by Lori Baltazar
I guess it goes without saying that this question is not for you if you don’t eat breakfast. But if you have breakfast for dinner, that counts!
”A well-developed breakfast fantasy can be more interesting than many people’s sexual fantasies.” – George Lang (1924-2011), American restaurateur and food historian.
Note: M.I.Y.O. Monday stands for Make It Your Own Monday, a question thrown out to DCF readers every Monday to jumpstart the week with lively interaction. I also welcome questions and suggestions for future MIYO Mondays. Email me.
I’ve been told more than once that I’m unnaturally cheery in the morning. “It’s not right for a human being to be this chipper so early in the A.M.,” grumbles a friend as she pours her second cup of coffee. As someone who arises close to the crack of dawn everyday, there’s nothing that cheers me up more than breakfast. I’m a diurnal animal, as opposed to the nocturnal night owls I know, and breakfast is the fuel that drives my engine. Forget lunch or dinner, it’s the morning meal that I won’t do without. There are some people who cannot stomach food first thing in the morning but I am not one of those people.
During the weekdays, I do my best to keep my brekkies (breakfast) virtuous. Heeding the guidelines of the health police, it’s usually a bowl of cereal – the boring, adult cereal loaded with unprocessed fiber and flax, unroasted and unsalted nuts, 2% milk, fruit, and black coffee. When I feel like cheating a little, I’ll have toast and my favorite food in the world, eggs, either fried, soft-boiled or scrambled. And I’ll add milk to my coffee.
But I live – absolutely live! – for the weekends when I bust out my baking sheet and bake all manner of fabulous, floury things. Scones are a favorite, as are waffles and French toast. I also have a rather frightening attachment to pancakes.
But there are times when I want to be served breakfast instead of making it myself, and when that happens, I have a few go-tos. I adore Apartment 1B’s selection for us early birds, especially the Eggs Ben and Croque Madame. The coffee-condensed milk duo of the much missed Ya Kun powered me up nicely so now, Kopi Roti and Toast Box will do. And when it’s a super special Sunday, a dimsum brunch thrills me to no end, the one at Summer Palace and LiLi are favorites. I only wish that there were more brekkie places in Manila.
Oh breakfast, how I love you!
Tell me, what do you eat for breakfast?
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yay! 1st commenter!
i enjoy coffee, sinangag, egg (sunny side up) at longganisang imus!
During the week, we have different kinds of smoothies using all sorts of frozen fruit and spinach or kale. Then during the weekend, we looove anchovies with butter on toast with soft boiled eggs. =)
Depends on the mood really. But this morning I had toasted white bread, strawberry jam and grated cheese.
I just had a slice of monay with Reno liver spread. Then I had green tea. But when in Batangas, we love to have fried suman and tsokolate. Haaaaaaay, pagkakasarap!
since i’m always in a hurry on weekdays, i prefer to eat sandwich for breakfast. i never get tired of crunchy peanut butter on toasted wheat bread, paired with my favorite coffee. On weekends, sometimes I prepare pancakes or french toasts, or ask mom to buy kakanins. I sometimes like eating cakes or muffins for brekky! Sweets make my mornings brighter. 😀 I rarely eat rice for breakfast, but it’s a must for me to never skip breakfast. My fave meal! 🙂
I’d like everything at the breakfast buffet and whatever they’re hiding in the kitchen too (fee fi fo fum…)–but in reality it’s oatmeal and dried fruit 😛
Kaya toast and eggs definitely is on the list, a nice strong black coffee, crisp bacon, maybe even baked beans, those roasted/broiled tomatoes and if there’s still room I’d like champorado with tuyo on top 😀
I, too, can not miss breakfast. Even if it means being 5 minutes late for work. I’m dabbling on Atkins these days so eggs are a regular..which is fine by me since I love eggs, and then if I’m not too pressed for time, I can throw in some bacon or dinner leftover.
Oh and coffee is a MUST.
Lori, no truer words can be said than this: I understand.
Mornings are the best slice of Earth’s rotation. Within its length are the most wonderful things: breakfasts, freshly brewed coffees, and eggs in their scrambled and sunny side up forms.
I tend to eat at my favorite carinderia, where they know my first name and favorites. Dominating that list is liver steak — whenever I have it, everything becomes a bit better, the world becomes a bit more beautiful.
I had it today. Life is amazing.
I was MADE for this question. *rubs hands*
You start off with Garlic Rice. A small(?) mountain of it, freshly cooked, with bits of garlic.
Then Eggs. Depending on your mood, you can have it scrambled: Soft, creamy, the egg and the yolk already pre-mixed for you. Or sunny side up, where it takes a little more effort to get the perfect white-yolk ratio, but since they are kept separate until you break the yolk, the flavors are more intense.
Now for the protein. So many to choose from, depending on your mood:
– BACON. The classic. Crisp, fried, porky deliciousness. I like to break them up and mix them in the egg and rice (did I mention I put it all in a donburi bowl and eat the whole thing like a bowl of cereal? we,, I do) and drizzle some Heinz tomato ketchup for some acidity to cut through the richness, and a sprinkling of chili flakes for kick. If I’m feeling extra indulgent, I add some mushrooms fried in rosemary.
– HAM: fiesta ham. Thickly sliced, with a brown sugar glaze. The opposite of bacon, it’s tender, thick, and sweet. Big meaty chunks of pork. I like to keep this one simple — no add-ons — so as to let the subtle sweet taste shine through.
– SPAM: Think of bacon and Ham hooking up and having a delivious baby. That you eat. I like to have it fried crisp, so it has that crispy exterior and ooooh so soft interior. Salty like bacon, a little dab of ketchup goes well with this before I mix the whole thing.
– TUYO: If I’m feeling nationalistic, I fry up four or five of these little suckers. debone the fish flakes from the bones and toss it in spicy coconut vinegar before topping it on the eggs/rice. Add some more spicy chili flakes. And the Heads I separate and put on the very top, as they are my favorite part to eat whole, like a delicious, crunchy nugget of salty fishy deliciousness. Naturally, I eat them first.
– DANGGIT: I like to call this “Fish Bacon”, as it marries the salty fishiness of Tuyo and the crispiness of Bacon. Break them up into bite size morsels, toss it in spicy vinegar, throw them on top of eggs + rice, enjoy.
Overindulgent to the max? Most definitely. Which is why I only have this breakfast on Friday mornings to commemorate the weekends, after which I promptly go back to bed because there’s no way I’m getting any work done after such a carbtastic meal.
I only have this on friday mornings I didn’t even mention Longganisa, Pork and Beans, Hotdogs because I would be writing until lunchtime, and I’m ALREADY hungry.
Honestly, I’m the kind of person who prefers to eat breakfast at every meal, everyday.
I love sugary cereals and ice-cold milk in a huge bowl any time, any place. I prefer Fruity Pebbles, Nestle Snow Flakes and (if those aren’t available) Honey Stars. I used to like Koko Krunch, but an incident in 2002 changed all that forever. I prefer Selecta’s Milk – whole, fresh, fortified, as long as it’s Selecta, I want it. Their milk tastes like their ice cream. I even add cereal to my already hella chunky Selecta (now comes in Overloaded) Very Rocky Road.
When it rains, I like hot, thick champorado, drowned in Carnation Evap and sometimes paired with tuyo or a pinch of salt (flaked, rock, sea – basta salty numminum for contrast).
I like my oatmeal goopy and thick with full-cream powdered milk with swirls of brown sugar.
Brian and I love bacon and we prefer Hormel’s Black Label bacon. Just pure, salty, crisp and heavenly bacon. We can match it with eggs (all permutations in cooking) with toast, lots of butter and strawberry preserves (preferably Baguio’s Good Shepherd for all those chunky/whole strawberries).
We even have our favorites from establishments:
Break O’ Day from Coffee Bean
Pancake House: Banana Walnut Waffle, Blueberry pancakes and Spanish omelette.
Eggs Ben from Apt 1B and Chelsea’s Market.
So many many more, but I have got to get back to work.
Like I said, breakfast at any meal, at any day, at any time. Give me bowls of my cereal and cold milk and I’ll be a happy gnosher.
Oh, I love Koko Krunch! Why, what happened in 2002?
Um, maybe if you and I get to know each other on a much much much deeper level. Please, do understand that it’s not Koko Krunch’s fault, it’s mine. Koko Krunch was a favorite for years until that 2002 incident.
Hahahahaha!
*hands over table napkins to help wipe off the drool
My family have recently started a regular morning regimen of having breakfast (we mostly skipped breakfast prior to this, being night people). We love fresh pandesal, eggs, and whatever meat we can cook fast in the morning (usually spam, hotdogs, canned tuna). I find that having breakfast makes me more energetic for the rest of the day, and able to face more challenges.
I’ve never much liked having cereal for breakfast. I’m not particularly sure why, because I love milk and sugary starch. Just not mixed together, I guess.
My breakfast is usually carbs galore. Hehe. I like the french toast and kaya toast at Toastbox, the pizza muffin and blueberry bread at BreadTalk, the waffles and cinnamon swirl at Starbucks.
If I’m in the mood for rice, Jollibee’s breakfast meals are my first choice. I wish there was a Rodic’s near our office, because I miss their tapsilog and wholeheartedly believe theirs is the best.
I try, as much as possible, to cook breakfast. I’ll whip up some pancakes (not form scratch– I use Maya because it’s not too sweet) with Quickmelt cheese chunks as a nice surprise. Then I’ll fry some bacon and sliced sausages with cheese. Yes, I’m a fan of cheese!
There’s this cool store along Blue Ridge in Katipunan aptly named, “The Breakfast Store” which sells stuff that’s good for Filipino Breakfast. I bought their Chicken Longganisa but we didn’t like it that much. Their other products might be good though, so do drop by!
The best, and most practical, breakfast of all: reheated (or better, reconstructed) leftovers from last night’s dinner. 🙂
My favorite: *insert leftover*-omelette. 😀
If on a diet:
– homemade lemon or plain yogurt(I make my own greek style yogurt and just put lemon oil/ zest in it during fermentation).
– a huge apple/ 1cup frozen berries I have on the fridge
If not on a diet:
Light Brekkie:
– toast with orange marmalade and unsalted butter
-two hard boiled eggs (light daw!)
– hot chocolate
Not a care in the world breakfast:
-BACON + Sausages
-Toast with orange marmalade and unsalted butter
-two hard-boiled eggs/ poached eggs
– hot chocolate
– fruit
Breakfast! I can go without lunch or dinner, but never without breakfast 🙂
On weekdays, it’s either cereals and non-fat milk or steaming hot pandesal with peanut butter (of course!) or cheese spread or coco jam. I also take my coffee black with sugar. Then there are days when I feel I need to recharge (excuses!) or when I plan to skip lunch and I have rice and corned beef instead 🙂
For weekends, I used to make pancakes and fluffy scrambled eggs with bacon, ham, or sausages or whatever breakfast experiment I could find in cookbooks or magazines. That was when it was just me and hubby. Now weekends are usually just breakfast deliveries or Lucky Me Pancit Canton (2 packs mixed together: ChiliMansi and Extra Hot). I miss the whole weekend brekky shebang thing, but we’d much rather spend our mornings playing with our princess than slaving in the kitchen. It’s a trade-off that we’ll likely keep for some time, I guess, until the little princess can be more independent.
i love breakfast meal at anytime of the day! aside the SILOG meals with coffee on the side… I go for freshly hot pandesal with a generous slathering of peanut butter AND butter! the way the two ooze out from the edges as you sink your teeth into it.
Oi, my morning is MADE! hehe
Simple Pinoy breakfast food of pandesal with butter then I’ll dunk it to a hot cup of coffee. And taho without the tapioca balls and lots and lots of arnibal. 🙂
I am a big breakfast eater! I can’t leave the house without breakfast :)) Favorites are Longganisa from my hometown Munoz, Nueva Ecija (they are the best longganisa ever), scrambled eggs or tomatoes with salted eggs, paired with paksiw na boneless bangus with siling labuyo and freshly popped pork chicharon (Inantala or pre-cooked chicharon bought from Jaen, Nueva Ecija)..oh life is good
My office mates and I have what we call “The Breakfast Club”.
On normal days, we have toci/tapsilog in the office canteen.
On tamad days, we have Nutella sandwiches and cup noodles.
On special days, we have Jollibee Longganisa meal or McDo’s Big Breakfast/Longganisa/Sausage McMuffin meal.
Kopiccino/Good Day coffee or orange/buko juice for drinks please!
If I could have pinoy brekkie of scrambled egg, tapa, crispy corned beef and garlic rice every other day and not get fat- I’d be happy 😉
If I’m feeling healthy- cereal or oatmeal with fresh berries.
If it’s an indulgent weekend- huevos flamenco (extra spicy!) or poached egg on crispy shredded potatoes with Iberico
If I need comforting- pancakes with peanut butter or waffle with real maple syrup and flambeed bananas or blueberries or a sandwich made from leftovers in the fridge
If I have just come from the Philippines with my maleta fully loaded- boneless bangus, sweetish longganisa (from my mom’s half-blind supplier in Kamuning), tuyo, danggit or spicy sardines with rice and sunny side up or champorado with dilis
If I have guests- French toast using HK’s version of Jipan’s Monroe bread with cranberries or Eggs Benedict
If I’m on vacation at a resort- I usually play around with what’s on the buffet, so it can be a deli meat sandwich with cheese one day, or ham and melon, or a Dagwood style sandwich with fluffy scrambled eggs
I’m actually a late bloomer. I didn’t use to eat breakfast but now I can’t start my day without it.
I live in Malabon…but breakfast is not the pansit things…
A heavy breakfast for me is feasting on sinangag with lots of garlic, soft boiled egg, tapang kabayo with dampalit atchara on the side and half cheek of ripe mango plus a steaming hot coffee no milk with muscovado sugar…yum..yum..yum..
My brekkies are great with bread – all kinds of bread! From steaming “pugon” pandesals dipped in extra hot coffee, tasty loaves with peanut butter and jelly and baked goods of all sort(too many to mention) plus always on my side is cinnamon which spices either my cereals, coffee and peanut butter.
boiled egg mixed with mayo on toasted wheat bread + fresh orange slices + freshly brewed coffee= one recharged, refreshed, energized momma! Got to have energy to chase, este, take care of my toddler every single day 😉
Today at Four Season’s In Bangkok, a rare quiet time alone. Hakkaw, Thai Salted egg, Japanese grilled fish (i wish i got the name, starts with S…Saku?), a bit of fragramt Thai jasmine rice mmmm. And sweet sunset-colored papaya, nature’s Vit A. And it really made my day when the staff gave me a container of their to-die-for granola and biscotti to bring home to Manila.
The power breakfast fuelled me enough to shop through the length of the airport duty free, and to skip lunch.
Four Seasons, I hope to be back with family in tow!
When I wake up late I normally just have instant stuff like Nesvita or cup noodles. But lately I’ve been trying to wake up earlier– I brew Benguet coffee, put a bit of condensed milk, and toast wheat bread on which I put lots of butter. Sometimes nutella.
I also love Yellowcab’s breakfast breads! And McDonald’s egg mcmuffin. 🙂
I love breakfast! It’s the simplest meals that bring the most pleasure. On busy weekdays, I turn to these regulars to start the day:
pandesal with cream cheese
peanut butter with ham on toast – sounds weird but good
peanut butter with banana on toast
pandesal and sugared spam
McDonald’s used to serve biscuits before the sausage mcmuffin arrived. I loved how those biscuits were almost cake like.
These days its cereal. My favorite are clusters with sliced almonds.
When we stay in a hotel, one the events if not THE event to look forward to is the BREAKFAST BUFFET.
Nothing beats the variety and number of Spiral. Intercon’s Jeepney bar comes a close second.
Richmonde and Holiday Inn’s buffets are ok. I love it when they have an omelette bar. I usually request a cheese and garlic omelette to go with a warm croissant.
Bacon is a staple attraction. I’ve been wary of pancakes and waffles since they end up being dry.
I usually cap that binge with sliced fruit and yogurt and coffee.