Not Mama’s Breakfast

Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day, perhaps because it is associated with fond memories of my maternal grandmother. All the grandkids called her Mama. I’m not sure how that came about, but it’s what we called her. Anyway, I'm feeling nostalgia and decided to write a short post.

Mama made the most delicious breakfast that, to this date, has never been surpassed. It was a simple breakfast of fresh-baked bread, sliced thick and slathered with salted yellow butter, fried jackfish, fried ham, which is almost like a form of Canadian bacon. The smell of the ham cooking was sort of a hint that breakfast was almost ready. Fresh eggs from the chicken coop and sometimes, if I was lucky, Mama fried up thick slices of cou-cou or bakes.

I would devour my breakfast as fast as I could. Every bite was like a warm all-engulfing hug from Mama. She would always ask, “You want bush tea or cocoa tea”. Either one was heaven in a mug.

An old photo of my grandmother, Mary Marguerite Ollivierre.

The breakfast I eat now is far removed from the love that Mama cooked up in her charcoal-fired stove and oven in her outdoor kitchen. Turkey bacon and English muffins and grits are a poor substitute. It was while making this morning's breakfast that memories of my grandmother came flooding in. I miss her.

Eggs and bacon | FujiFilm X-T2 | XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 32.1 mm | f/4.0 | ISO 10000

Breakfast before the 2019 Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix

Breakfast before the 2019 Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps.

Bacon, Egg, Toast, Coffee, Mug, Plate, Chemex
Sep 1, 2019, Formula 1 Breakfast — FujiFilm X-T2 + XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR

The Bruery's Girl Grey

I am drinking a Girl Grey by The Bruery @thebruery as part of a "modified" full breakfast my kids cooked for me. Hoppy Father's Day!

I am in Rocky Hill, NJ, drinking Girl Grey by The Bruery. The Bruery is a Micro Brewery in Placentia, CA. Girl Grey beer style is Belgian Strong Golden Ale, with an ABV of 8.5% and IBU of 0. I gave Girl Grey a 3.75 on Untappd's 5 point rating system.

My kids cooked me up a “modified” full English breakfast. What is a full breakfast?

A full breakfast is a breakfast meal that typically includes bacon, sausages, eggs and a beverage such as coffee or tea. It comes in different regional variants and is referred to by different names depending on the area; however, it is colloquially known as a “fry up” in all areas. It is usually referred to as a full English breakfast in England (often shortened to "full English"), and therefore, as a "full Irish", "full Scottish", "full Welsh", “full Cornish”, and the "Ulster fry" in the Republic of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, and Northern Ireland, respectively. It is especially popular in Britain and Ireland to such an extent that many cafés and pubs offer the meal at any time of day as an "all-day breakfast". It is also popular in other English-speaking countries, particularly countries that were a part of the British Empire. On its origin, Country Life magazine states, "The idea of the English breakfast as a national dish goes right back to the 13th century and the country houses of the gentry. In the old Anglo-Saxon tradition of hospitality, households would provide hearty breakfasts for visiting friends, relatives and neighbours."Wikipedia

My kids cooked Heinz baked beans, fried polish blood sausage, breakfast sausage, baked tomato, whole grain toast, sauteed baby Bella mushrooms, fried egg, and thick cut bacon. Whole grain toast instead of white bread toast. And instead of Earl Grey Tea, I’m washing it down with this “Girl Grey” IPA.

Hoppy Father's Day to all the Untappd Dad's.

bacon, Baked Beans, Black Pudding, Blood Sausage, breakfast, egg, Fty Up, Full Breakfast, Full English, full Irish, full Scottish, full Welsh, Girl Grey, grilled tomato, Heinz Baked Beans, IPA, Mushrooms, Pork Sausage, Scottish Caribbean, toast, Weisswurst

Brewer's notes

Top chef Brooke Williamson is a leader in redefining flavors and roles in the culinary world. We teamed with her to extend those contributions to the beer world with Girl Grey. This beer features the cool character of a Belgian-style ale, with sweet ribbons of almond flavors balanced by the piquant qualities of Earl Grey tea. It’s a creation for a new generation of beer lovers. Cheers!

We are a boutique craft brewery located in Orange County, California specializing in experimental and barrel aged beer. Our name is a fusion of 'brewery' with our family name, Rue. Our calling is to create beers with character and depth using the simplest and purest of means. We strive to use unconventional ingredients, and we will proudly state what we put in our beers. We enjoy serving you, your friends and your family.

bacon, Baked Beans, Black Pudding, Blood Sausage, breakfast, egg, Fty Up, Full Breakfast, Full English, full Irish, full Scottish, full Welsh, Girl Grey, grilled tomato, Heinz Baked Beans, IPA, Mushrooms, Pork Sausage, Scottish Caribbean, toast, Weisswurst