New York review - breakfasts

First off, I would say that in the name of research and science I have eaten almost my weight in food in the last week and have enjoyed every minute of it. I had a great time in New York, 4 days are really not enough though. Im hoping the 30 odd kilometres I walked a day will save me from sprouting cupcake sized lumps of lard all over my body.

But theres too much to review in one post so Im going to do a few, starting with the most important meal of the day.

Now I figured, it being the city that never sleeps and as my sleeping was so terrrible that breakfast wouldnt be the handiest thing to get in New York but I was very wrong. It wasnt just all coffee either, there were plenty of breakfast options. I stayed fairly local every morning though as jetlag left me famished and in no mood for a trek.

Ess a Bagel was my favourite place for breakfast and was just around the corner from my hotel (clean & tiny rooms which is very central). The bagels here were literally to die for (or from due to size). There was far too much choice on the bagel list for morning time (asking me to chose between 20 cream cheeses and 14 bagels is far too much at any time mind you) and more with cakes, muffins and cookies. The guy in front of me in the queue asked could they hold a chocolate muffin for him every day as the days he didnt have one something bad always happened. New York is known for bagels and you would never find this place unless you accidentally saw someone going in (as I did) but once you have a bagel here you will never have one anywhere else (compare the left picture to the right one below). They also make the bagels fresh which I had never seen before - did you know they boil them before baking them?

Next door to Ess a bagel and all over town were Pax (picture on right) which are all over Manhattan. As you can see the Bagels werent quite as impressive, nor did they have the massive choice of cream cheeses. Grand for a cheapish cup of coffee but if you want a chain you may as well go to Starbucks right?

One thing that Pax did do as well as quite a few other places I passed is porridge. Im quite picky about my porridge and always find it a bit surprising that you cant get porridge easily in Ireland for breakfast and I have never seen it as take away. Then again maybe thats because we are all so picky about porridge.

Most of the places I saw in New York had 2 or 3 porridges bubbling away (with milk, skimmed milk or water) and a selection of toppings you could add. Yay for healthy food as my porridge with strawberries was definitely healthier than the bagels I was eating.

Breakfast over there was plenty of walking to be done.

The perfect sunday morning breakfast

French toast is the perfect breakfast for when you have had a very lazy morning in bed after a hard week. Having French toast made for me is an absolute luxury and its not insanely difficult to make well (a whole lot easier than finding a place open on a Sunday without a queue who will make it for you!). Men of Ireland - I recommend learning this.

Ingredients

• 4 eggs


• 120ml milk (whatever type you have, I use semi skimmed and its fine)


• 5 slices from a hand cut loaf (Get the best bread you can get and its grand even if its been hanging around a few days, as long as theres no mould that is. Theres no point wasting your eggs on sliced pan. I went a bit far and made some as I was in prime baking form)


• some butter and veg oil for frying


• maple syrup, cinnamon, caster sugar for serving

Beat the eggs and milk in a bowl and then pour half the mix onto a large plate.

Cut your slices of bread in half and soak in the egg mix, turning after a few minutes until they are completely soggy.

Heat the butter and a tiny bit of oil in a freying pan and once hot fry the bread until golden on each side

Once done eat very quickly with lots of the maple syrup and it will completely make up for the fact that its Sunday and you have to work tomorrow.