Breakfasts of Many Lands

[xyzzysqrl]

Okay. This is a question for my overseas readers.

I recently had occasion, I forget why exactly, to picture an English breakfast. The mental image I got was something along the lines of: Sausages, eggs, fried bread, pancakes/waffles... and half a tomato.

Now... I don't know if that half a tomato should be there. It keeps coming back to mind, because to -me- it's goddamn SURREAL. Sitting there where an orange or a grapefruit should be. Cut in half... not sliced up into individual slices! A half tomato.

Is this -accurate-? I have no idea. I have no concept of where this image CAME from.

So, I turn to you. What the hell am I thinking of, and are you eating it to start the morning?

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

You're odd.

You're going off of stereotypical 1950s english breakfast + half a tomato.

The tomato wouldn't be there. a glass of EITHER milk or fresh orange juice would be in it's place.

Nowadays? it's a bowl of cereal, hot pockets, or toast. :)

[eslington.livejournal.com]

I don't think pancakes or waffles are part of an english breakfast, traditionally.

Half a tomato, or more likely two halves, is something you might see, I think.
It's probably fried, but I don't really know since I've never seen a full english breakfast outside a Bed and Breakfast and I really can't stand unprocessed tomato.

[akeela.livejournal.com]

You're almost right.
According to my wolf, - who is a britsh import - a traditional english breakfast does not work without grilled tomatos. You slice them in half, dip the cut face into breadcrumbs, and fry them in a skillet on high heat untill the breadcrumbs are golden brown and crunchy. Then you turn them around and sear the other side as well.

It's actually quite yummy.

[sebkha.livejournal.com]

Next time this happens, dream closely at the waffle. I suspect it's imaginarily a crumpet.

[foxish.livejournal.com]

By the definitions I've read (and had), a Full English can contain any or all of the following:

Fried, scrambled, or hard-boiled egg
Fried potatoes or boxty (fried cake made of shredded potato mixed with mashed potato) or fried mashed potato
Fried bacon or rashers
Fried mushroom
Fried tomato
Fried slice (a wedge of bread, painted with butter and fried; the bread is usually soda-based rather than flour-based)
English baked beans ("English" baked beans are tomato based rather than ketchup based)
Fried veggies left from the night before
Fried bits of meat left over from the night before
(the previous two add together to make ye olde Bubble 'n' Squeak)
Grilled angers (sausages with finer ground meat and a bit more grain for binding)

Much of this has fallen into disuse as concerns over health and diet increase.

Also, I'm not English, but I like their cooking.

[foxish.livejournal.com]

And I left this part off--the tomato is not out of place, but it's not as common as it used to be.

[slipscale.livejournal.com]

For me the "standard" full english can contain any of the following -

Sausage
Bacon
Beans
Half a grilled tomato
Plum tomatoes in sauce
Black pudding
Fried bread
Fried mushrooms
Fried/poached/scrambled eggs

And funnily enough, that's what I'll be having for breakfast today. Not ALL of that, but I will be having a proper cooked breakfast!

[kiruppert.livejournal.com]

Okay, now I know I'm silly, because as I read these lists of breakfast foods, I keep expecting the word "Spam" to be every other word.

And then two of three words.

And then three of five words.

And then the vikings start chanting...