Bread and Butter Breakfast, a Worldwide Menu 5 Simple Ways
There’s a reason bread and butter breakfast is a classic all over the world: it has a way to tantalize your taste buds and kickstart your day perfectly. Check out all the ways you can mix and match your breakfast menu!
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Bread and Butter: A Breakfast Classic.
Regardless of where you are in the world, you will find locals traditionally enjoy the bread and butter breakfast combination. In the Caribbean for example, we love fresh, soft and delicious bread topped with butter and a side of hot coffee. Meanwhile in France, they enjoy a baguette or an already buttery croissant with hazelnut spread. In Genoa, Italy, focaccia is the go-to breakfast bread, (so good with parmesan cheese and cherry tomatoes!) and while it is not made with butter you might find it accompanied by a side of garlic butter. Yum!
All that said, whether you prefer sourdough bread, sandwich bread or an English muffin, there is something about a warm slice of bread with butter that makes it an unbeatable breakfast item. Therefore, let’s explore some of the creative ways in which people around the world enjoy different types of bread and butter, and maybe add a few new components to our breakfast menu. Grab your butter kitchen knife, and let’s dig in!
But first… Why Butter?
The simple explanation is that butter enriches the flavor of the bread due to its fat content. It enhances the flavor of the bread, taking each bite to the next level. Plus, fat (consumed appropriately) is essential to brain functioning as it gives it much needed energy! This is why avocados and fish are so encouraged for brain health.
Now, the quality of the butter plays a huge role in its health benefits. The less processed the butter is, the less water it has and more nutrients it provides such as vitamins and acid butyrate which is great for gut health. Good quality butter consumed in moderation, aids in reducing risk of diabetes, certain types of cancer, obesity and heart problems.
If you do not know where to start with good butter, buying from local farmers is a great first step. It will be much less processed and go from farm to table faster. The higher the turnover, the better the quality and more health benefits. Here is a great list of different types of great butter to help.
Also, whenever choosing butter as a spread, salted butter is the way to go. Unsalted butter is great for most baked goods as it allows you to control the amount of salt added to the dish. When it comes to baked bread, however, salted butter greatly enhances the flavor of the bread and the butter itself.
Buttery [Sandwich] Bread and… Chocolate?
Yes! Chocolate and bread is a decadent, hard to get over combination. I recently added pain de mie to our sandwich bread repertoire. Pain de mie or “bread of crumb” is fluffy and savory French delicacy. In France, it is quite common to top a slice of pain de mie with a chocolate bar. I am a chocolate lover and was not sure about this combination… until I tried it myself (melted some chocolate chips to make a sauce) and was mind-blown. Highly recommended! You will not go back.
[Potato] Roll, Butter & Honey.
A staple in the US. We are big fans of potato rolls in my family! My husband grew up eating the rolls and has developed an amazing recipe over the years. Recently we decided to top our warm rolls with honey over the butter spread, only to discover a whole new depth of flavor, perfect for breakfast or a snack. Give it a try with your Thanksgiving leftovers next time!
[Rye] Bread, Butter & Jam.
In Sweden they enjoy a rye bread called Kavring. Over the holidays, it is topped with eggs, your choice of meat, and other savory toppings. On a typical day, however, it is enjoyed with butter and jam. The best thing about rye bread is that it is perfect for those who must watch their blood sugar due to its low glycemic level and added nutrients such as potassium and iron.
[Whole Wheat] Bread, Butter, Sauces & Fillings.
Another healthier type of bread, whole wheat is consumed throughout the world. While in the US wheat bread is used mainly for buttered toast in the mornings or sandwiches, in the Middle East wheat bread is common in the form of a Pita. Pita bread has a pocket used for many types of fillings, savory and sweet alike.
The great thing about pita is its versatility. In Yemen for example, they have a breakfast dish called Fatoot Samneh which consists of shredded pita fried in butter, accompanied by scrambled eggs and honey. While in Greece it can be wrapped and dipped in tasty tzatziki sauce, in other places it is simply eaten with any preferred filling. Whether you like eggs with green pepper, sausage links, or simply butter, anything goes on a delicious pita.
[White] Bread, Butter & Cheese.
A classic American dish, two bread slices filled with cheddar cheese (or American cheese) and cooked in butter for ultimate gooeyness. Only rivaled by a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, the infamous grilled cheese can be consumed any time of the day with a side of tomato soup, or your choice of bacon. Another great example of how bread and butter come together in a simple way while remaining beloved by all age groups.
Can It Get Any Simpler?
All that said, there are a hundred ways in which you can enjoy a simple bread and butter breakfast. Whether it is by itself or with a side of protein or fruit, bread and butter remain the quintessential breakfast combination. If you like freshly baked bread, feel free to check out these delicious Caribbean Bread Recipes. For a hardier bread, you want to try this Puerto Rican Water Bread. All of these are perfect companions to warm butter. 😉
As always, buen provecho from The Happy Wookiee!
