Around the World Breakfast Memories

By Sandy Hu

When Dave was seven and Chris was two, we took them on their first trip to Europe. Since they were so young and likely to forget the experience, I made them a travel scrapbook incorporating a collage of tickets, brochures, daily diary and photos.

And since food can evoke a powerful sensory memory, when we got home, I replicated for the boys breakfasts we had on our vacation, having tucked away appropriate props in my suitcase: chocolate milk packets, little jars of jam, and sugar packets decorated with famous French paintings from our hotel in Paris. From Amsterdam, I had purchased fake Delft egg cups.

When we got home, we pretended we were still on our trip by the breakfast of the day. When we were in “France,” Steve would buy croissants and a baguette from a neighborhood boulangerie and we’d use the hotel jam, chocolate milk and sugar to set the stage. When we were in “Amsterdam,” we had cold meats and sliced Gouda, bread and soft-boiled eggs in our Dutch egg cups.

Years later, after the kids were grown and gone, Steve and I had occasion to play at French breakfasts again. We were renovating our kitchen with no extra money for a vacation, so Steve and I had a staycation, starting each morning with breakfast on our deck. We pretended we were in Paris with café au lait and croissants, then we would set out for the day, visiting a San Francisco art museum or taking a drive to Marin for a leisurely lunch.

Here’s a breakfast that will transport you to Hawaii. This is a breakfast Steve and I grew up with and Dave and Chris enjoy it as part of their food heritage. For a more elaborate breakfast, serve with papaya or fresh pineapple, Kona coffee and guava juice.

This is also a satisfying breakfast for dinner. You can keep linguisa in the freeze and microwave to thaw on those days when you’re too busy to cook or there’s nothing in the house to eat.

Hawaiian Breakfast
1 pre-cooked linguisa or Portuguese sausage (about 13 ounces), sliced
1 or 2 eggs per person
Oil for frying
2 cups hot cooked short-grain rice
Naturally brewed soy sauce

Heat skillet over medium heat and brown linguisa on both sides. Drain on paper towels. In a nonstick skillet over medium heat, add oil and cook eggs, sunny-side up. Divide the eggs, sausage and rice equally on 4 plates. Pass the soy sauce to drizzle over eggs. Makes 4 servings.

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