American Breakfast

[nakatago]

'And since so few people know the genuine product, it invites vendors to cut corners.'

Example: Yesterday I bought a hot 'chicken sausage roll' from Polar.

It was about the size of a big long curry-puff, and looked appealing.

I tucked into it, only to find it was an oversize hollow puff-pastry shell, containing a chicken 'frankfurter', and that was it!

In Singapore, when you say sausage, they think of smooth meat slurry congealed into a thin cylinder. Hence, sausage roll = roll with vienna sausage inside. Probably with lots of black pepper too.

[heliotropic365]

Well, same reason you won't find authentic SGn food in Idaho, or Gloucestershire, there is not enough market for it. And since so few people know the genuine product, it invites vendors to cut corners.

Same same why/how there used to be just one sit-down ice-cream parlour in India, 'Nerula's' on Jantipath in Delhi...

The market for American breakfast is largely an expat one, so the outlets are where expats hang out.

An interesting observation you make about SGn cuisine having similarities between all the days meals. Hmmm...
Which leads me to ponder how, or when, eating thrice a day became some kind of global norm...

My earnest advice is to learn how to cook an AB for yourself. From a technical skills perspective it is about as simple as simple gets.

My other advice is when in NYC, go to Norma's, (Zagat rating 25/30) at The Parker-Meridian W56th... The seared foie gras is to die for (probably literally if you had it too often)... don't be surprised to drop US$100 a head for brunch... and book well ahead (well, you have to to get in)
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant ... _York.html
Click for the weekend menu on this page...
http://parkermeridien.com/normas.php
[Yes, the US$1,000 caviar/lobster frittata ... just a little OTT]...

It was Norma's that inspired me to devise the recipe for my Lobster eggs benedict recipe - super-yum!

For sure, I could cook more at home - it's mainly a time thing for me, and when it comes to pancakes there really is a lot of washing up to do! although, of course, that's another excuse

That said, SAS and so-called 'little America' are in the north, so i'm thinking maybe, just maybe, there is a hidden gem somewhere i've never heard about.

When it comes to NYC, Clinton St Baking Company has the most amazing biscuits you'll ever try. When I lived there briefly in '02 there had only just started gaining notoriety, so you could usually just walk in and sit. The lines always out the door now!

Fresh flluffy biscuits, now that's gotta be even harder to find in SG than pancakes..

[JR8]

For sure, I could cook more at home - it's mainly a time thing for me, and when it comes to pancakes there really is a lot of washing up to do! although, of course, that's another excuse

That said, SAS and so-called 'little America' are in the north, so i'm thinking maybe, just maybe, there is a hidden gem somewhere i've never heard about.

When it comes to NYC, Clinton St Baking Company has the most amazing biscuits you'll ever try. When I lived there briefly in '02 there had only just started gaining notoriety, so you could usually just walk in and sit. The lines always out the door now!

Fresh flluffy biscuits, now that's gotta be even harder to find in SG than pancakes..

Ah biscuits (aka scones) are so delicious fresh. Esp with strawberry jam and clotted cream (aka a 'cream tea').

I haven't heard of the Clinton Street Bakery, despite having lived over that way'ish. I see it's just a couple of blocks over from the legendary Katz's Deli (what I'd do for a Reuben sandwich!...).

CSB is over at Avenue B. Has that neighbourhood chilled out these days, that used to be badlands...

Over in the US, do you get both sweet and savoury scones? I ask as in the UK they're only eaten as a sweet thing, usually with jam on.

p.s. Talking about prep time: Yeah, I fully understand that. Back in London you can buy things like bags of fresh diced onion (etc*100 other similar things). I remember first thinking how ridiculous it was, but can see how that works well for some.

Talking about time, I think I've only made scones once, and I had to spend an hour or two on the web figuring out what buttermilk is, and then how to make it*! A complete PITA, but the end result was pretty good


* Buttermilk is quite a rare ingredient for the 'casual but keen' cook in Europe. It seems to occasionally crop-up in baking recipes. IIRC it is similar to slightly soured milk whey. So you take milk, and add an acid (lemon juice) to curdle it - coagulating the curds out of it. This yields something akin to a slightly soured skimmed milk.

Next time I come upon my copy of 'On Food and Cooking', I'll try to remember to look up the technical reason for using buttermilk, over skimmed milk...

[nutnut]

Cider Pit in Joo Chiat do a good English brekky

[the lynx]

Fresh flluffy biscuits, now that's gotta be even harder to find in SG than pancakes..

You mean this?

Texas Chicken.

TBH I'm more familiar with the British (and/or local) biscuits. Struggled for a bit to eat this one the first time I was in Texas Chicken.

[JR8]

TBH I'm more familiar with the British (and/or local) biscuits.

Scones dear, scones. Singapore has never been an American colony, despite Disney's best efforts.

p.s. ask for a biscuit in England and you'll be given a chocolate digestive or similar.

You want chocolate digestives on the plate with your eggs and beans. ....Maybe now you see why it sounds so jarringly 'wrong' to Anglo ears...

;;)

[JR8]

.... And here is one I prepared earlier.

Toasted ciabatta rubbed with roasted garlic + olive oil.
Asparagus
Scrambled eggs
Whole lobster
Liberal chopped parsley

Yes and that's kinda lobster-juices 'round the side...



p.s. Yes, this was my single portion....

[the lynx]

TBH I'm more familiar with the British (and/or local) biscuits.

Scones dear, scones. Singapore has never been an American colony, despite Disney's best efforts.

p.s. ask for a biscuit in England and you'll be given a chocolate digestive or similar.

You want chocolate digestives on the plate with your eggs and beans. ....Maybe now you see why it sounds so jarringly 'wrong' to Anglo ears...

;;)

Yup I would call that a scone.

And biscuits are the ones I dip into Milo for breakfast. McVities's, anyone?

[zzm9980]

Your image for Texas Chicken doesn't work. Is it this?
http://www.texaschicken.com.sg/menu-sid ... cuits.html

Wiki just taught me the correct name for what North Americans call 'biscuits' is 'Biscuit Bread':
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biscuit_(bread)

We call British biscuits 'cookies'.

[the lynx]

Your image for Texas Chicken doesn't work. Is it this?
http://www.texaschicken.com.sg/menu-sid ... cuits.html

Wiki just taught me the correct name for what North Americans call 'biscuits' is 'Biscuit Bread':
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biscuit_(bread)

Yeah that one. Anyway I change the image so it should hold. 'Biscuits'. :-/

We call British biscuits 'cookies'.

And I'm actually very amused that the only time North Americans use the word 'biscuits' is for dog biscuits.

[Mi Amigo]

In Singapore, when you say sausage, they think of smooth meat slurry congealed into a thin cylinder.

I think I'm becoming vegetarian again.

[JR8]

And I'm actually very amused that the only time North Americans use the word 'biscuits' is for dog biscuits.

Or for scones. They're on drugs man trying to lay down that their 'biscuits', loo rolls, slices of cake, nail clippings, should be accepted as 'biscuits'.

[heliotropic365]

I haven't heard of the Clinton Street Bakery, despite having lived over that way'ish. I see it's just a couple of blocks over from the legendary Katz's Deli (what I'd do for a Reuben sandwich!...).

CSB is over at Avenue B. Has that neighbourhood chilled out these days, that used to be badlands...

Over in the US, do you get both sweet and savoury scones? I ask as in the UK they're only eaten as a sweet thing, usually with jam on.

Yep it's just a few blocks east down Housten from Katz's. Speaking of Ruebens, there's a small place called Smokeshack at Far East Square near raffle's place that makes a relatively decent version.

And guys, the "biscuits" they sell at Texas Chicken or KFC is totally not the same thing! haha is KFC/Texas chicken the same thing as fried chicken you would find at a world class gourmet restaurant?

[JR8]

Yep it's just a few blocks east down Housten from Katz's. Speaking of Ruebens, there's a small place called Smokeshack at Far East Square near raffle's place that makes a relatively decent version.

And guys, the "biscuits" they sell at Texas Chicken or KFC is totally not the same thing! haha is KFC/Texas chicken the same thing as fried chicken you would find at a world class gourmet restaurant?

Mmmm ... well that's one for the to-do list!


p.s. There used to be another legendary place for Reubens, coupla blocks south of the Empire State Building... 31st/32? Took my parents there as Alphabet City would have been a bit racey for genteel pensioners. Ah, well...

[Wd40]

I thought Mc Donalds, KFC, Burger King are all American breakfasts, no?