The joy of a breakfast buffet
Laverbread cake breakfast stack recipe
What is it about a hotel buffet breakfast that makes my normal rational brain, willpower and stomach think I need four separate courses? During the week, my usual brekkie consists of a slice of toast (perhaps with jam and Marmite) or a bowl of porridge – maybe a crumpet. Then on the weekend, I might stretch to a sausage sandwich, boiled eggs, pancakes, a croissant, or even a full English. And yet, faced with a hotel buffet, I am like a child in a sweetshop.
Breakfast might just be my favourite meal of the day and if I fancy a little treat, I’ll often venture to a café nearby and get breakfast ‘out’. When that’s the case, you can forget toast, I’m looking for things it’s too much effort to make at home. Show me the eggs Benedict, the kippers, the poached eggs and smashed avocado. I’m partial to a sweet breakfast too thanks so my time in Spain, where cakes and biscuits and drinking chocolate are some of the most common breakfasting items. My dear Aunty Juany (not my real auntie, but one of those people who feels as if they should be blood related) always used to keep the Welsh cakes or scones I’d make her for breakfast rather than later in the day.
Anyway, back to the buffet. I’ll let you in on the foolproof method for getting the most out if it. The first round is fruit – otherwise you won’t ever go back for it – just a small bowl to feel healthy and start the day off right. The second course is your cereal course – again, only a small bowl or a bit of yogurt and granola. Now we’re onto the hot stuff, in which case, fill your boots with what’s in the food warmers. But remember, there are more courses to come. Next is the experimental round, where you sample something from another country’s breakfast traditions. This could be a bit of ham and cheese, some pickled herring or dried figs and dates. Finally comes dessert. You’ll need to replenish the tea of coffee at this point in order to fully enjoy the baked goods: pain au chocolat, blueberry muffin, Madeira cake etc. at your leisure – or until they kick you out of the buffet room.
Thinking about that experimental course, I love seeing people try out different items for breakfast, watching their trepidation, their curiosity, their side glances at other people’s plates before plucking up the courage to try something out of the ordinary. And this is perhaps the joy of the hotel breakfast buffet. Always wanted to try pickled herring but never wanted to splash out on buying it? Excellent, just sidle a little on your plate next to the Gouda, rounds of French stick, individually packed butter and Maria biscuit.
Now admittedly, I don’t stay in many hotels in Wales and those that I do call into tend to be the sort where you preorder your breakfast, but I did wonder if you put typically Welsh breakfast items on the buffet, whether visitors would try them out and what they would think of them.
Imagine being faced with cockles or a laverbread cake, but then I guess that’s not so different to a bit of Scandinavian pickled fish. And Welsh cakes would fit in nicely as well as pikelets and bara brith. In fact, if you ever get the Pullman dining train on the Swansea to Paddington route (currently not running due to Covid-19), you are served Welsh cakes and bara brith as part of the breakfast – let’s hope they start back up soon.
Now what shall I have for breakfast today? I think it’s a leicecs sort of day.
The Recipe
Laverbread cake breakfast stack
Talking of Welsh breakfasts, today’s recipe features laverbread cakes, crispy bacon, mushrooms and a fried egg – all piled high in a perfect breakfast stack. Laverbread cakes are a traditional way of serving this miracle seaweed substance and recipes vary. Many simply make into rounds and coat with oatmeal – a bit like a flat croquette – and others mix the oatmeal in. I prefer the latter and add some extra elements – and I only ever use porridge oats as I always have them in the cupboard. By means of introduction to this week’s recipe, here’s a cracking little video from the BBC archives.
Ingredients (serves 2)
4 rashers of smoked back bacon
120g (1 tin) laverbread
75g porridge oats
1/4 of a small leek, finely chopped
Juice of half a lemon
Pinch of salt and pepper
2 Portobello mushrooms
2 free-range eggs
Method
In a large frying pan, fry two of the bacon rashers until crisp. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine the laverbread, oats, leek, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Cut the cooked bacon into small pieces and add to the bowl before stirring to combine.
Using your hands, make two large (or four small if you’d prefer) circles of the laverbread mixture about as big as your palm.
Heat a little oil along with any bacon fat left in the frying pan and add the laverbread cakes. Cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown. Keep warm in a low oven while you fry or grill the other two rashers of bacon, the mushrooms and the eggs.
When everything is ready, place a laverbread cake on a plate, followed by the bacon rasher, then the mushroom and finally, top with the egg. Sprinkle with a little black pepper or chilli flakes or a good splodge of ketchup or brown sauce.
If you try the recipe out, don’t forget to tag any photos with #mywelshkitchen.
The Playlist
To me, cooking and music go hand in hand, whether that’s singing at the top of your voice using a wooden spoon as a microphone while waiting for pasta to boil, or dancing around with the oven gloves on as the oven timer counts down. Here are this week’s ideas for your Welsh Kitchen playlist.
This week we have the brand new single from Bronwen Lewis. If you don’t follow her on social media, check her out because as well as her own music, she does the most brilliant Welsh covers of popular songs. And secondly, we have Dame Shirley Bassey with a little homage to her hometown.
Hearts My Home by Bronwen
The Girl From Tiger Bay by Dame Shirley Bassey
The Pantry
Good food is nothing without good ingredients and thankfully there are plenty of fantastic Welsh products on the market. Here is where you’ll find recommendations to stock up your cupboard, fridge or fruit bowl.
Sabor de Amor
Regular readers will know my love of Spain by now, and I was delighted to find some amazing Spanish products being produced in Wales. Sabor de Amor is based in Wrexham and run by Beatriz, who first came to Wales from Spain in 1992 to study for her PhD in Biochemistry and work as a Researcher for North East Wales Institute. With memories of her family mealtimes and dishes created with love by her grandparents, Beatriz decided to start her own food business in 2014 selling tastes of Spain, making it easy for people to recreate classic Spanish dishes at home. Try out the paella kit, which contains the all important bomba rice and a ready-made sauce to help you on your way.