Father’s Day breakfast

I don’t know about the men in your life, but the one in mine loves a weekend breakfast.

I don’t really know how it would differ on Father’s Day, as this is what dear ole dad is getting. The same thing he has every weekend. Because he wants it!

Normally our weekend breakfast revolves around eggs on toast with stuff. I’m not overly excited about eggs, so I’ll have one or none, but they’re usually a feature in general. Ever since I figured out how to poach them properly, they have been requested with alarming regularity! I’m still not a pro 100% of the time, but they’re pretty impressive usually.

We start with nice bread… often I’ll get a loaf of sourdough or ciabatta from the bakery on Friday so it’s ready for the weekend. When I’m not a million years pregnant, I’ll bake one. When I’m in a hurry it’s turkish bread.

Eggs are either poached or scrambled. Wanna know my secrets?

Scrambled eggs: must be scrambled with cream. No exceptions. And more salt than you think you need. Cooked very, very gently and taken off the heat before they’re done, as they keep cooking anyway. If they’re in separate little piles of egg, you’ve cooked it too long.

Sometimes I add chives, mixed herbs, tomato, fake bacon, cheese, or a mixture of these things. And pepper.

Poached eggs have to be fresh. A splash of vinegar, a pinch of salt. Boiled water brought back down to a serious simmer. Swirl the water with a spoon, crack an egg into a saucer and add one at a time. Remove with a slotted spoon and pick off the straggly bits.

Tomatoes, mushrooms and spinach on the side. Mushrooms fried in lots of butter, garlic, salt and cracked black pepper (shut up it’s the weekend). Cherry tomatoes tossed in for a few minutes at the end, or halved tomatoes face down in the frying pan when you add the mushrooms. Spinach sat on top and everything taken off the heat while I tend to other things. Stir the spinach in when it wilts a bit from the steam.

Sometimes I like to add haloumi, if I have it. Avocado slices. feta scattered over the eggs with a sprinkle of lemon juice and rocket fresh from the garden. Kale with the mushrooms.

Juice, coffee for the man, a pot of tea for the mum.

And butter. Oh god, the butter. I’m so sorry.