Brits love their beans, particularly, canned baked beans. When you live in a hostel, you can easily spot the Brits in the morning, sleepy eyed, huddled around the one can opener and toaster, clutching their can of baked beans. The day doesn't start until they get their beloved beans and toast. The standard is four slices, with an entire 8oz can poured on top to create soggy mess of future flatulence.
I can't think of too many things with which I would rather not start my day. I could easily see a perfectly high-potential day ruined by the prospect of the impending stomach symphony.
I asked a Brit once, "so what's with all the beans and toast?"
He just replied, "It is an essential part of the classic breakfast. Why, don't you have beans for breakfast?"
I shook my head. He kindly invited me to give it a shot sometime, so I did. Later that day, I stopped at the supermarket and bought a can of beans to prepare me for the next morning's breakfast.
I thought it would be a quick breakfast to make, but I was proven wrong after waiting in line for nearly five minutes behind four other people with bowls of beans, all staring, transfixed by the glow of the single microwave of the hostel. Then I waited another five for a chance to used the giant 10 slice toaster. Even after 10 minutes of growing anticipatory hunger, I found it to be merely okay. The beans did not improve the toast or vise versa. It was merely some beans on toast.
I don't really know what I was expecting. That the two would form some perfect marriage of flavors and textures. That something as simple as toasted white bread would unlock some previously hidden quality of baked beans. That toast was Britain's culinary equivalent of a quick spritz of lemon juice or shaved truffle?
But no, it was just a filling, cheap staple. I stayed satiated for a long time and did not suffer from terrible gas. I still don't think it will enter my breakfast rotation though.
I suppose every country has their dishes that seem quite odd, even terrible to others from different places. Scotland has haggis. France has escargot. Poland has their entire national cuisine. If America had their equivelent of beans and toast, it would have to be biscuits and gravy. A southern staple, it is dish that can only come from the south.
An Aussie had actually asked me about it recently. He loved the stuff, but was having trouble describing it to his friend. So i gave it shot.
It seemed simple enough. Biscuits...and...Gravy. Yet, both elements are very different from what most foreigners would consider.
"Well, you take a biscuit, but it isn't like what you call a biscuit. It's more of a shortbread and um it's like a scone, but it's soft."
"Is it sweet mate?" he asked.
"No, it tastes like dough, like flour and milk. Then you pour this white, kinda tasteless gravy on top that you make from the sausage fat grease from the bottom of the pan. An there's sausage chunks, uh mince, in it. Then you eat it with eggs."
"And people eat this for breakfast?" The friend was horrified.
Suddenly I realized, how could a person eat such a thing in general, much less for breakfast? Thickened sausage drippings over a flavorless hunk of plain baked dough. I suppose beans and toast doesn't seem so strange when compared to the gut-wrenching horror some call breakfast. Then again, why do I crave it so bad?
I can't think of too many things with which I would rather not start my day. I could easily see a perfectly high-potential day ruined by the prospect of the impending stomach symphony.
I asked a Brit once, "so what's with all the beans and toast?"
He just replied, "It is an essential part of the classic breakfast. Why, don't you have beans for breakfast?"
I shook my head. He kindly invited me to give it a shot sometime, so I did. Later that day, I stopped at the supermarket and bought a can of beans to prepare me for the next morning's breakfast.
I thought it would be a quick breakfast to make, but I was proven wrong after waiting in line for nearly five minutes behind four other people with bowls of beans, all staring, transfixed by the glow of the single microwave of the hostel. Then I waited another five for a chance to used the giant 10 slice toaster. Even after 10 minutes of growing anticipatory hunger, I found it to be merely okay. The beans did not improve the toast or vise versa. It was merely some beans on toast.
I don't really know what I was expecting. That the two would form some perfect marriage of flavors and textures. That something as simple as toasted white bread would unlock some previously hidden quality of baked beans. That toast was Britain's culinary equivalent of a quick spritz of lemon juice or shaved truffle?
But no, it was just a filling, cheap staple. I stayed satiated for a long time and did not suffer from terrible gas. I still don't think it will enter my breakfast rotation though.
I suppose every country has their dishes that seem quite odd, even terrible to others from different places. Scotland has haggis. France has escargot. Poland has their entire national cuisine. If America had their equivelent of beans and toast, it would have to be biscuits and gravy. A southern staple, it is dish that can only come from the south.
An Aussie had actually asked me about it recently. He loved the stuff, but was having trouble describing it to his friend. So i gave it shot.
It seemed simple enough. Biscuits...and...Gravy. Yet, both elements are very different from what most foreigners would consider.
"Well, you take a biscuit, but it isn't like what you call a biscuit. It's more of a shortbread and um it's like a scone, but it's soft."
"Is it sweet mate?" he asked.
"No, it tastes like dough, like flour and milk. Then you pour this white, kinda tasteless gravy on top that you make from the sausage fat grease from the bottom of the pan. An there's sausage chunks, uh mince, in it. Then you eat it with eggs."
"And people eat this for breakfast?" The friend was horrified.
Suddenly I realized, how could a person eat such a thing in general, much less for breakfast? Thickened sausage drippings over a flavorless hunk of plain baked dough. I suppose beans and toast doesn't seem so strange when compared to the gut-wrenching horror some call breakfast. Then again, why do I crave it so bad?
1 comment:
Maybe you need a different country's perspective. Here they are called Molletes and they are topped with melted cheese and fresh salsa!
The toast part is actually a split french-style roll and it is buttered and grilled before the refried beans are spread on top and then a slice of cheese (white - like provolone). After you melt the cheese, you put fresh salsa on top and there's your breakfast! It can also be made with some chorizo added in, if you are missing the sausage in your breakfast.
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