I haven’t been to the UK since 2018 and I miss it so much!
This blog - The London Review of Breakfasts - hasnt been updated for some years but there’s still good information in there. The writing is often fun and the punning contributor names are always fun
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Prompt action on the renaming of the thread . Congrats.
Hi there, sowmowchow. Welcome to HO. Anyone who makes their debut on a breakfast fry-up thread is going to fit in well here. That said, Whitby always says fish & chips to me, rather than breakfast.
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One of my favorite cookbooks-- for reading & re-re-re-reading is
The Great British Breakfast by Jan Read. Nothing to do at all with the Bake-off. Published in 1981 it almost predates the internet. It delves into the history. A fun short book at 128 pages. Bookfinder.com shows it widely available used between $5 & $10.
Potatoes-- While I won’t turn down a hash brown do think it’s lame. After superb French Fries I most crave Superb HOME FRIES. Merely acceptable home fires are getting harder to find. Some places are even deep frying small potato cubes & calling them “home fries”.
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I learned to eat the heavy breakfasts in England and Ireland when I traveled with my husband on business. My brother-in-law is English, and I was surprised the first time we stayed with my husband’s sister in Connecticut and her husband served what we call “brunch” with the full array of stuff, includding baked beans and in place of bangers - he used hot dogs. Enough to make me run to the bathroom.
But as years went by, and I continued to travel with my spouse, I came to appreciate the meal more - especially since I could eat later than my spouse did when he had to be at early meetings. So it stood in for lunch, in my case, and I didn’t have to spend money we got for per diem having another meal out before dinner. The exchange rate was prohibitive for those of us using the US dollar…But I could never get blood pudding off of my fork into my mouth. I did once - it made my tongue tingle.
I have to admit, I do prefer a lighter continental breakfast with flaky pastry and fruit in the morning…
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Interesting. I don’t eat croissants because they give me indigestion. Too much butter for me.
I’m okay with a Continental breakfast that is toast or baguette. If I’m going to have a bread breakfast, I prefer a small German breakfast with a roll, cheese and cold cuts.
I encountered cold cuts and cheese for breakfast as well when we were in Germany and in hotels in the Netherlands. I watched people make sandwiches from the breakfast buffets, wrap them in napkins and stick them into their bags after they finished eating the first time through and was amazed at their boldness.
I honestly have no appetite much before noon or 1:00 or even later…
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I have that for breakfast at home quite often - I always think of it as a Dutch breakfast
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Hello, and thanks for the welcome, @Harters
Yeah, the fish and chips were great. Fresh… no chippy shop old-oil taste. We were there for a short stay and hunting for breakfast. Can’t remember the place now but the oatmeal was creamy and hit the spot.
Was rereading your post and @Phoenikia … I think the second to last place I ate was at a garden center. They seem to have hit a niche as a way to stay alive.
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Potatoes are a hit-or-miss on a plate for me. Proper chips would be fine, maybe the patty if cooked right, but some places try to make (cubed) hash or the shredded version. Either soggy with oil or tasteless crisp. There’s a diner near me (US) that has the hash perfect. They slice the potatoes into medallions and leave a mountain of them on the grill to crisp on one side (while having it soft and fluffy on another) and flipped once in a while.
My first real understanding of how to make a fry up at home was actually an old old episode of Jamie Oliver when he did an “all in one pan” version for his mates before some event. Kid was a mile a minute back then.
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The beans… was so glad that the UK Heinz versions made it over here. Nothing compares.
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I started eating this because of travels in Spain and southern France!
I like the Heinz curry beans, too. They have become a side dish at our house. Available at Sobey’s, as well as Remark Fresh Market where I shop in London, Ontario.
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I’ve only spent a few nights in Holland on one visit, whereas I’ve spent a considerable amount of time in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, so that may account for me calling it a German breakfast 
I also prepare a similar breakfast in Canada when German cousins have visited!
I seem to have deleted my breakfast photos from my visit in 2019. This photo, from Instagram, looks close to what my cousin served me on my last visit.
I think it’s common across Scandinavia, Holland, Poland and the German-speaking countries.
Some Germans call it Morgenbrot, and have a similar cold meal at night which is called Abendbrot.
One cousin would go to the bakery before we woke up, when we visited, so we would have freshly baked brötchen at breakfast.
I had some nice photos from my last few breakfasts at the Platzl hotel in the old town of Munich. I was working at the perfect plate.
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We’ve been a few times over the years but most of my experience of a “Dutch breakfast” is actually a “Dutch speaking region Belgian breakfast”. The hotel we stay in at Ieper does a really good buffet - different cheeses, meats, breads, jams.
Well, my plan for the “Full English” at The Lounge, turned into their take on American pancakes and bacon. Three thick American style pancakes, maple syrup and streaky bacon. And, thankfully, the bacon wasnt overcooked and crispy as you get in the States. Herself had the same and also enjoyed (although she is one who likes overcooked and crispy American style bacon).
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I remember that. I think it was from the first of his “Naked Chef” series. In fact, we’ve made it a couple of times , although not for several years.
Now, if you’re looking for the Full English, with a twist, this Nigel Slater recipe will tick the box. He takes the classic Brit dinner dish of “toad in the hole” and just adds in the other breakfast items, along with the obligatory sausages. Eggs, of course, come as an ingredient in the batter.
I made this a few weeks back (actually for dinner) but I’m sure I did something wrong. The batter just failed to rise very much and become nice and both fluffy and crispy. It just sat there at the bottom of the tray and sulked. Tasted fine, of course
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We traveled for many years to the Netherlands for my husband’s work, and lived there for several years ourselves. The joke amongst his expat colleagues was “What’s the difference between a Dutch breakfast and a Dutch lunch?” … “About 4 hours”
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