I was a bit mind-boggled to find this image on Gab. I've always enjoyed a full English breakfast (hey, my parents were British, what do you expect?), but this overloaded plate kinda blew my mind. Click the image for a larger view.
In my younger days, I'd have eaten the whole lot without a second thought (I was burning a lot of energy back then). Nowadays, I'd be hard pressed to get through half of it, and probably not even that much. Given the average age of the members of the North Texas Writers, Shooters and Pilots Association, that plateful would probably feed three or four of us, and give us a cholesterol overload into the bargain.
As a matter of fact, an English/Scottish style "pub" in Wichita Falls, the Highlander (a nice place to eat), used to offer a full English breakfast for two, although it seems to have fallen off their menu lately. It wasn't much smaller than the picture above - and yes, it did include four eggs. My wife and I ordered it once, and thoroughly enjoyed it, but I didn't eat anything else that day. Talk about overstuffed!
Peter
Dear Peter,
ReplyDeleteIn the few months I spent staying in a succession of B&Bs in the UK, I never saw an "English breakfast" that was anything like this. I recognize a lot of the items, but what exactly are the meats and those black things?
Virginia Granny
I've always liked a big breakfast though I can no longer handle one of that scale. Years ago there was a place, and it may still be there, by Snoqualmie Falls in Washington state that served what they called their lumberjack breakfast. I recall it cost $10 a head in 1978. They would start wheeling out food until you finally had enough. Back then I was 28 and did myself proud. I couldn't now.
ReplyDeleteI *could* eat that whole plate, but I think I would pass.
ReplyDeleteBreakfast like a king, lunch like a merchant, sup like a pauper.
ReplyDeleteBRM, once upon a time a pub in Monterey served what they called The Ploughman's Share. It was a rather massive plate of cheese, bread, onions, and meat. It seemed like a lot - until I considered what the actual English Ploughman did in a day.
ReplyDelete@Virginia Granny: Looks to me like two different kinds of sausages, disks of US-style breakfast sausage, bacon, and possibly pork chops too. The black disks are fried black pudding:
ReplyDeletehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_pudding
A full English breakfast is a gastronomic delight, a gustatory masterpiece and a dietician's worst nightmare!
:-)
I don't eat that much in a week.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering if that WAS from Highlander...
ReplyDeleteBlack pudding (you might call it blood pudding) fried bread (fried in the fat off the bacon) Maybe a few kidneys. Washed down with a big mug of tea.
ReplyDeleteAnd in Scotland, haggis, fried tattie scones, and fried clootie dumpling.
A plate like that and you will work all day in the cold until evening and not need lunch.
And if you are worried about your weight finish it all with a diet coke. I know it works. All women do it.
Don't forget the Irish and Ulster fry.
Much the same but with some of yesterday's potato and cabbage mashed up and fried in beef dripping. Bubble and squeak. Its name, not your intestines reaction.
I'll eat everything except the cooked tomatoes.
ReplyDeleteNever could get used to those.
My mother was English, and I do love an English breakfast. I haven't seen one like that since I was on a trip back there in about 2003. We stayed at a B&B in Edinburgh that had a breakfast buffet with all those items.
ReplyDeleteI doubt I could eat a plate like that anymore, but I wouldn't mind giving it a try.
Would someone please explain the allure of grilled tomatoes? If I'm eating tomatoes I want a big beef-steak tomato sliced with sprinkle of salt. And, yes, there is enough protein there for at least 4, maybe 5 people.
ReplyDeleteGrilled tomatoes are delicious - and they're even Southern (see recipes for fried green tomatoes). I like them both "raw" and fried.
ReplyDeleteA couple years ago I went to London for my parents' anniversary. While the hotel had an excellent breakfast menu overall, they could not scramble eggs to save their life. Very strange.
ReplyDeleteBrings back memories of the Burning Bush in Gatlinburg. Long closed. Had a breakfast called The Bountiful. Somewhat different fare but similar quantity.
ReplyDeleteTalk about the breakfast of champions...
ReplyDelete