The Big Book of Breakfast

Breakfast is definitely my favorite meal of the day, and I am more than happy to eat things typically considered to be breakfast foods any time (although I should note that this is also true of most any leftover from any meal – lunch, dinner or dessert – that happens to be in my fridge when I’m hungry). As a result, breakfast-centric cookbooks actually get a lot of use in my house. They’re great go-to books, with sweet and savory dishes, many of which are easy to make and a great fit for any time of day. The Big Book of Breakfast certainly sounds like a book that is a good fit for those who love breakfasty foods. And it is.

The book has recipes in just about every breakfast category there is, from breakfast beverages and eggs to waffles, cereals and potatoes. It is fairly specific in its breakdown of the categories. For instance, [basic] eggs are a separate section from omelettes, which are separate from quiches and fritattas. While everything could have been crammed into one chapter, this organization allows each subject to be explored apart from similar dishes. Every section starts with a brief introduction to that type of dish, and is generously laced with tips and tricks that might help you troubleshoot any problems within that category.

The recipes are clearly written and easy to follow. Most are uncomplicated (or, at the very least, seem that way), so the book is never intimidating and is easy to pick up even before you’ve had your coffee. Where applicable, suggestions for variations are given, but from the way that the recipes are laid out in the book, coming up with your own ideas (fillings for omelettes, for instance) is almost inevitable. The only real minus here is the lack of pictures in the book. Fortunately, since breakfast foods are so well known, picturing the dishes isn’t too much of a problem and even picture-lovers will be a bit more forgiving of this fact than for books that specialize in more complex or unusual dishes.