For Southerners, eating breakfast is an art.

[CHARLIE]

To a Southerner, breakfast is the most important meal of the day and eating it is a fine art not understood by those that live north of the Mason/Dixon line and eat potatoes instead of grits.  A Southerner can sit down to a fine breakfast of over easy eggs, grits with butter and either bacon, fried ham or sausage and when they come to that last forkful, they'll still have a little bit of each. You see, it's important that you have a little grits on the fork with your bite of egg. It's also important that you have a little bit of grits on your fork with the bacon, ham or sausage. So, it's an art to make sure that the last bite of egg or meat is also the last bite of grits. People that eat potatoes for breakfast just don't understand that. Yep, eating breakfast is an art and the most skilled breakfast eaters are Southerners.  

[Bibbyman]

Since about the first of the year I've got Mary to relent a little and let me cook my own breakfast.  I'm not sure if it's a territorial thing or a control issue but she really don't like the idea for some reason. 

I've been working at perfecting my technique and timing to come out with everything done and still warm at the same time.  My breakfast is, for lack of a better description, Missouri/Mex cuisine.

I start with a flat iron skillet (the only cookware a real man needs) and get it warming up.  I dig out the bacon, eggs, salsa, cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese and tortillas. 

I put two strips of quality thick sliced bacon in the skillet.  While it's frying I dump about a quarter cup of salsa in a very small bowl and put it in the microwave to warm up at the end.  I grate up a heaping handful of cheese.  When the bacon is cooked but still limp I nudge it to one side and put in the eggs.  I have a plate setting on the cook top warming up.  When the eggs are done, I slip them and the bacon onto the plate and put a tortilla in the skillet.  As I get time while things are cooking I put things away and make a cup of coffee.  I turn the tortilla and spread on the grated cheese and pepper it.  I then set the microwave and heat up the salsa. When the cheese starts to melt, I fold over the tortilla and flatten it so the cheese distributes even.  When the microwave kicks off,  I pour the salsa over the eggs and turn off the burner.  I cut the tortilla into four wedges and slip them onto the plate.  I set the plate aside and scoot the hot skillet to a cool spot on the stove. Ready to eat!

Mary still does not like it that I cook my own breakfast and tries to jump in ahead of me and make her version of my breakfast.  But she likes her bacon burned to a crisp and her eggs with the yokes broken and cooked hard.  She thinks I should like it the same way.  She'll use about half the heat that I cook with and leave the kitchen to do other things while it's cooking thus half the stuff is cold by the time you set down to eat it.

Now I'm hungry.  I've been known to not wait until morning to have breakfast and have it about 4:00 am and then go back to bed. 

[Meadows Miller]

Gday

Those both sound like some fine Grub your eating there Charlie and Bibby  digin_2 digin1 Im a ratio man myself too charlie  ;D 8)  and i dont like when it dont add up    ;) :D :D Bibby your not the only man that dosnt like their brekky burnt to a crisp mate    : ;) :D ;D

my  Aussie brekky is usually bacon , saussages and eggs on toast made with nice thick Homemade bread  thats almost every morning  ;D ;D
or when i really lash out its Steak ,saussages ,bacon and eggs on toast  ;D ;D 8) 8)
and when im in a hurry its usually toasted muesli with some yogat and milk  ;) ;D

Chris

[OneWithWood]

Being that I am on a low, low carb kick I do it a bit different.  But the ratio thing is still very much in play.
Warm up the black iron pan, toss in the meat (steak, pork chop, sausage (either link or patty.  When the meat is within 7 minutes of medium rare for the steak or thoroughly cooked for the pork, I add two eggs.  I cook the eggs sunny side up so I have some dippin' sauce for the meat.  While all this is cooking I brew up a bodacious pot of coffee (Italian roast is my current choice), slice a kiwi fruit in two and eat it.  Sit down, sip on the coffee, dip some meat into the egg yolks and manage to always have some egg for every bit of meat.  Sunday is for bacon, one slice of buttered whole grain toast and perhaps an extra cup of joe.  The bacon gets cooked in the nucleaar oven so it comes out relatively free of grease but still good and chewy.
I never miss breakfast or supper, but lunch (dinner) may get skipped if I am rolling on a project.  If I do eat a midday meal it is meat and cheese.

[ErikC]

To a Southerner, breakfast is the most important meal of the day and eating it is a fine art not understood by those that live north of the Mason/Dixon line and eat potatoes instead of grits. Yep, eating breakfast is an art and the most skilled breakfast eaters are Southerners.  

Wrong!! hashbrown potatoes work much the same way, and a top hand will have a couple shreds of crispy potato with egg yolk all over it to accompany the last little bite of bacon. I've done it many a time. ;)

[CLL]

Bibby, I'm sure Mary is like my wife,  she does to many other things while cooking breakfast. I can't stand cold food and my wife always has toast that the butter isn't even melted. Eggs, ham, and toast all on a cold plate. Drives me nuts!!

[beenthere]

CLL
That is a pet peeve of mine at some restaurants...cold eggs on a cold plate.   : :

I like Bibby's way...keep it hot. - 'cept I'd toss in a second fry pan      (just for Mary's sake). 

[Burlkraft]

I had what I hate the most this weekend  >:(  >:(  >:(

Was at a salad bar and the plates had just come out of the kitchen so DanGed hot you could hardly hold 'em

Nuthin like cool lettuce on a smokin' hot plate. I don't remember ordering the wilted spinach salad  :  :

[Jeff]

To a Southerner, breakfast is the most important meal of the day and eating it is a fine art not understood by those that live north of the Mason/Dixon line and eat potatoes instead of grits.

To that I say... Bull Puckey.

[Dan_Shade]

you fellas are too picky.

i just dump my eggs in some milk and drink them

[Burlkraft]

i just dump my eggs in some milk and drink them

WOW      

Ain't that like cold oysters ?

[underdog]

I was always fascinated by women at breakfast.
A real Southern gal will be the first one up and roll out a spread for her crew and any guests effortlessly.
Just bowls and plates full of good eating to wake everyone in the house.
Man them are some great woman.

[beenthere]

I just dump my eggs in some milk and drink them

Ya's then spit the egg shells out, or just chew 'em up or swallow 'em whole?  ;D

[Fla._Deadheader]

Ain't NUTHIN like Cold Oysters, still sittin in the shells.  digin_2 digin_2 digin_2

[Paul_H]

...except raw eggs dumped in milk,eh?

[Jeff]

At first I thought we should move this thread to the food board, but now, I dunno. :D

[CHARLIE]

To that I say... Bull Puckey.

Some breakfast tater eaters have a hard time realizing that they don't know anything about the art of eatin' breakfast. Others have just accepted the fact that Southerners have it down pat and they just can't measure up. ;D

[Gary_C]

Ya Charlie, you are right. I spent some eight weeks in the south many years ago and the breakfasts were memorable, to say the least. I think I was somewhere around Killeen, Texas.

Why I'll never forget the mornings when we would have eggs to order along with the assortments of grits, fried potatoes, and bacon, sausage, or ham. They would bring the griddle right out in the serving line and the cook would stand over that hot griddle in his whites and cook your eggs to order. He'd have a cigarette hanging from his lips with the ash falling on to the griddle. And the sweat would drip from his nose and sizzle when it hit that hot griddle. You could just holler ahead when you got your tray and he'd have your eggs ready when you got to him. Can't remember if I ever tried the grits, but those breakfasts were sure memorable. 

Others have just accepted the fact that Southerners have it down pat and they just can't measure up. ;D

Yep, nothing will ever measure up to those breakfasts. Those southerners sure do know how to sweat.  ;D ;D

[CLL]

Ideal breakfast should be as follows. Two eggs over easy, country ham,grits, biscuits and gravy,toast and jelly, with side order of pancakes, orange juice and of course milk.

[TexasTimbers]

CHARLIE,

I don't really know anything about you, but i don't have to. You are my kind of people. ;D

I have never read a more accurate, honest, and forthright description of the southern breakfast institution.

Gary, there is hope for you yet. ;)

Jeff, there is no hope for you.  :

Paul, you probably eat rice for breakfast but won't admit it. 

Steve, I won't pick on you, you're probably eating grits on the sly though. :D

Meadows Miller, I used 6 different smilies and none of them the same. Quality over quantity. Take notes.  :P

[Paul_H]

CHARLIE,


Paul, you probably eat rice for breakfast but won't admit it. 

I'm not too fussy what I eat for breakfast.When I'm working,breakfast is a peanut butter and honey sandwich eaten with one hand and the other on the wheel, or hands on the controls and the sandwich on my lap.It aint pretty.

[Gary_C]

When I'm working,breakfast is a peanut butter and honey sandwich eaten with one hand and the other on the wheel, or hands on the controls and the sandwich on my lap.It aint pretty.

That's the way with me now too. I even had to give up the peanut butter and get just a glass of OJ and a bowl of bran flakes.

Lunch ain't pretty either. Set a couple slices of bread on my pantleg, if it isn't too dirty or forgot to put a paper plate in the cooler, a few thin slices of ham and maybe an apple. You can't beat the scenery though.  8)

[thecfarm]

My idea of breakfast is around 9 in the morning,after I've been outside for a few hours working up a appetite.I won't bother saying what I eat.Won't be good enough for some of you without them things that some of you call food that some of you call grits.  ;D

[Burlkraft]

Steve, I won't pick on you, you're probably eating grits on the sly though. :D

I don't know what all fuss is about, I like gritzzzzz and I am not afraid to admit it  ;D ;D ;D

[Jeff]

To that I say... Bull Puckey.

Some breakfast tater eaters have a hard time realizing that they don't know anything about the art of eatin' breakfast. Others have just accepted the fact that Southerners have it down pat and they just can't measure up. ;D

Says the man from Minnesota....

[Meadows Miller]

Gday

TTs Im taking notes Mate  ;) :D ;D so you mean that i can use heaps aslong as they are of different types Mate  ;) :D ;D 8) 8) that sounds good to me  ;) :D  :D ;D

Anyway i was meaning to find the thred that we where talking about you Vert band mill idea i was thinking along those lines myself with the meadows you would need to put in an offsett facility on the headrig to give the band some clearance on the return tho which wouldnt be too hard to rig up as it would only need to move 1/4 to 3/4 s of an inch  mate  ;) ;D  ill try finding the tred so i dint hijack this one  ;) :D :D :D ;)

Reguards Chris

[CHARLIE]

Paul H said, "I'm not too fussy what I eat for breakfast.When I'm working,breakfast is a peanut butter and honey sandwich eaten with one hand and the other on the wheel, or hands on the controls and the sandwich on my lap.It aint pretty."

Gary C said, "That's the way with me now too. I even had to give up the peanut butter and get just a glass of OJ and a bowl of bran flakes."

Case and point. Get north of the Mason/Dixon Line and the tater eaters just don't know the art of eating a fine breakfast of eggs, fried ham or bacon or sausage and grits with plenty of butter and biscuits and honey. Case closed.

Jeff said, "Says the man from Minnesota...."

This boy doesn't live in Minnesota any more.  The South sent me up to teach Minnesotans how to eat breakfast. I did the best I could and now am training Wisconsinites. But I'll take the blame for saying that as long as I get all the credit.

[Paul_H]

Case and point. Get north of the Mason/Dixon Line and the tater eaters just don't know the art of eating a fine breakfast of eggs, fried ham or bacon or sausage and grits with plenty of butter and biscuits and honey. Case closed.

A person would need to get up at 3am for something like that on a work day unless it was made the night before and all went into the blender and into a mug for the road in the morning .

[CHARLIE]

Now see Paul....you are opening up another can of worms here. Southerners can put together a mighty fine breakfast in no time. It's just in the knowing of when to do what. Blender? That's for those north of the Mason/Dixon Line that have convinced themselves that they are so busy they only have time to eat a can of Instant Breakfast. :D

[Paul_H]

But Charlie,it wouldn't be instant if it was made the night before.

[CHARLIE]

Good case and point. ;D

[Paul_H]

Yes,indeed,blending the best from both sides the Mason Dixon line.

[CHARLIE]

Paul H wrote in the Food section,
Re: GRITS
« Reply #18 on: Today at 11:01:24 AM »   

I just had a feed of Ham,eggs and grits,twas good!

Something tells me that Paul knows how to eat a fine breakfast if he puts his mind to it and slows down just a bit to enjoy it.

[WDH]

I wanted to post here just to be sure that I could follow along on this thread.  It is fun!  Slap the northerners in the face and say they don't know DanG about breakfast and then sit back and watch the fireworks.  Kinda like slapping a big hornets nest and staying there to count the hornets.  Charlie, you are a brave man ;D.

[Paul_H]

That's because his Big Brother is here ;D

[beenthere]

We've got Charlie in Wisconsin now, and we are not interested in giving him up. Gives us "flavor" that we like.  ;D ;D ;D ;D

[Gary_C]

Kinda like slapping a big hornets nest and staying there to count the hornets.  Charlie, you are a brave man ;D.

Would be about the same as moving to Wisconsin and remaining a Viking Fan.   ;D

[asy]

Well,

Andrew's favourite Brekkie is two eggs (sunny side up) on crunchy (wholemeal) toast, butterred. Then a whole can of baked beans poured over the top. ALWAYS served as hot as possible.

Sometimes with bacon strips under the eggs. Sometimes with chicken pieces.  Always accompanied by a couple of cups of hot coffee.

I usually have yoghurt, sometimes with museli in it, and sometimes with a chopped up banana..

I must admit, however, one of the things I'm looking forward to in the USA (when I get there... one day) is trying all the different brekkies I've heard about.

asy :D

[Jeff]

You'll have to bring yer own vegimite and marmite when ya come., although I may still have some that was sent to me many years ago  ;)

[lmbeachy]

Yeah, and if you don't have ham, sausage, or bacon to go with the eggs, why scrapple works just as well.

[Fla._Deadheader]

Also, pack a couple of Girdles. You are going to need 'em.  : ;D :D :D

[Tom]

Tha's  Griddles, not Girdles, Harold.  :D

[Radar67]

All this talk about breakfast and narry a picture one....shame, shame... :(



Guess this will have to do.  :D

[Jeff]

There ya go, a picture of a southern breakfast that looks just like a northern one. Stew, according to Charlie then, since you eat like we do, you must not know how to eat that. Send it up.

[Paul_H]

Boy o' boy, that would fill up my breakfast travel mug to the rim.  :P

[beenthere]

NOW I'm hungry!!

[Radar67]

you must not know how to eat

Well someone needs to tell my doc that, cause she said I need to cut back on my eating.  :D :D

For those who are hungry, Don K sure can fix you up, this had everything in it, except grits. I love my grits and eggs, but an omlett is another taste sensation I relish alone. It contains nearly all the food groups in one wrapping.  ;)

[Bibbyman]

All this talk about breakfast and narry a picture one....shame, shame... :(



Guess this will have to do.  :D

I ain't got time to take a pictue!  When it's done, it's time to eat!   

[Tom]

Where's the grits? :-\

[Radar67]

The grits were at DanGs house, which was visited a few days later.  And some of the best grits I ever ate they were.  ;D

[Dave Shepard]

All I've got to say is up here we don't have time to savor breakfast. Winter is just around the corner, you know! We've got to get the wood cut and the garden grown, or it'll be a longer winter than last year. :D

[Radar67]

Bibby, the more you say, the more you make me think you are just what Grandma Sarah in "Outlaw Josey Wales" said about Missourians... no offense meant ;)

One thing I am eager to try is to make some of that blue corn Bmills has into blue grits. I wonder if the blue grits and the yellow butter will make green grits? Be a heck of a way to make green eggs and ham.  ;) ;D

[CHARLIE]

Speaking of DanG grits......where is he?  He usually jumps in to support the finer things in life, like eating grits.  I reckon he's too busy with his newfound food, chicken feet. ;D

[asy]

Jeff, I'll be travelling with my Vegemite, you can depend on it

I'll send ya some just to ensure it's on hand at all times...

Hey, I wonder what it's like with Grits???     :P

asy :D

[beenthere]

From the sounds of it, they should go hand in hand quite well.   8) 8)

[gunman63]

Asy... just what do u do with vegemite . A Aussie  was over here buying cars  and bodies for rat rods this past summer from me,and he brought a jar over for me to try, what do u use it for, the taste is  ........... well different, its tough on a swede, nothing like lutefisk or pickled herring, but the rum that he brought over  was something else 8)

[Tom]

Kiwi Charlie got me started on  Vegemite and I found the marmite on my own.  It's a product made from the dregs of a tank in which beer was brewed and is supposed to be loaded with vitamins and iron.   It's quite salty and definitely an acquired taste.   I have developed the acquired taste, I guess, and have the local Grocery store supplying a shelf.  It happens that we have a large  contingent of English here and they keep the grocery store busy with Marmite.

It is a very savory and salty taste, reminding me a bit of how a freshly opened bottle of one-a-day vitamins smells.   I like it on a spoon, on a cracker, on a piece of toast and even tried it on Grits.  It's pretty good on Grits.  What gave me the idea was Red-eye gravy is also strong savory tasting and usually salty, especially when made from a the leavings of Country Cured ham.   A little bit goes a long way.   

It can be a little bit like eating potato chips when you are craving salt.   Whether you like it or not, you keep sticking the spoon into the jar.  It has the consistancy of peanut butter...... kinda.

[Jeff]

The stuff makes pith poor axle grease and I think that's still the best use for it.

[Mooseherder]

I went lookin' fer a grits recipe tonight and found that most recipes require a few other ingredients in the mix like butter, ham, cheese, shrimp and a host of other good tastin' stuff. ;D  Was wonderin' if this is the key to making good grits cause I do want my first batch to come out good. These are the grits I bought from the Extreme Grits man, they have to be good. :D  I'm gonna try this batch.  It has alot of good stuff in it.

Grits with Corn and Onion Greens Recipe

Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large white or yellow onion, grated
1 cup whole corn kernels, either frozen or freshly cut from the cob
2 cups whole milk
2 cups water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup stone-ground or coarse-ground grits
2 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (about 3 ounces)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh green onion greens
Method
1 Heat the oil n a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the grated onion and cook, stirring, until transparent, about 2 minutes. Add the corn kernels and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kernels become soft, about 5 minutes.

2 Add the milk, water, and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Whisk in the grits, decrease the heat to low, and simmer, whisking occasionally, until the grits are creamy and thick, 45 to 60 minutes. Stir in the butter, Parmesan, parsley, and chopped green onions. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.

Serves 6 to 8.

[CHARLIE]

Mooseherder, that looks like some real complicated Grits.  In the South, plain Grits cooked in water with some salt is the most popular.  When done you just add butter or gravy and eat it.  The 2nc most popular way to fix Grits is called Cheese Grits and then probably Shrimp Grits. I've heard of Garlic Grits but never tasted any.  I've never seen a Grits recipe as complicated as the one you listed. Let us know how it turns out. Just remember, you hae what is called Old Fashioned Grits that will need to be cooked longer.

[CLL]

Bibby, it looks good, but just can't bring myself to accept lettuce as a breakfast food. Too many people getting to fancy with the grits, just plain grits with butter, maybe some crumbled bacon.

[DanG]

I'm here!  I've been a little bit "access challenged" for a few days, but seem to be connected ok tonight.  In an effort to not disappoint anyone, I'll say a couple of things on this subject.

Tom, I'm not surprised that you were able to develop a taste for Marmite.  I'd be surprised if there was anything you hadn't developed a taste for. ;) :D

Mooseherder, there is no recipe for grits.  There are instructions.  You mix 4 parts water to 1 part grits and boil the DanG things!  Most everybody adds a little salt and maybe some butter, but that isn't necessary if you happen to be one of those people who doesn't salt and butter a potato or a puddle of rice.  Anything beyond that is another dish, such as cheese grits, etc. :

BTW Mooseherder, the best grits I've found lately are Lakeside brand.  You can find them at your local Publix supermarket, if you happen to be in one of them sometimes. ;)

Now "at the end of the day", and "that being said"(etc, ad nauseum : ),  I don't usually eat grits for breakfast.  I usually dump a bunch of saltine crackers on a paper plate and smear them with toxic peanut butter, or just make a banana sandwich.  Most of the time, grits is a suppertime thing around here.

[chet]

Here I thunk us Northern eat'in tater folks had finally hushed up dem southern grits boys.  :-\  But no!  Some transplanted Southerner from Wisconsin gotta bring it up again.   :

[DanG]

Here I thunk us Northern eat'in tater folks had finally hushed up dem southern grits boys.  :-\ 

If ya thunk that, ya got some more thankin' ta do, tater boy!  Grits is here ta stay!  I don't think I've ever had ta bring'em up again, but I do admit that a sudden sneeze when ya got a mouthful of'em is a less than pleasant experience. : :D

[Meadows Miller]

Gday

Im a Vegimite kid  ;D ;D 8) 8) But i dont know about eating it by the spoonfull tho Tom ;) :D :D :D ;D ;D ;) I like it lightly spread on my toast  ;) ;D also Matmites for Poms  ;) :D :D ;)

Reguards Chris

[Bibbyman]

Bibby, it looks good, but just can't bring myself to accept lettuce as a breakfast food. Too many people getting to fancy with the grits, just plain grits with butter, maybe some crumbled bacon.

What are you talking about?  There ain't no lettuce or grits on my breakfast plate.





My breakfast;  three strips of thick sliced hickory smoked bacon cook until still limp and cut to bite size, two large eggs over easy covered with about a quarter cup of medium hot salsa,  burrito size whole wheat tortilla stuffed with Monterey Jack cheese.

[Meadows Miller]

Gday
Bibby thats a nice looking Feed You have there its making me hungry  digin_2 I reckon ill give it a go myself Mate ;) ;D 8) 8)

Chris

[asy]

I NEVER ate Vegemite until after I lost all my weight. I think it screwed up my taste buds...

Still, now I do eat it, I like it spread medium on a salada or other dry cracker, with cheese on top. Yummo.

L.

[schakey]

I love breakfast and can eat it 3 times a day The best is in the south but I'll have to say that I like hash browns
and grits.Eggs,bacon,hash browns with grits don't get no better. digin_2 Of course cooked in a cast iron skillet!!!!

[PC-Urban-Sawyer]

One thing I am eager to try is to make some of that blue corn Bmills has into blue grits. I wonder if the blue grits and the yellow butter will make green grits? Be a heck of a way to make green eggs and ham.  ;) ;D

Radar,

If I remember my culinary history right, the technique for making green eggs was perfected by military cooks and is classified as "For Official Use Only..." I had the "priviliege" of consuming a fair amount of them during my time in boot camp in 1969...

Herb

[Radar67]

Herb, the green eggs are still an integral part of the military.  ;) had some not more than a week ago.  :D

I still don't know the answer to the question, bmills must be busy. 

[IMERC]

it's the grits...

they make or break a breakfast...

without them.. why bother digging in...