Toe-may-toh? Toe-mah-Toe? Pan Con Tomate!

I love Barcelona. A lot.

Next to Cape Town, it is my favourite city in the World. How can you not fall in love with a city that has wonderful, hospitable, passionate people, Sun and Sea? And that's before you even mention Gaudi...

It also has Pan Con Tamate (If you're talking to a Spanish Speaking Barcelonan). Or Pa Amb Tomaquet in Catalan (probably more politically correct, since it is one of Cataluña's most well known and loved dishes).

Barcelona is also known for Tortilla and chorizo, but I'll get onto those Eggy and Sausage friends a bit later.

First, I need to try to find a way to explain why bread that has simply had a brief encounter with a very very ripe tomato fills me with delight. To start with: there is no question that this blog is full of complex, rich and decadent breakfasts which, truth be told, I love. However, there is something so very special about a simple dish, packed full of natural flavours, that wins my heart every time.

I think it's the fact that when you bite into Pan Con Tomate, you don't taste genetically modified tomatoes from a greenhouse in Holland. You taste sun. And fragrant garlic. And sheer tomato-e-ness. More than that though, you actually SMELL tomato minutes before it gets anywhere near your mouth. I can't prove it, but in one café, I swear I could smell the Pan con Tomate before I even walked in.


And another thing. It's well near impossible to find a bad version. In the past few years I have been to Barcelona about 10 times and regardless of whether I've been in a street café or Rancid-International-Hotel-Chain-Who-Shall-Remain-Nameless- For-Fear-Of-Litigation, my Tomato con Bread buddy is always available and always lovely. Now how often can you say that about hotel style scrambled powder eggs?

Eggs, Now there's another food that the Spanish came, saw and conquered. Why turn them into fried flapjacks when you could just a easily create an all day feast simply by combining them with potatoes and onions? And that's exactly what a Tortilla (sometimes known as a Spanish Omelette) is. It's delicious hot or cold and works perfectly as a breakfast with Pan Con Tomate and Chorizo (I've mentioned the versatility of this fine Spanish meat export several times before (see A Little Bit of What you Fancy and DIY Heuvos Rancheros)

So, with no further ado, whilst working long nights onsite in Barcelona, I have made up what I think would work as great DIY versions of my favourite Barcelona Breakfast.

Disclaimer: whilst I have made Tortilla and Chorizo before, the Pan Con Tomate recipe is completely the result of having sniffed, nibbled and poked my breakfast for the past 10 days to try and figure out how to recreate it. If you do it at home and it works - let me know. If it doesn't keep trying. Or fly to Barcelona and treat yourself to the real thing. You won't regret it.



Photo from BBC Good Food website

Uno: Tortilla Tort-ee-ya

Start with Señor T. because it takes the longest and you can easily keep it warm while you fanny about with the other two.
Now there are many recipes for this online, so have a look and find one you like - this one is just born of my own trial and error. As I have shamelessly used their photo - I would highly recommend their recipe BBC Good Food Tortilla Recipe

Here is mine:
1/2 to 1 medium onion - sliced thin 
6 - 10 baby potatoes
5 - 8 eggs
2 - 3 table spoons good Spanish or Italian olive oil

The secret key of a good Tortilla is the frying pan as you need just the right size to get a nice round, deep one. I use a non stick pancake frying pan (about 20cm in diameter).

• Most recipes tell you to slow fry the potatoes until they are cooked. My suggested method is to par boil them first and then slice nice and thin
• Heat some good quality olive oil in the pan
• On medium heat add the onions and give them a head start. Then add the par boiled potatoes
• Season with salt and pepper
• Turn the heat low and cover - let the onions and potatoes stew in the oil until they are nice and tender (they should not go too brown) - turn at least once
• In the mean time, get the eggs ready
• Crack them into a bowl and gently whisk. Add a bit more salt and pepper. This is cheating as it isn't strictly Spanish, but you can add some chopped fresh herbs if you like (parsley or basil would be yum)
• When the onions and potatoes are nice and soft, tip them into the bowl with the eggs. Gently combine.
• Add a bit more olive oil to the pan then replace the combined eggy/ potatoe mix into the pan
• Lower the heat and be patient
• Now here again I cheat a bit as I am sure there is a fancy pants method of turning the Tortilla but if you are a scaredy cat like me -
• When the Tortilla sides are moving away from the pan and the liquid is almost gone, put the pan under a pre-heated grill to cook the top
• When it is nice and brown remove. Place a plate over the pan and tip out

Photo and a great alternative recipe
from www.mayihavethatrecipe.com

Dos: Pan Con Tomate Toe-mah-teh

1 x loaf of good bread or ciabattas (NOT the ready sliced supermarket cardboard variety. I think a nice artisan sour dough would work well. Maybe even one with olives. Or ciabatta loaf or rolls - they can be slightly stale)
3 - 4 cloves of garlic, peeled
3 - 4 of the most amazing, very ripe tomatoes you can lay your hands on (this is critical - don't mess about with your local supermarket, try to find a place with juicy fragrant organic Toms. If you can identify them by smell alone, then more the better)
Extra virgin olive oil - again, if you can find proper, lush green oil from Spain it will make a huge difference
Salt and Pepper to taste

• Slice the loaf into thick slices (about 1.5 cm thick) or if you have ciabattas - cut them in half length wise
• Place them on a baking tray and do a light drizzle with olive oil
• Toast lightly in the oven on both sides until they have a nice light brown tan (don't forget to oil up as you turn) .
• The bread should still be a bit soft
• Cut the garlic cloves in half
• Use the halves to generously rub one side of each slice of bread. Now for the stars of the show -
• Cut the tomatoes in half and use the cut side to rub the bread on the same side as the garlic rub.
• The trick is to get the balance between just enough rubbing for flavour and not to create a soggy red pulp (I would guess 1 half should do 2 slices)
• Drizzle with some more olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper (most recipes don't mention pepper but I love it with the tomato)

Tres: Chorizo Chor-ree-tho

This is the easiest part of all (as long as you can find a decent Spanish chorizo in your supermarket or local butcher). I would go for the slighty thinner ones (about 1.5 - 2cm in diameter) with not too much fat.

• Slice the chorizo into 2cm chunks.
• Chuck in a non stick pan (no oil needed) for about 2 mins or until they are sizzling and letting off their orange oil in abundance
• Remove from pan and pat with paper towel to remove the majority of the oil, but leave some for flavour
• Or you could do it slowly in the oven at 180 - 200 degrees until cooked - maybe with a glove or 2 of garlic

So, now you're ready, put everything on plates or bowls and serve tapas style so everyone can help themselves.

One last thing. squeeze some fresh orange juice and make some good coffee to go with the food...

Ole!

Breakfast InnsBrooklyn stylee

One of the things I love most about travelling is experiencing different cultures' interpretations of breakfast. Sadly, thanks to Ronald McDonald and his wanton wench  sidekick The Green Mermaid (Purveyor of Bland Coffee), things are changing fast, especially in Europe.

That being said, I reckon that Austrians will always remain fiercely true to their breakfast roots of damn fine bread, meat and cheese with the occasional boiled egg. Oh and phenomenal coffee. And a cigarette.

As Innsbruck was my second home for nearly three years I thought I had the breakfast options dialled and filed under T for "Tasty but unimaginative".

Until this last trip.

We were there for a family reunion and in the course of a weekend of chaos, I mentioned my Blog to a friend of a friend and his eyes lit up. Being fairly new to Innsbruck himself, he had set about exploring and had come across a great place curiously called Breakfast Club.

I use the word curiously for a reason. Tyrolean restaurants generally don't have English names and they most definitely don't centre their menu  around breakfast.

Skiing be damned, the Breakfast Club I had to see. And so on the Saturday we attempted a visit. And failed. Located in the heart of Innsbruck's shopping district, the Breakfast Club Innsbruck style was packed, racked and stacked with a queue.

Nothing makes me more determined than an interesting Breakfast place that I can't get into. I won't queue for a nightclub, but for some inexplicable reason I will queue for foreign French Toast. Sadly, I was the only one willing to queue for breakfast and after a valiant struggle I lost the Sunday ski verses breakfast debate as well.

Happily my wonderful friend Danny agreed to meet me there on Monday morning for breakfast. Hah! (I said to myself) Monday, it will be a ghost town, we'll have the place to ourselves.

Wrong. It was packed again, but we managed to camp long enough to scare two people off their table (apparently wild eyed foreign blondes are a bit off putting when you are trying to enjoy breakfast). YES!

While waiting and intimidating the other customers with a face off, we'd ordered coffees at the bar. Quick Tip: if you ever find yourself in Austria and like me can't handle über strong coffee, then order a Latte Macchiato. As well as an English name, Breakfast Club have English and German menus which is handy and there are pages and pages (yay!) of breakfast options. All brunch dishes are served 5am to 5pm - so it seems you could Ski AND go there on a weekend (double yay!).

A small sample from the menu...
Das Frühstück (Translation  - THE Breakfast): all the usual Austrian breakfast meaty cheesy bready bits plus a boiled egg and that exotic Austrian delicacy - Nutella)
Erst Süss Dan Salzig (Translation: First Sweet then Salty): My kind of mash up - as above plus waffle with saucy goodies
Hell's Omelette (no translation required - spicy!)
Heiße Orange (Hot Orange) - I had it - yum for winter - a hot honey infused orange juice

I played patriotic and had the Innsbrucker Omelette which was packed full of delicious things. We also had French Toasts (sic) - it seemed a shame not to as we had queued to sample the Austrian version. There are lots of fun combinations and variations most of which come with Holunder Saft nach Oma's Rezept (Elderberry Juice as made by Grandma).

Did I mention cup cakes? Yes they have those too. And cocktails. And if you feel like lunch not brunch they have daily lunch dishes as well.

And all this located in a beautiful valley town below the glorious Tyrolean Alps...

To paraphrase Mr R. MacDonald himself:

Ich liebe es

Breakfast Club
Maria-Theresien-Straße 49
Innsbruck
Austria
How To Get There
Website and Menu

The Undisputed Duke's of Hackney...

There is a standing joke that when Antipodeans roll into Heathrow they don't have enough money to make it past Putney.

 

I have to confess that for my first six years of living in London, I did think that you need a Schengen Visa to travel to Shoreditch. It was only having spent six months living in Stratford last year, that I finally learned what cool Londoners have known all along. East beats West. Hands down.

 

If you want the true grit and quirk of London, head to Old Street, jump off the tube and follow your nose. Or be a lazyass like me and drive (I am happy to report that unlike the esteemed borough of Westminster, Hackney has a more relaxed attitude to parking permits.)

 

Duke's Brew and Que has been on my hit list for ages having  been spotted by Missy (eponymous breakfast partner of this blog)  and I last year. It is famous for old fashioned American Bar-B-Que, but, during a Cheesecake raid we staged there last year, we noticed a brunch menu and promised ourselves that we would go back.

 

It's been too long since we had a brunch ramble and we needed something special to drag us out of our desperate will-this-damn-winter-never-end blues. I vaguely remembered something involving stuffed French Toast on Duke's menu and like Pavlov's dog to the bell, it was enough to get me to shift my pasty self Eastwards.

 

Duke's is everything you would expect from an East London boozer slash eatery. Cool cat hipster staff. Brickery Brackery in every corner. Noise. Smells. Miniature Hackneyites colouring in and bathing themselves in the quirky tin can basins downstairs.

 

But.

 

Somewhere in that smoky, mental kitchen, hides a real gen-oo-ine 'Merican, cranking out US of A sized feasts. Now if you have read this Blog at all, you will know how much I respect American breakfast and brunch sensibility. Elegant Cappuccinos and pastries are fine and well, but when you have a breakfast sized hole to fill, you need foods from the groups Butter, Syrup, Bacon and Egg. And supersized.

 

I have eaten many, many decadent breakfasts in the past few years, but today I discovered the Mecca of Moreishness.

 

Before I continue, it's worth explaining that I have a slightly strange breakfast palate. I blame my Mum. When you grow up with lunchbox regulars including bacon plus peanut butter or bacon and banana sarnies, you learn that bacon is remarkably versatile. Bacon and eggs? Far too predictable for our family I'm afraid.

 

So imagine my delight when I located the stuffed french toastie thing I remembered seeing last year.

 

Enter Mister Frenchie's Ravioli. It's oozy. And salty. And sweet. It's far too good not to attempt to eat the whole thing, but two monster sized French Toast sandwiches packed full of bacon and cream cheese defeated me.

 

Missy had the Buttermilk Pancakes. Also gigantic. Also fantastic.

 

And they humour coffee heathens and make it milky (if you ask nicely).

 

Plain and simple. Duke's Brew and Que?

 

Hell yeah.

 

 

Duke's Brew and Que

33 Downham Road
De Beauvoir Town
Hackney
London N1 5AA

How to Get There

Website and Menu

 

 

 

 

 

Шоколад/ Shokolad/ Chocolate (or in other words Breakfast in Russia)

Vrau Vodka finally managed to go to Vodkaland.

Ok as it was for work, it was technically more whirlwind MoscowMetroland than Vodkaland, but it was every bit as crazy and exciting as I thought it would be.

Somewhere in between a quick Midnight trip to Red Square and wall-to-wall meetings strung together with trips in 'Funny Cars'*, I mentioned to my colleagues that I love breakfast and write a Blog about it. My Russian colleague (who for reasons known only to he and I shall be called Jason Donovan for the purpose of this Blog), artfully managed to squeeze in a coffee and late breakfast snack for us at one of his favourite breakfast places so that I could see it.

It is a cafe called Кафе Шоколад (you have no idea how impressed I am that I managed to google and find that!). Translated, it means simply 'Cafe Chocolate'. Breakfast AND Chocolate? Hell yeah.

There are so many reasons to love Кафе Шоколад...

#1 For workaholics (or late night party animals) they start serving pancakes at 4am
#2 Talking of pancakes the Russians aren't famous for Blinis for nothing. I ate two different kinds - one a delicious variety made with curd, the other a more tradional thin version.  Both were served with lovely fresh berries and compote.
#3 You could easily have blinis, caviar and vodka. For Breakfast.
#4 They have a whole section of drinks called 'Hot Winter Non Alchoholic Cocktails' - the perfect warm, sugar recharge you need after a busy winter's day in Moscow. Predictably I had the Winter alcohol Free Mojitto
#5 If you aren't lucky enough to have your own Minister of Transport, Catering and all things Russian like we were, they have menus in English (not as common as you would think)
#6 The range of coffees is extensive and the coffee is delicious
#7 There are several branches all over Moscow
#8 They have play areas for kids
#9 They serve eggs and pastries too if pancakes aren't your bag.

I hope I get a chance to return soon - if with the help of Jason D. I managed to find this gem in two days, who know how many could be discovered on a longer trip!

*Funny Cars: In Moscow, common practise for getting around by road involves a unique 5 step plan:
Step 1: Stand on the side of the road with your thumb out
Step 2: A car will stop
Step 3: Negotate a price to take you to your chosen destination
Step 4: Jump in
Step 5: Pay
I believe they call this supply and demand.
Caution: This not to be attempted in any other city in the World and I strongly recommend against doing it without a Russian Minister of Transport with you,

Кафе Шоколад
Website, Menu, Locations

A Little Bit of What I Fancy? Well don't mind if I do.

Turning the ripe old age of thirty ni-aarrrg, I definitely wasn't looking forward to this particular birthday, which is unlike me. Traditionally I start warning my friends 6 months out from the big day, and issue frequent  count down reminders until the dawn of Day 1 of a 7 day celebration.

This year, I planned to stay well below the radar and stay at home to eat chocolate and hide from any activity that involved green bottles or little glasses of black gloop beginning with J and ending with Meister.

Breakfast Partner Numero Uno Missy wasn't having any of that and insisted that I meet her outside Highbury & Islington Station on the morning of my Birthday. Not too early mind. She knows me better than that.

So at a leasurely 11.30, we took a meander into Dalston. For those of you not from London, Dalston is rapidly creeping up on Shoreditch and nicking it's CoolashellHipsterEastLondon crown. Missy had accidentally discovered a special little secret there a few weeks before when returning from a gallery and had decided that it was the perfect antedote to my Birthday Blues.

Honestly secret doesn't really do the art of finding LBOWYF justice. From the outside, you would have walked straight past it thinking it was an illegal gambling den. The only tiny clue is a chalkboard with a hastily scribbled 'A Little Bit of What you Fancy' outside.

Inside however, it's charming. Chunky wooden tables dressed with cheerful little buckets of yellow flowers. Crates of fresh vegetables and fruit stacked next to the days fresh breads and pastries. Definitely a sunny  pick me up on a very drab and baltic London Winter's Day.

As it was midweek, we had the place to ourselves. Which you'd think would bode well for brilliant service. Well you'd be wrong. Luckily, we were in Thelma and Louise Carpe Diem mode and were happy to lose two hours there and so it didn't bother us. If the service was on the 'we're far too busy being cool' side and the Bubbly we ordered suspiciously lacking bubbles, then the food and environment happily more than made up.

There are several things I mention regularly in this Blog as being my favourites, but untill now, I don't think I've mentioned Chorizo. As far as I am concerened the EU Parliament should declare that cheeky little spanish sausage a mandatory part of all breakfast menus. Everywhere.

It stands to reason therefore that we each chose a dish with the afforementioned Spicy Sausie. Mine was a  combination of a perfectly cooked poached egg on sourdough,  topped with roasted vine tomatoes (and yes they were actually still on the vine), avo, chorizo, a drizzle of greek yoghurt and best of all a bigass bunch of fragrant basil. Yumtastic.

Missy chose the more simple but still delicious scrambled egg on sourdough with chorizo, tomatoes and rocket. The breakfast menu isn't huge or massivley creative, but there are still things to tempt everyone. Even the healthy option rhubarb in greek yoghurt served in a tin plate with strawberries, almonds and lashings of honey looks moreish.

The coffee was great and as we were able to eat Breakfast after 12 'A Little Bit of What you Fancy' earned big love from Beedub. The service was rubbish, so if you are in a rush or find disinterested service annoying then possibly this isn't for you, but if you are out East and want somewhere relaxed and different then boys and girls jump in! 

And it made me feel warm and fuzzy on a less than sexy birthday to boot.

A Little Bit of What you Fancy
464 Kingsland Road,
London,
E8 4AE
020 7275 0060
Nearest Stations: Haggerston and Dalston Junction
Website
How to Find it

Good Bloody Morning!

Pic by Becs

It is one of my great regrets that in spite of numerous attempts, I just can't seem to overcome my aversion to tomato juice.

It's not the healthy Juicy Lucy version that taunts me, but rather her cheeky cousin Mary. I can't help feeling that I am missing out on one of life's ultimate brunch treats. And more importantly, the last of the great hangover elixirs.

Sigh.

All that being said, for every tomato I have spared the life of, my Bloody Mary Loving friends have squished dozens, so it's only fitting that Miss B Mary finally gets her own entry.

I have one particular friend who speaks fluent Bloody Mary and makes them like no one else. I think Miss Tams was born knowing that horseradish is far better off in a Bloody Mary than wasting it on a silly old slab of beef.

And so boys and girls, if you happen to wake up this weekend a wee bit itchy and scratchy or just fancy breakfast with a zip, here is her recipe...

Pic by Yankee Hank

MARY'S BITS

Vodka (a good Russian one of course) - a healthy lug (1 large shot minimum)
Good quality tomato juice
Celery salt and pepper (to taste)
Tabasco - a splash
Worcestershire sauce - a damn good swig
1 tsp horseradish
A stick of celery

Secret ingredients (shhh)
Freshly squeezed cucumber juice - half a shot
Marsala - a swig

MIXING MARY

Like Mojito's, Bloody Mary's are very personal, so experiment to get your perfect balance of ingredients. I've given you Miss Tam's quantities as a starting point.

Pop all your ingredients except the celery in a cocktail shaker if you have one with a couple of cubes of ice. Gently shake for 10 to 15 seconds to combine. Strain the ice cubes out and pour the mixture into a glass. Have a taste to see if you need more of anything. Garnish with the celery stick.

Tres Facile!

TIP

#1 Try not to do vodka shots while you're making it. You'll feel better temporarily, but that old Russian sickle will kick your ass sooner or later...
#2 If like me you don't like tomato juice, there is nothing wrong with a little Mojito Mojito Breakfast of Champions

A bit of Mexican DIY

This blog is loaded with references to Huevos Rancheros, mainly because it runs a very close second (and sometimes even overtakes) Eggs Benedict as my favourite breakfast. A few reasons to fall in love:

#1 It's incredibly easy to make at home
#2 You can be as creative or as boring as you like, experimenting and adding your own signature
#3 It's a winner for breakfast entertaining
#4 I can attest to its hangover busting properties (must be the limes)

What follows is Mr Beedub and my combined recipe (this is the one dish we can happily make together without kthe kitchen turning into a war zone).

THE BITS

The basics:
Eggs (calculate on 2 eggs per person plus 1 spare. 3 eggs per person if you're hungry)
Large Tortillas - there are loads of different supermarket options, wheat, corn, multigrain. Find ones that you like.
Cheese (about 20g or as much as you like)
Sour Cream of Creme Fraiche (we normally go for a low fat creme fraiche)
Salsa (see below)

The extras:
Black Beans - by far the easiest are the ready cooked tinned version which you just reheat. We don't usually have these if we're on our own as they add serious weight to the meal
Chourizo, bacon or any other salty breakfast meat - although not strictly authentic this can be delicious
Tabasco sauce - we use the regular but the green and BBQ versions are also tasty

The Salsa:
Although technically an extra, salsa makes or breaks a good ranch breakfast and so earns the right to have its own heading. It is also the one place Mr Beedub and I differ in opinion - he likes a stove brewed salsa and I prefer a fresh one. Over the years (and many futile bouts of Rock Paper Scissors later), we've managed to find the perfect compromise - we make both and they go perfectly together.

Mr Beedub's Stove Salsa:
For 4 people:
1 x tin of unseasoned chopped tomatoes or pack of Pommi/ Italian tomatoes
1/2 a red onion
A sprinkle of Chinese 5 spice 
A squeeze of Gourmet Garden Thai spices (has crushed ginger, chili, garlic and coriander in it)

Fry the onions on low heat until translucent. Then add the tomatoes and spices and paste and slow cook to let the flavours infuse the sauce.

Although this might sound  more oriental than Mexican, trust me, it hold its own as a Huevos accompaniment because it shares many of the principle ingredients used in Mexican cooking. It's aromatic and very very tasty.

Beedub's Fresh Salsa:
For 4 people:
2 x Large tomatoes diced into 1cm pieces or a pack of cherry tomatoes quartered (I prefer cheeky cherries)
1 x Large, ripe avocado
1/4 to 1/2 red onion finely chopped (depending on your tolerance for onions) or you can use 2 spring onions
A bunch of coriander chopped roughly (again to your taste - it's my favourite herb so I pack it in)
Juice of 1 lime (or 2 if you like it tangy)
Salt and pepper to taste

Chop all the ingredients and mix together in a bowl , squeeze in the lime juice and garnish with more coriander. So easy and so delicious!

THE ASSEMBLY

There isn't a lot of cooking, which is exactly why I love this.
The eggs are the most complicated thing and if you can fry or scramble em you're away. We prefer scrambled but many restaurants serve their Heuvos fried.
Make the Fresh Salsa first and cover and pop in the fridge while you do the rest
If you fancy the Stove Salsa and Beans, I suggest making those first and keep on a really low heat while you quickly do the eggs which don't take long
Scramble the usual way whisking in a bowl with salt and pepper and a drop of milk if that's how you grew up having them.

Pop in the pan and cook to your taste. Mr Beedubs tip: keep the eggs gently moving for the first minite or so until they develop a nice creamy consistency and then let them settle on the heat.
A few minutes before the eggs are ready, pop your tortillas into a moderate, preheated oven to make them lovely and soft and warm.
When the eggs are ready plate up.
This is a very personal process so this is how we like to eat ours, but experiment and find the way that you like. Ours:
Put a warm tortilla on each plate
Lay the scrambled eggs on top of the tortilla
Spread some of the warm salsa across the top
If you have chorizo - lay some on the salsa
Top with a sprinkle of cheese and a dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche
Add a Tabasco squirt if you like it spicey
Add the fresh salsa on the side and beans if you have them
Garnish with a wedge of lime and a sprinkle of coriander

A word of warning: it's no good for breakfast in bed - unless you want to ruin your Egyptian count threads, use the table...