[Janet Kenny]

We've done the Vegemite thingo.

Now the moment has come for honesty. A complete unveiling of your darkest secrets.


Earlier in my life, after having travelled reasonably widely in Asia and Europe I arrived in America and was confronted with a breakfast menu which seemed more exotic and obscure than any Chinese or Malay menu.

The food seemed to be planned for cold and hungry farm workers. We had to call for a translator.

So enough already with laughing at the simple pleasures of Australasians. Come on you maple syrup junkies. Tell us what you eat and we'll tell you who you are

[Mark Allinson]

But Janet, you didn't give us your breakfast menu.

Well, I'll kick off.

Since my digestion suddenly lost the ability to process fat in any quantity, my diet has become exemplary.

For breakfast now I have:

[1] A bowl of museli with a banana, low fat milk and low fat yoghurt, all squished up together.

[2] A slice of thick, wholegrain toast with ginger marmelade.

[3] A cup of tea.

Followed by a brisk 3-4 mile walk on the beach.

Fried anything now is totally impossible.

So it's just as well I can't afford to eat out, since EVERYTHING has got too much fat for me.

[Janet Kenny]

Mark,
I'll come clean eventually but I want to hear from the jeerers and mockers

Janet

[Simon Hunt]

I love breakfast! Love it! I love the "full English" breakfast of fried bread, tomato, sausage, egg, and beans. I love the "continental" croissant and jam. I love eggs in most forms. I love oatmeal. I love fresh fruit. I love biscuits and gravy (although I've sworn it off as bad for my health with the exception of implausibly good VEGAN [I'm not kidding] B&G at this one coffee house in Ashland, Oregon). I love pancakes or waffles or french toast with the maple syrup that seems to baffle Janet. I love cereal almost as much as Jerry Seinfeld does on TV. I love toast--seriously I see every slice as a kind of miracle. My very favorite is probably the combination of American-diner-style fried egg-and-potatoes with Mexican spice--particularly if chorizo (marvelous Mexican sausage) is involved. Aaaah! I could go on and on.

But the answer is:

What I generally eat, because--like Mark--I'm trying to eat well and live forever: dry toast or toasted bagel or oatmeal with fresh fruit; black coffee.

What I allow myself to eat occasionally, because I just can't he'p it: chilaquiles or chorizo and eggs; black coffee.

[Michael Cantor]

The same thing almost every morning. A large bowl containing a slurry of plain low-fat yogurt and low-fat ricotta, spiked with sweetener and vanilla, and buried in hacked-up fresh fruit, raisins, and either Grape Nuts or a bran cereal. On major National Holidays I throw in walnuts and dried apricots as well. Periodically, I succumb entirely and go the bagel, cream cheese, onions and lox (more likely left-over poached or grilled fish from the night before) route. Always with much coffee. And The New York Times.

[This message has been edited by Michael Cantor (edited November 14, 2006).]

[Mark R]

I tend to eat lunch, dinner and supper thanks to an odd sleep schedule. But when I do eat breakfast nowadays, it's always Pop-Tarts, preferably strawberry, and an iced coffee.

Mark

[Lee Harlin Bahan]

Okay, I'm game. There are a few basic breakfasts that I sort of take turns having. My current favorite is muesli and soy milk. When I can't get muesli, I have Uncle Sam cereal--cheap, low sodium, and has flax seed so you get loads of Omega 3 (and are a very regular person). When festive I have a breakfast burrito of eggs scrambled with tofu and a tbs of salsa (olive oil in pan) in a flour tortilla. Sometimes I have oatmeal made with soy milk, add honey, fruit, and a handful of raw almonds. I am restricted to 100 mg caffeine per day so beverage of choice is Celestial Seasonings Chocolate Caramel Enchantment tea with soy milk. I can have two of those without exceeding the "speed" limit.

I am very afraid of hearing what kind of person this makes me.

Cheers,
Lee

[Janet Kenny]

OK,
I have a big glass of orange juice, followed by home made muesli (rolled oats, oat bran, sultanas, sliced almonds, smidgin of dark brown sugar, soaked overnight in high calcium fat free milk) with lashings of freshly sliced strawberries and banana and nectarines or peaches (blueberries--for the brain-- when I can afford them instead of strawberries--in which case I skip the nectarines). (Husband won't eat blueberries and local strawberries are cheap and plentiful. Strawberries are nearly as good for the brain as blueberries. I soldier on with frozen blueberries when nothing better for the brain is seasonal--husband says he's rather lose his mind.)

Two cups of freshly ground very strong espresso coffee with a dash of hot milk. My only coffee for the day--and the pills the pills the pills
PS: On days I have forgotten to soak the muesli it's Uncle Toby's mini-wheats and fruit or organic whole grain wheat biscuits and fruit.

I think it would be amusing if we all had a try at analysing the mindset behind the breakfast.

Cheers,
Janet

[This message has been edited by Janet Kenny (edited November 14, 2006).]

[Mark Allinson]

My menu is more "body-set" than "mind-set", Janet.

The full English breakfast described by Simon (you lucky bastard!) would probably see me off.

[Robert J. Clawson]

Quarter of a melon, either honeydue or cantaloupe.
Grapenuts at the bottom of the bowl, with a few raisins, covered by Wheaties with banana and soy milk. Glass of orange juice with vitamins and supplements.

Pow!