How about swapping your bacon and eggs for miso soup and rice?
Americans know what to expect on a breakfast menu. Eggs are the king of breakfast in this country, prepared in so many different ways. You’ll also find pancakes, French toast, bacon, and all the usual breakfast suspects on most menus. When going out for breakfast in Denver, no menu is complete without an egg and potato filled burrito smothered in green chile. But what does breakfast around the world look like? What are people in China, India, France and other countries eating for the most important meal of the day?
In China the day often gets started with rice porridge, called congee. This is a savory dish and often topped with meat. Noodles with meat and vegetables, similar to those you’d eat for dinner, is another a popular breakfast in China. Rice is also the focus of breakfast in Japan, which can consist of a bowl of miso soup alongside rice, or fermented soybeans, called natto, served on top of rice. In Thailand they often eat a bowl of joke, rice porridge, with an egg cracked in the middle and garnished with pork and herbs.
In France they typically enjoy a simple breakfast with a croissant, jam and coffee. Other cultures that start their day like the French with caffeine and bread include the Cubans, but with sweet coffee and a toasted, buttered Cuban baguette for dunking, as well as the Portuguese and the Italians. In Argentina they also enjoy croissants for breakfast, but typically with a yerba mate drink. In Spain they often get a sweet start with fried churros dunked in rich hot chocolate.
A typical Turkish breakfast consists of cheese, olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, and some kind of spicy meat dish. In Pakistan you’d eat a flatbread stuffed with vegetables or served with butter and chutney. In India they’re eating the same type of flatbread, lentil crepes called dosas, or a steamed pancake make from rice called idlis. These types of items are often served with chutney or other dips.
Perhaps you’ve heard of the full English breakfast. While the British may not be eating this every morning, the traditional meal consists of eggs, breakfast meats like bacon and sausage, blood pudding, beans, grilled tomato, sautéed mushrooms, and toast. All this is served with plenty of tea, of course.
Breakfast around the world may seem different in comparison to our American dishes, but the goal of starting the day off right remains the same for all.
Enjoy a hearty breakfast at Gunther Toody’s.
Sources: http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/destinations/2013/11/02/breakfast-around-the-world/3355123/