Breakfast is king here in Buenos Aires, Argentina... especially if you're a yanqui!Coffee and juice, of course... but eggs are the star of the show: Over-easy, sunnyside-up, poached, scrambled, shirred can be found at any cafe from 6:00 to, sometimes, all day long!
No self-respecting establishment serving desayuno in the tonier walks of Recoleta would dream of neglecting the stellar line-up of meats: smoked ham sliced by the hand of your mozo from the bone to your plate. Or well-smoked bacon sliced prosciutto-thin and cooked to your preference. "Proper bacon", as an Englishman might say, is always an alternative due to the strong British influence over the development of the city. Fresh pork sausage redolent of black pepper and sage is ground fresh each morning and served either in patties or in delicate casing links browned upon the ever-present grills. Spicy corned-beef hash is often seen supporting a poached egg.
Strong support from the various and ubiquitous breads as well: simple toast with butter and jam or light and fluffy biscuits hand-made with the deft touch of a fat middle-aged woman. Muffins and scones of all description, warm and piled high on shining platters. The city boasts the largest Jewish population south of the equator and it is supremely evident in the bialys and bagels which always arrive with a schmear of butter or good stout cream cheese (maybe a little onion, tomato, and a bit of smoked belly lox, if you like.)
Pride is shown in the always perfect hashed browned potatoes and/or home fries, sometimes with a little onion. There's a choice of white hominy grits slow-cooked with great care or yellow cornmeal mush fried to a crispy gold, slathered in butter and topped with maple syrup if you don't prefer stacks of fluffy pancakes.
Then... of course... I could just order a couple of medialunas and call it a morning.
3 comments:
Ok, now I know you´re mad.
No mate with tortas fritas??? You have to be kidding... there´s nothing on planet Earth like that!
I was beginning to think you went mad until I reached the last line. I was confused. That´s what I get for reading this on an empty stomach.
Time for lunch.
Heh, i was about to jump right into asking where did you find all that in BA, then all was clear on the last line. I'm an Argentinian and i never liked to eat breakfast here till i started going regularly to the US, nothing like a Full Monty to start the day.
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