Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Breakfast Anytime


By Guy Sharwood, Groovy Reflections Team Member

My wife and I frequently order take out dinners from a neighborhood diner. One of my favorite dishes to order is a Primavera Omelette (eggs with cheese, mushrooms and vegetables), hash browns and a buttered biscuit.

Usually I order once I go in and sip ice water and read the newspaper while I wait. Often I'll watch the cook at work and I've noticed a lot of patrons like to order breakfast food for dinner, most often pancakes, eggs and sausages. Normally at least one customer will order breakfast food when I'm there, always in the evenings.

This is something I didn't always see, however, I never regarded it as any kind of real eccentricity. I love breakfast food and never have understood why it should be confined to mornings. And yes, that includes cereal, either hot or cold.

In the late 1970s, I worked graveyard shift at a self-serve gas station on Highway 41. This was during the so called "energy crisis" with the odd/even rationing on the horizon and ours was the only station open 24/7. Our night shift would close later as well. I lived by myself and frequently took my meals at a coffee shop about half a mile south of the station.

One evening I decided I'd like a cheese omelette with hash browns for dinner. After ordering, I sat sipping my coffee and heard some profanity from the kitchen. Most likely the cook.


Ok, close enough, right?
A few minutes later, the waitress brought my plate out to me. I noticed one very runny, unattractive egg adorning my omelette. I shrugged, ate, tipped, paid and mounted my bicycle to get to work.

So why didn't I complain about the runny egg, at least one reader must be asking. Good question.

I had to deal with the public too. For eight hours I took cash, made change, switched the pumps off and on, sold gas, oil, and cigarettes, and did my best, like Simon and Garfunkel, to "keep the customer satisfied." Not always easy. I wasn't always at my best. Sometimes of course it was the customers.

So maybe the cook thought "What's up with this nutcase? It's dinner time and he wants BREAKFAST? Do they all do that on his planet?" So I was feeling atypically generous that night, and if that was indeed the case, I could make an allowance for it. But it didn't stop me from ordering breakfast for dinner when I ate out. And I feel vindicated that these days it's more commonplace.


And on this note, I also love cold pizza in the morning.

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5 comments:

Anonymous said...

We still have breakfast for dinner to this day! and the cold pizza for breakfast as well! Loved the story Guy!
Paul

Guy Sharwood said...

Thanks, Paul!!

JenniHusker said...

Breakfast for dinner is great. Sometimes I make quiche.

I am in my 50s and just learned within the last 10 years that Breakfast for dinner and any other combination of things in my life are fine with me. I will not allow 'bossy' people in my life anymore.

Anyway, I got something out of your article. Thanks for taking the time to write it.

Jenni

BizzyD said...

As an ex short order cook, orders for eggs after breakfast was a pain in the butt, because after breakfast we turned the temp of the grill higher. The higher temp was great for burgers and such but eggs, take your eye of them for a second and they were overdone. When you are busy, then have to babyset a egg can throw you off the routine.
Now if we had a duel zone grill!!! no problem, but we didnt. So eggs in the afternoon, sunnyside or overeasy made no one feel sunny or made life easy.

BZD

Unknown said...

Breakfast is great anytime. Chili Cheese Omelettes are the best and did those alot in my college days. And Hash Browns anytime sounds great to me. And of course a quick bowl of cereal always works. Nice post.