Morning Ritual

Every day, I get out of bed about a half hour earlier than I need to. Although it helps that I'm generally a morning person, the main reason that I'm able to accomplish this feat is that I really enjoy breakfast. I think sitting down to breakfast is exciting, because the day ahead has so much potential. Who knows what could happen? Plus, it is virtually impossible to be having a bad day before I sit down to eat my first meal; therefore, there is nothing peskily distracting me from the good food in front of me. Perfect for a foodie!

My usual breakfast consists of an egg from a local producer. Not only do I absolutely love eggs, but also, I have found that I need the protein in the morning if I don't want to be starving a couple of hours later. Even though I eat the same thing almost every day, I never get bored; after all, the greatest thing about eggs is their versatility, and I take full advantage of it when making my breakfast. When it's really cold out, sometimes nothing but a hot scrambled or over-easy egg will do, and, if I have some extra time on my hands and feel like making my morning even more special, an omelette definitely starts my day off on a high note. The possibilities with eggs are almost endless, which is wonderful, because a little variety certainly helps motivate me in terms of the whole getting-out-of-bed-too-damn-early thing.


Hardboiling is my favourite way to cook breakfast eggs, because I can prepare as many of them as I like at once and store them in the fridge. Though it's convenient, this breakfast still takes a little bit of time to prepare, as I prefer to devil the egg: I remove the shell, cut the egg in half, mash the yolk with a bit of mayo, wholegrain mustard, and salt and pepper, spread the filling back into the egg halves, and finish with a sprinkle of paprika.

Just as important as the egg, a small piece of my favourite applewood-smoked cheddar cheese, a glass of milk, and a cup of coffee, brewed from locally-roasted Down East Coffee beans, are the other players in my breakfast of champions. I also like to include any fruit that is in season, but, since I can't bring myself to eat the Frankenberries trucked in from California at this time of year, I go without in the winter. (It's OK, I just appreciate fruit even more when it finally does come around!)


Apart from the food, what makes my morning ritual truly special is just taking some time to relax before I go to work. Lingering over coffee with Jeff while the sun shines into the dining room is a cherished part of my routine. We talk about our plans for the day while listening to Information Morning, which inevitably spurs some great conversation about the news. In fact, now that I think of it, many of our most memorable discussions, debates, and laughs have occurred over breakfast. This mental stimulation that helps me get going in the morning is another thing that I am willing to lose a little sleep over.


It takes time and effort to have a true foodie breakfast every single day, but I know that it's worth it. I've learned that when I haven't managed to drag myself out of bed on time for my usual routine (this occurs most often on subzero temperature, pitch-black mornings), the rest of my day will be affected for the worse. So, I keep at it, even though it's not always easy. If you are the type of person who rolls out of bed and scarfs something down (or, horreur!, nothing at all) before running out the door, consider taking a bit more time for yourself. I know it's not for everyone, but I bet that doing something special for breakfast even just for one morning per week is bound to put you in a great mood. Who knows, after trying it a few times, you may find yourself unable to start your day without it.