Cooky Cat

Breakfast Vernacular

Some things are so usual in our daily experience that we take them for granted; worse, though, we assume the usual as the normal. It's an easy confusion. Like our Uncle Stash, he's a habitual drinker so for us his being drunk is what we call normal. He, however, in his debilitating habit, is not normal. Just usual.

Take this pledge, "From now on I will be ruthlessly vigilant to not confuse what is usual for what is normal." Otherwise, you might not be able to tell the normal even if it bit you, you know where.

Now to breakfast. The point will come right home if we consider the breakfast menu at the average American diner. At its core: eggs, many styles; meats, a choice mainly of bacon, ham, or sausage; pancakes, French toast, or waffles; toast; coffee or tea; and juice. Oh yes, cereals; hot and cold. Alright, there are fancy things like Eggs Benedict, but even still, we're talking eggs and bacon (Canadian) on top of that still excellent classic the English Muffin. I know, I know: Hollandaise. Net, net we are attempting to make the point that when you say "breakfast" what we've been talking about comes to mind. Not Chili Con Carne, or Linguine with Clam Sauce.

We love all these breakfast food choices. In fact, who was it that said, "Breakfast is the best meal of the day anywhere in the USA." Our friend David Wronski, but he can't substantiate being the original author of that truism. Just a firm grasp of the obvious as far as we can tell. Breakfast, anywhere in this land is a good meal. And, a good deal. Unless you like to go to the Brasserie in Manhattan. The breakfast there will be great, and the bill as well.

We cannot talk breakfast choices without mentioning, yet again, the best corned beef hash in the universe is at the Summit Diner in Summit, New Jersey. They don't call it Summit for nothing. It's a destination kind of meal. (If you can top their corned beef hash, then pray inform this kitty.)

But, did you ever think, how come this particular standard vernacular set of items for breakfast in America? Traditional is the word also used. For a change, today we had a bowl of homemade chicken soup for breakfast. Are we unAmerican? Would people who heard of this snigger in disapproval? We speculate the regular breakfast menu comes from the time when down on the farm you served a stick to your ribs first meal of the day. We're not pitching to change America's food ways. Just to notice that breakfast is still mainly a farmer kind of thing. Hearty,  keep the fire stoked for a good morning's labor in the field.

But, nowadays, a lot of people either skipping breakfast or having a pastry and a cup of joe notwithstanding, we might want to just step back and reflect on how we look at breakfast in the first place.

It does seem that for most people breakfast foods should be rather bland, as in not spicy. The word isn't quite right, but think oatmeal and think about how first thing you don't want to jazz your palette. That's not always the case but we assert it's usual to go plain first thing in the morning.

Here are some ideas for you to branch out into new territory. The guiding principle is simply to not limit your morning meal choices. Sometimes a slice of cold pizza and a Pepsi is just the right thing. Sort of a "hair of the dog" food-wise.

Try Buddha's Delight. A very healthy, satisfying yet light meal that will get you going. For the gents, let's just say it has all the properties of a powerful "front end lifter."

If you do want to go spicy, then Enlightenment Soup is your ticket. It's reported to have been regularly served in prisons in India. And, you don't hear of prison escapes there, do you? So, there must be something to it. Also, a staple of an ashram we know. It promotes liberation. Prisons and ashrams, you could call this savory breakfast cereal a double duty dish. Unless, of course, you are an Advaita Vedantist. Then, what's the difference.