The Romance of Breakfasts

And an old-fashioned strawberry cake.

An elaborate breakfast is one of life’s greatest pleasures. I love the notion of getting up in the morning and knowing I can spend an hour or two making something special. The slowness is meditative. I feel calm. Relaxed. Comfortable.

I love setting the table and cracking the window open to let some fresh air in. Brewing coffee or making tea. Getting the eggs out of the refrigerator. Slicing some fresh cold fruit and snacking on them. Pacing around the kitchen, thinking of what goes with what. Do I have enough milk to make pancakes? Did I use all of the tomatoes for last night’s vegan bolognese? Sometimes finding expired cream cheese that I completely forgot I had — oops.

Sometimes I’ll crave something sweet, like scones with Devonshire cream and strawberry jam. Pancakes with salted butter and maple syrup. A croissant or a pain au chocolat from the nearest bakery, which I’d be tempted to eat on my walk back home, but I’d patiently abstain just so I could plate them up and serve them with fresh fruit accompanied by a hot beverage. Other times, I’ll crave something Filipino, like garlic fried rice with sunny-side-up eggs and a side of tomato and cucumber salad. Or a full English breakfast with beans on toast, eggs, veggie sausage, and roasted tomatoes.

No matter what I decide to have for my elaborate breakfast, I know I’ll have a good day. It’s a novelty that never wears off.

A romance of sorts.

Old-Fashioned Strawberry Cake

Great news: if you live in Ontario, strawberry season can continue until October and beyond this year. I will obviously be taking full advantage of this and buying strawberries as much as possible — nothing can beat a sweet Ontario strawberry at this time of the year, in my opinion.

One of my favourite things to make with strawberries is an old-fashioned cake. It’s the kind of cake that’ll make you feel nostalgic for grandma’s desserts — and a delightful reminder that it’s still summer. It’s wholesome, simple and tart but also sweet enough to satisfy your cravings.