Breakfast and Brunch

Atole (ah-TOH-lay) is an ancient Mexican beverage with origins in pre-Columbian times. Similar warm drinks, thickened with cornmeal, are found throughout Central America and are especially popular for breakfast. Mexican atole is traditional at dia de los muertos celebrations, and it's chocolate version, champurrado, is popular at Christmastime. The consistency of atole varies anywhere from almost porridge-like to a thin, pourable drink. Read more »

Here is an easy, quick recipe for basic American breakfast biscuits. Spread with jam or serve topped with a generous portion of sausage gravy. Baking powder biscuits make a great addition to any Sunday morning breakfast. Read more »

Bao, also known as baozi, are pillowy, soft buns that are either steamed or baked. They come with a variety of fillings and are a common item in dim sum shops. Bao are a favorite breakfast or mid-morning snack. Read more »

Beid hamine is an Egyptian dish with origins in Egypt's ancient Jewish community. The long cooking time comes from the Jewish tradition of slow cooking food overnight to serve on Shabbat, when cooking is forbidden. Slow, steady heat makes the eggs creamy and smooth, and the onion skins impart a delicate flavor and attractive brown color to the whites. Coffee grounds aren't necessary, but they help give the eggs the desired brown color. Read more »

This refreshing cocktail was first served in Harry's Bar in Venice, Italy, sometime in the 1930s or '40s. Named after the Renaissance artist Giovanni Bellini, this beautifully hued beverage is traditionally made with white peaches. If you can't find white peaches, regular peaches will do. Bellinis make the perfect beverage for brunches and New Year's or other celebrations. Read more »

Bubble and squeak gets its name from the sound it makes as it is cooking. It is a popular breakfast or supper dish in England, made from the leftovers of a roast beef dinner, and often served with bacon and eggs. Also known as bubble and scrape or fry up. Read more »

This dish, with many variations, is a popular breakfast in North Africa, especially in Algeria and Tunisia. Most recipes include the eggs, but they can actually be left out if you like. Jewish immigrants from the Maghreb have made this a popular breakfast dish in Israel. Read more »

Clafouti originated in the Limousin region of France is often served as a breakfast dish, and can be made with all sorts of fruits. But cherries are classic. Cherry clafouti is traditionally made without first pitting the cherries. Read more »

Ful medames is an ancient Egyptian dish with origins that reach back to the time of the pharaohs. This simple dish of slow-simmered fava beans seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and spices is the daily breakfast meal for millions of Egyptians. To do ful medames right takes some time, most of it spent soaking and simmering. Start this recipe in the morning to have it ready for breakfast the next day. Especially popular during Ramadan. Read more »

Hangtown fry originated in Placerville, California, during the Gold Rush. The town was known as Hangtown in recognition of the harsh justice often meted out there. The story goes that a prospector struck it rich, walked into a restaurant in town and ordered the best meal that money could buy. At that time, in that place, Hangtown fry was it. Read more »

Huevos rancheros is a classic Mexican breakfast, traditionally served to farm laborers, or rancheros. The eggs match perfectly with the spicy tomato sauce. Use fresh tortillas to mop up every last bite. Read more »

A kookoo — also spelled kookoo, kuku, kou-kou — is a Persian-style egg dish that is similar to an Italian frittata or an open-faced omelet. Iranians make many, many different types with a variety of flavorings. The kookoo sabzi, flavored with a variety of herbs and tinted a deep green, is probably the most popular. Read more »

Llapingachos (yah-peen-GAH-chos) are a popular side dish in the highlands of Ecuador. They are often served with fried eggs and a simple salad of lettuce, tomato and avocado. Sometimes sausages and a side of rice are added to make a full and typically Ecuadorian meal. Read more »

Matzo brei (pronounced MAHT-zuh bree, or MAHT-zuh breye) is a tasty and easy breakfast dish and is a good way to use up leftover matzot after Passover. And kids love it. Every family has their own way of making this dish. The biggest dispute seems to be whether sweet or savory is best. It's up to you to decide. Sometimes spelled matzah brei. Read more »

Misoshiru is a basic part of the typical Japanese breakfast. This nourishing soup is eaten alone or with eggs, rice, fish and pickles. A simple version of the soup, lightly garnished with tofu and scallions, is most popular for the morning meal. But misoshiru can also be part of a larger midday or evening meal, often with added garnishes. Read more »

Muesli, or müsli, is a breakfast cereal developed at the turn of 20th century by the Dr. Maximilian Bircher-Benner, a Swiss nutritionist. He introduced a dish of raw grains, nut, milk, cream and honey for the patients at his sanitorium The original recipe, called Birchermüsli, is widely popular in Europe and has since spread around the world. Variations on the basic theme are endless. Read more »

Also known as flapjacks, hotcakes or griddlecakes, pancakes are a traditional breakfast food in the United States. Variations of the pancake, sweet and savory, are found around the world, from the French crèpe to Indian dosas. In England, Canada, Ireland and Australia, pancakes are traditionally eaten on Shrove Tuesday (Mardi Gras)--a day sometimes known as Pancake Day--as a way to use up rich foods like butter, milk and eggs before the fasting of Lent. Read more »

Quiche lorraine is the classic quiche from the Lorraine region of eastern France. It makes a nice brunch or picnic dish and goes well with a salad and a glass of chilled white wine or rosé. Read more »

When served with baking powder biscuits, this sauce becomes the famous and beloved Southern breakfast dish "biscuits and gravy." It's equally tasty served over mashed potatoes or toast. Read more »

Tamales de elote are a favorite breakfast food in Mexico and throughout Central America. In El Salvador and Guatemala they are often served as the starchy portion of a meal. The fresh elote, or corn, used in Central America has a higher starch content than that in the United States, but the addition of masa harina in this recipe produces a very good approximation of the original. Read more »

Vigorón is Nicaraguan fast food. Boiled yuca (cassava) is mixed with crunchy pork rinds and covered with a spicy cabbage slaw. This meal-in-one is served on a banana leaf and makes up many a Nicaraguan breakfast or late-night snack. The best vigorón is said to come from Granada. It is also popular in Costa Rica. Read more »