaurant owner a bone.
posted by three blind mice at 2:56 AM on August 19, 2015
In general when a restaurant owner asks you not to publicize her place because it is too popular she is really asking you to tell everyone you know how popular it is.
Glad that Itaxpica threw the restaurant owner a bone.
posted by three blind mice at 2:56 AM on August 19, 2015
I had the luck to begin with Eating breakfast from the old homeland around the world followed by Tea in Old Delhi. I'll definitely be back for more.
posted by hat_eater at 4:08 AM on August 19, 2015
posted by hat_eater at 4:08 AM on August 19, 2015
I share the passion for the McMuffin, or poor mans Eggs Benedict. I often check my watch when driving by the golden arches, and my hands twitch on the steering wheel.
posted by valkane at 4:40 AM on August 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by valkane at 4:40 AM on August 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
Why can't I find an author's name on these entries? Does this site use stringers they give no attribution to?
posted by syncope at 6:04 AM on August 19, 2015
posted by syncope at 6:04 AM on August 19, 2015
Ok, I feel like an idiot. Belay my last remark.
The photography on the site is luscious.
posted by syncope at 6:13 AM on August 19, 2015
The photography on the site is luscious.
posted by syncope at 6:13 AM on August 19, 2015
So you don't need to feel the urge to go to another continent and frantically breakfast yourself across it to catch up.
posted by 3urypteris at 11:00 PM on August 18
But I feel the urge anyway!! Drool, thank you for this post, Room 641-A. When I was a kid our weekend breakfasts were paratha with fried egg, which remains my favourite breakfast ever. This blog post features a lovely example.
posted by Ziggy500 at 7:31 AM on August 19, 2015
posted by 3urypteris at 11:00 PM on August 18
But I feel the urge anyway!! Drool, thank you for this post, Room 641-A. When I was a kid our weekend breakfasts were paratha with fried egg, which remains my favourite breakfast ever. This blog post features a lovely example.
posted by Ziggy500 at 7:31 AM on August 19, 2015
Needs more roti channai
Where's the nasi lemak? Nasi lemak literally translates as 'fatty rice' and is a dish of rice served with a boiled or fried egg, fried crispy tiny fish called ikan bilis mixed with salted peanuts, a spicy sauce that's kind of pasty in consistency called sambal and a scoop of curry on the side.
Nasi Lemak; the king of breakfasts.
posted by dazed_one at 7:40 AM on August 19, 2015 [4 favorites]
Where's the nasi lemak? Nasi lemak literally translates as 'fatty rice' and is a dish of rice served with a boiled or fried egg, fried crispy tiny fish called ikan bilis mixed with salted peanuts, a spicy sauce that's kind of pasty in consistency called sambal and a scoop of curry on the side.
Nasi Lemak; the king of breakfasts.
posted by dazed_one at 7:40 AM on August 19, 2015 [4 favorites]
Note to self: do not post about breakfast noms the night before an 8:00am dentist appointment.
posted by Room 641-A at 7:48 AM on August 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Room 641-A at 7:48 AM on August 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
Stopped reading at the words "Haters gonna hate."
He was right.
posted by deathmaven at 7:59 AM on August 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
He was right.
posted by deathmaven at 7:59 AM on August 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
As someone who made the not infrequent drive between the Townships/Montreal to Burlington, VT for trips home to the South, I love love love that someone has written about one of the casse-croutes I used to pass. It's nice to know somebody has eaten there.
posted by Kitteh at 9:07 AM on August 19, 2015
posted by Kitteh at 9:07 AM on August 19, 2015
In general when a restaurant owner asks you not to publicize her place because it is too popular she is really asking you to tell everyone you know how popular it is.
I'd agree if this were most any other community, but given that this is Palestine, I disagree. As much as the reporter has written this in a precious tone, it's a jerk move to then go and post information on the restaurant against the restaurant owner's wishes. It's not like she asked for these bloggers to show up.
The restaurant owners are trying to preserve a piece of their culture and life style for their community in a situation where they are generally unwelcome. They can't expand to meet demand, they're vulnerable to artificial and discriminatory restrictions on when/where/how they can build their homes and businesses. It's very likely they actually don't want a million people visiting Israel on holiday to fill up the shop because they read about it on a travel blog, pushing out the vulnerable community they're trying to serve. That's totally understandable. Owning a restaurant doesn't mean you need to automatically accept all attention as a Good Thing.
posted by Solon and Thanks at 9:56 AM on August 19, 2015 [4 favorites]
I'd agree if this were most any other community, but given that this is Palestine, I disagree. As much as the reporter has written this in a precious tone, it's a jerk move to then go and post information on the restaurant against the restaurant owner's wishes. It's not like she asked for these bloggers to show up.
The restaurant owners are trying to preserve a piece of their culture and life style for their community in a situation where they are generally unwelcome. They can't expand to meet demand, they're vulnerable to artificial and discriminatory restrictions on when/where/how they can build their homes and businesses. It's very likely they actually don't want a million people visiting Israel on holiday to fill up the shop because they read about it on a travel blog, pushing out the vulnerable community they're trying to serve. That's totally understandable. Owning a restaurant doesn't mean you need to automatically accept all attention as a Good Thing.
posted by Solon and Thanks at 9:56 AM on August 19, 2015 [4 favorites]
That's fair, but:
A. there's no indication whatsoever that the lady in question was the owner; I personally took her to be a random passer-by when I read that entry and wrote my post
B. it's less about preciousness in the style of writing than it is the fact that the whole thing just felt so disingenuous on the author's part. It just feels like if she really wanted to respect the woman's wishes, she wouldn't have written this article at all, or at least given a wider area than "Yafo" (for those unfamiliar with Israeli geography, Yafo isn't very big - this piece would be like a New Yorker talking about a place in "lower Manhattan", but even smaller). As is, it just felt really disingenuous on her part, which is what I was pushing back against
posted by Itaxpica at 10:08 AM on August 19, 2015
A. there's no indication whatsoever that the lady in question was the owner; I personally took her to be a random passer-by when I read that entry and wrote my post
B. it's less about preciousness in the style of writing than it is the fact that the whole thing just felt so disingenuous on the author's part. It just feels like if she really wanted to respect the woman's wishes, she wouldn't have written this article at all, or at least given a wider area than "Yafo" (for those unfamiliar with Israeli geography, Yafo isn't very big - this piece would be like a New Yorker talking about a place in "lower Manhattan", but even smaller). As is, it just felt really disingenuous on her part, which is what I was pushing back against
posted by Itaxpica at 10:08 AM on August 19, 2015
Oh, fair point that it may not have been the owner, I mistakenly conflated a few comments.
I agree that the writer is smugly trying to have their cake (or falafel) and eat it, too. The classic "authenticity one-upmanship" model of travel and food writing.
posted by Solon and Thanks at 10:18 AM on August 19, 2015
I agree that the writer is smugly trying to have their cake (or falafel) and eat it, too. The classic "authenticity one-upmanship" model of travel and food writing.
posted by Solon and Thanks at 10:18 AM on August 19, 2015
I shared this in MeFi Projects when we launched earlier this year. Nice surprise seeing it hit the front page. Thanks for sharing!
posted by c95008 at 5:00 PM on August 19, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by c95008 at 5:00 PM on August 19, 2015 [4 favorites]
curuinor:
posted by c95008 at 5:11 PM on August 19, 2015
Impugning the transcendental glory of 포장마차 떡볶이 in any way, shape or form is indeed cause enough to get the pitchforks and torches. Who with me?Haha. I met the writer of the topokki article. Should I have made a citizen's arrest?
posted by c95008 at 5:11 PM on August 19, 2015
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posted by oceanjesse at 7:39 PM on August 18, 2015