This morning, I had an epiphany…on an Italian roll.
I’m really not a breakfast person. To clarify: I LOVE breakfast food, I just don’t love eating in the morning. I enjoy nothing more than an omelet for lunch, a waffle for dinner, or a pile of pancakes at midnight. But at 8 a.m., all I want is a cup (or 5) of really good coffee with whole milk.
Every time I admit this I get scolded with annoying (if true) facts like: people who don’t eat breakfast are 25% more likely to be overweight, or they consume 33% more calories over the course of the day to make up for the “skipped” meal.
Facts schmacts. I don’t buy the whole “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” thing. Just because Moms have been parroting it for years doesn’t make it true. What about “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” huh? I like apples, but I sure don’t eat one a day. (At a dollar a piece, who can afford to?).
As far as I am concerned, breakfast is optional, lunch is a fuel stop, and dinner is the long, slow, savor-the-moment meal of my day. Plus, you can’t drink wine with breakfast (or lunch, really) unless you live in Europe, or want your friends to stage an intervention.
But, this morning, I had a breakfast sandwich that made me want to eat breakfast every single day as soon as I wake up. Heck, I’d set my alarm for 5:30 to get up and eat this thing. Allow me to enlighten you:
Crusty Italian roll warmed in the oven, then split. One half of the roll is then covered in thin slices of pepper jack cheese and popped under the broiler to melt. Meanwhile, 2-3 slices of bacon (this stuff was local and unbelievable) get fried until extra-crispy. Once the bacon’s done, two eggs get cracked into the drippings and sprinkled with salt, pepper, and a dash of chipotle powder. Cooked to soft, slightly runny perfection, the eggs are then layered on the cheesy roll with the bacon, a dash of hot sauce, and a healthy handful of arugula. I kid you not, this sandwich was life changing.
I want to say: I’m converted! Bring on the breakfast! But there’s one tiny problem—I can’t eat this every morning for breakfast, unless I plan on skipping lunch…and dinner. But the prospect of swigging smoothies or struggling down Smart Start as my first meal of the day is depressing. Maybe I’ll stick to coffee and just have one of these every couple days.
So, maybe I didn’t really have an epiphany after all…just a damn good sandwich.
*I must admit that the genius of this title is not my own. My father wrote a book with this title a few years ago. It’s pretty sweet…you should probably check it out.
As far as I’m concerned, this is an epiphany. Sounds too good to be called any other name. YUM
hahaha, i didnt even read this yet, but i am literally laughing out loud just reading the title! ok, i need to read this now.
i, too, am a pot of coffee in the morning kind of gal. but this looks delicious! i love me some breakfast food (at any time other than breakfast time of course). i’ll def have to try this!
This sandwich was quite obviously concocted by a man. Only a man could eat that much for breakfast and be as slim as your boyfriend and my husband (lucky so-and-so’s!) For us ladies (with slow metabolisms!) this is a wonderful Sunday morning breakfast to enjoy with a never-ending cup of coffee and a newspaper in an overstuffed chair. Can’t wait for the weekend, cause I’m tooooootally making this.
Also, I totally appreciate the use of pepper jack cheese. Thanks for bringing that back into my life…it’s been a while.
This sounds so sinful and wonderful. Since Schuster went back on Atkins, I’ll have to figure out how to modify it for him (sans roll) or just do it before he wakes up!!
I agree, Sharon, I don’t need a big breakfast and seldom have one. But just move the feast later in the day and I’m in. And by the way, Breakfast Epiphanies—it is a great read. You’re kind to give credit to the author.
I’m with you, Sharon. I never wake up hungry for breakfast and could drink cup after cup of coffee. I’ll definitely give this a try though. And Breakfast Epiphanies. I LOVE that book and just ordered another copy on Amazon for my friend!
I’ll put another vote in for no breakfast, or a late breakfast. I want my coffee, then I need about an hour until I feel human, let alone want to eat anything.
*This drives my wife nuts, because she’s a big breakfast fan.
Now, brunch, that I’m all for – I’m awake by then.
SO funny that you posted this! I just start culinary school and don’t get home until about 11:30pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays. I work all day then go to my 5 hour classes! By the time I get home I normally haven’t had a meal in about 11 hours and the last thing Iwant to do is cook! This last Thursday I came home, rummaged the fridge and found breakfast sausage, bacon (Both of which NEEDED to be cooked asap!) and about 3 different types of cheese. I toasted a honey wheat bagel, slathered it in may and pepper, fried crispy bacon and the sausage, piled it on the bagel, then layered in cheddar, dill havarti, and parmesan and stuck it in the broiler while I fried and egg real fast. I too put cayenne on my egg and hot sauce!! So good the boyfriend ate half and I had to fight for it back!