breakfast of champions

Toast. What does this word mean to you? Probably not much. When we think of toast, we usually think of a mundane, inanimate, inoffensive foodstuff. Not too many people are put off by it, except maybe the gluten-intolerant. But how many people out there love toast?

Well, my hand's in the air, and I'm not ashamed of it either. Few things in life are as satisfying to me. You've got bread, which has been a staple of humanity for, uh ... a long time. And you've got a toaster. Put the two together, and something magic happens. It's like they were made for each other.

Just think about toast for a minute. What do YOU like on it? Butter? Jam? Nutella? One of the great things about toast is, it's so adaptable. It's like a blank canvas for the artist within.

Anyhow, I'm one of those people who enjoys having a big breakfast on the weekend. In fact, on many weekend days, I only eat two meals! A big breakfast, and then later, dinner. In the past, I'd occasionally make French toast for breakfast. But one day I had an epiphany, and realized that regular toast was almost as good as French toast, but a lot less work. Basically, it comes down to what you put on it, and making sure you start with good bread (I'm a sourdough kind of guy myself). Some days I'll have toast as a complement to something else, like cream of wheat or a bowl of hot granola. But some days when I sleep in a little later and want something quick (like today), I'll make a bunch of toast as the main course. Maybe some fruit and a hot beverage on the side. I call this "Toast Extravaganza."

So here we go with today's menu: a plate of sourdough toast, topped with Trader Joe's blackberry jam. Sliced kiwi and pineapple. A cup of coffee. Some good reading. Can you beat that on a winter Saturday morning??? Damn ...