The651.com

Believe or not despite the amenities I bestow my taste buds, I’m not by nature a self-pamper. Case and point: I went an entire year without haircut, not even so much as a trim. But on a recent day off and a whim, I began what might have just developed into a permanent stretch of spoiling myself. Within the last week, I’ve indulged in a haircut, my first professional massage and an inaugural trip to a bed and breakfast. During my stay at said B&B, I discovered an abandoned cooking custom – the multi-course breakfast. Being a person who usually opts for extra sleep and skips the breakfast, I found the idea of a four-course breakfast extraordinarily decadent. Really, what better way to start the morning that with a little lavishment?

If you live the life I lead, likely you don’t have the time to slave away weekday mornings in the kitchen attempting to Julia Child your way into elaborate multi-course breakfasts. Instead of a four-course, try a two-course: savory and sweet – never skimp on the dessert courses – trade a hustled Tuesday for a more relaxed Saturday AM – perhaps after a trip to St. Paul’s Lowertown Farmer’s Market – and I have two recipes that will have you whipping up delicious, local ingredients into a fancy, deceptively intricate breakfast.

Start with two simple ingredients: fresh asparagus and locally-produced organic eggs. Asparagus and eggs have a natural affinity. Paired together they exude both luxury and freshness, not to mention flavor. A simple vegetable frittata highlights the best of what’s in season right now while providing a satisfying and light spring/summer meal. The recipe is very forgiving and you can adjust the vegetables and garnishes to reflect what you have on hand, or what looks best at the market. It’s equally as tasty subbing zucchini for asparagus, using the method below, or subbing spinach by adding a large hand-full of chopped spinach moments before you add the egg mixture so it just barely wilts. If you decide to make this for lunch with a few guests, I suggest you serve it with some crust bread from Grand Avenue’s Cafe Latte, local butter – another Farmer’s Market purchase! – and a tangy, light and crisp Sancerre from my favorite St. Paul wine shop, Cathedral Hill’s Solo Vino. You’ll impress yourself and your guests with your culinary talents.

Spring Vegetable Frittata
10 to 12 – asparagus spears, chopped
1/2 – red onion, sliced
8 – crimini or white mushrooms, sliced
fresh basil or chives (to garnish)
6 – large eggs
1/4 cup of milk or cream
2 – 3 tbsp. butter
1/2 cup shredded cheese (Manchego, Parmesan or other hard aged cheese)
cracked black pepper
coarse sea salt

Preheat Oven to 375 degrees.
Chop asparagus spears into approximately 3/4″ lengths, discarding woody stem portions. Chop onion in half and then slice; Slice mushrooms into 3 to 4 slices each. Add 1 to 2 tsp of butter (or olive oil) to preheated oven safe skillet. Once butter is melted add asparagus, onion and mushrooms and saute until asparagus is tender and mushrooms have browned. While vegetables are cooking crack eggs into a bowl, whisk lightly and add milk or cream, shredded cheese, and salt / freshly cracked black pepper to taste. When vegetables are ready turn skillet down to low and add 1 tbsp. butter to vegetable mixture. When butter is melted, add egg mixture and ensure vegetables are covered. After approximately 2 minutes on the stovetop, transfer skillet to the over and bake until just set (approximately 12 min). Serve with a chiffonade of fresh basil or chives and a pinch of flaky sea salt.

Don’t forget dessert! Eating dessert with breakfast is hardly a new culinary trend. At a proper full Irish breakfast (aka a “fry”) one can find sweet pies and puddings and the British Isles are famous for their multiple-course breakfasts including a sugary finale. In the spirit of this “let them eat cake” breakfast mantra, for a course finale going with seasonal, summer treat that’s easy to find and we can’t get enough of – rhubarb.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

1 package (2-crust size) frozen pie crusts, thawed

1 1/2 pound sliced and trimmed fresh rhubarb
3 1/2 cups strawberries, trimmed and sliced or halved
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg yolk blended with
1 teaspoon water
non-stick cooking spray

Stir together the rhubarb, strawberries, sugars, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt until the fruit is well coated. Put one pie crust into a pie pan coated with non-stick spray. Pour the filling into the pan. Use the remaining pie crust for the top of the pie, crimping the edges to seal the pie. Trim excess crust from the edge of the pie. Either poke the top of the pie with a fork many times, or make some small slits with a knife, to all the steam out. Glaze the top of the pie with the egg/water mixture. Reduce oven to 350 degrees F, and bake pie until the center thickens, anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half ovens vary. Be sure to remove the pie and let it cool completely before eating, or it will be mushy.

And voila, approximately 1 hour to an hour and a half later you have an impressive, dual-course, local savvy breakfast with all the bells and whistles of a elegant bed and breakfast, sans the complexity, the money and the elbow grease.

A breakfast out is such a simple pleasure. Certainly, you could fry up some pancakes in the comfort of your own home while wearing pajamas, but let’s be honest, it wouldn’t be the same. After all, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, they say, so why not let the pros handle it? In this week’s edition of The Picky Eater, we’ll run down some of the best and quirkiest breakfast spots in town.

MICKEY’S DINER

Well, this one’s a given. The famed 24/7 diner is a Saint Paul staple, and probably fits the “greasy spoon” bill better than all the rest…because, well, the odds of actually getting a literal “greasy spoon” are somewhat high. However, pay no mind to minor details such as flies buzzing around the kitchen, cooks that look like they haven’t showered for a few days, or even the crazy homeless guy barking at you from the corner. You go to Mickey’s for that very reason — the ambiance — and of course, the oh-so classic food. At Mickey’s you can eat breakfast 24 hours a day. They fry their eggs in liberal amounts of real butter. They even hand shred their own hashbrowns. They consider a “1/4 pound burger” a breakfast meat. And their pancakes have been on national TV. To get to the point, they basically pull out all the stops to serve you some of the best cheap ‘n greasy eats in town.

Mickey’s Diner, 36 W. 7th Street, Downtown Saint Paul
also, 1950 W. 7th Street, Saint Paul

For more info visit www.mickeysdiningcar.com

GINGKO CAFE

While Gingko is more of a coffee house than a restaurant, the atmosphere here is definitely worth forgoing the traditional eggs n’ bacon fare. This eccentric Snelling Avenue landmark attracts Hamline college students as well as an oddball mix of St. Paul artsy types, neighborhood characters, hippies, and musicians. While working on my laptop at Gingko one evening I messaged a friend: “I am facing a shelf containing an unopened box of ‘Tony the Tiger’ magnets, a mug that says ‘Daddy,’ and a basket full of window scrapers. There is also an Ole and Lena joke book and a couple of twirling batons” — if that tells you anything. Aside from the wonderful weirdness of it all, Gingko serves up Malted Belgian-style waffles any time of the day, as well as breakfast sandwiches and baked goods…and of course an extensive coffee and tea menu that puts cookie cutters like Starbucks and Caribou to shame. Worth a pop in any time of the day, really. Like I said to my friend that night, “if you’re going on a blind internet date with someone named ‘Bookworm99′ and you’re worried that you wont have enough to talk about unless there are an over abundance of young adult novels with religious undertones, or in case you feel safer with a pair of novelty lobster pincers on a stick nearby…Gingko!”

Gingko Cafe, 721 N. Snelling Avenue, Midway St. Paul

For more info visit www.ginkgocoffee.com

CECIL’S DELI

At one point in my life, I lived about 20 yards away from Cecil’s Deli. Now, whether this was a good thing or a bad thing, I’m not completely certain. All I know is that I ate more potato latkes in the year 2002 than I probably should have. One of the “last true established delis in Minnesota,” this storefront delicatessen (founded in ye olde 1949) boasts a variety of traditional Jewish grocery items, plus fresh kosher meats, cheeses, and handmade baked goods. The back of the store segues into a small, no frills, sit-down restaurant where an extensive menu of soups, sandwiches, salads, and yes, breakfast items await. While all the traditional morning fare such as omlettes, french toast, pancakes and the like are available, Cecil’s also has such tasty treats as corned Beef hash, grilled pastrami, and even a Lox Plate for two that comes complete with Nova Scotia lox, two bagels, cream cheese, sliced tomato, onions, sweet pickles and lettuce. Before you leave, be sure to stock up on traditional pastries at the deli counter and perhaps a fresh loaf of Challah bread. Yum!

Cecil’s Deli, 651 S. Cleveland Avenue, Highland Park St. Paul

For more info visit www.cecilsdeli.com

The newly remodeled Mediterranean restaurant, Shish, on Grand Avenue.

I don’t really want to share my favorite new, healthy place to eat breakfast because, well, the emptiness of the café is rather nice at the moment. But you would really be missing out if you didn’t check out Shish in the A.M.

That’s right, I’m talking about newly remodeled and redecorated Shish, the Mediterranean grill and café on Grand Avenue. The one that’s often busy for lunch and dinner, but for breakfast? Not so busy. At lunch and dinner you’ll get your usual, delicious options like mousaka, falafel, gyros, spinach pie and the super tasty Kefta burger (ground beef, parsley, onions, spices, and topped with feta and grilled tomatoes). But let’s talk breakfast!
(continue reading…)