Pet Peeve At Restaurants That Serve Breakfast

[+ Gar1eth]

Why arethr scrambled eggs so weird. I mean I know they often use a griddle. But, and especially at fancy places there are chefs. They should know that scrambled eggs are supposed to be light and fluffy. I mean if I wanted something the texture of an omelet, I'd order an omelet.

 

 

Gman

[+ azdr0710]

good question....yes, the usual scrambled egg at most places seems to be somewhat rubbery and usually mostly dry....I know there are some standard ways to make fluffy, moist, light scrambled eggs, and I've forgotten them (I don't make eggs - ironically, I usually go out for eggs).....I think it involves slow cooking over light heat ??? which is probably the opposite of what most restaurants want to do.....

 

gman - did you go out for breakfast this morning??!!

[bigvalboy]

Well I will be the odd man out. Yes scrambled eggs should be light and fluffy, but I like them dry and rubbery. I don't want to see liquid of any kind in my scrambled eggs. Just like my friends who get so frustrated with me when I order steak. I want it well well done. I don't want to see any 'red' at all...I know I know, I am essentially ruining the steak, but that's how I like it...

[+ Charlie]

Scrambled eggs are one of those orders that probably drive chefs crazy. Whenever my partner and I order them, one of us is bound to be disappointed, because I like them dry, he likes them wet. Fried eggs are also a problem, since he likes them over light, and I like them cooked a teensy bit longer but not flipped. And don't get me started on how cooked the bacon should be, or how toasted the toast should be.

 

We're much pickier about breakfast foods than other meals.

[Epigonos]

This is a great question and one that, over breakfast, a group of friend and I were recently discussing. I grew up with dry scrambled eggs but ones that had been cooked using a fork to break them up into pieces. Nowadays when I order scrambled eggs I have come to expect an unfilled omelet. People look at me, as if I’m nuts, because I use my knife and fork to cut them up into pieces.

 

Now as far as bacon is concerned most of my friends want it crisp with ALL of the fat cooked out of it. I, on the other hand, want it limp and dripping with grease. Not particularly healthy but oh so very good. Fortunately I do not have a cholesterol problem.

[+ Gar1eth]

good question....yes, the usual scrambled egg at most places seems to be somewhat rubbery and usually mostly dry....I know there are some standard ways to make fluffy, moist, light scrambled eggs, and I've forgotten them (I don't make eggs - ironically, I usually go out for eggs).....I think it involves slow cooking over light heat ??? which is probably the opposite of what most restaurants want to do.....

 

gman - did you go out for breakfast this morning??!!

 

Well yes I did. But it was by myself- as usual:p. A friend of mine and his wife just opened up about an artsy little cafe about 6 weeks ago. Most of the menu is a little on the hifalutin' side for me- you know goat cheese pizza with pesto sauce- local ingredients- etc, etc, etc. on the other hand they have a baker come in the mornings who makes incredible cinnamon rolls- probably better than Cinnabon.

 

They seem to be doing pretty well. There are things that I notice that could be improved upon in my opinion- for example - they didn't buy any salt and pepper shakers yet. I don't know if they are planning to. You have to ask for the salt- which comes coarse ground- sometimes on a small plate- today they very cutely put it in what I think was one of those tiny little pitchers they give you for cream. If you want pepper there seems to be one grinder that the wait-person grinds on your food. It just seems silly not to have them on the table. This isn't a 5 star NY or LA eatery with pretensions.

 

Neither of my friends is the chef, and my friends aren't the ones actually running it on a minute by minute basis. They both work in buildings on either side of the restaurant so pop in all day long intermittently. The husband actually owns an art studio for children and adults for painting, singing, sewing, pottery classes and a few other subjects. The restaurant is connected to the art studio- a wall with a door and window separates them. He had the neat idea of building a second kitchen in the basement of the restaurant to offer children and adults cooking classes. So far they have only had a children's class. This part is really neat- he bought some individual stove elements-hot plates- they are induction or something- you turn them on- if you accidentally touch the element with your hands it remains cool- at least it does if there is not a pot/pan on it. I'm not sure if you could get burned touching the element if there was a pot on the element. But isn't that a cool thing to reduce burns in a child setting?

 

Anyway the cafe is doing well so far it seems. And I've decided I'm going to be a friend and not mention the minor things ( salt and pepper shakers, lack of Earl Grey tea, ). In general they are minor things. I'm sure things will improve over time- and I know the owners are probably still maximally stressed. I've been going there a lot lately- not that they need my custom. The place has been doing well except maybe at dinner during the week.

 

So back to the question in general- yes the scrambled egg today looked pretty much like an omelet without any other ingredients except the egg. In general when I cook scrambled eggs, I make them totally dry and they are a bit rubbery. I do that because the thought of raw eggs really grosses me out. On the other hand my mother- and I don't know how she does it as she doesn't even like scrambled eggs- makes these perfectly light, fluffy ones with just a trace of moisture which I don't mind at all. I always figure that as long as she has been cooking and hasn't killed me yet- she knows how to cook eggs . The last two times I went there ( to the cafe- not my mother's) the bacon was crisp- too crisp. I don't want mine raw- but bacon in my opinion should be a little on the limp side and not totally stiff- in contrast to matters pertaining to our usual discussions here on the Forum.

 

So I chopped the so-called scrambled eggs up- but for all I know the last scrambling that occurred was when the cook mixed the yolks together in a bowl before putting it on the stove with no scrambling while cooking. The meal came with bread- and I ordered brioche. The last time I ordered it it came with this vanilla bean butter which I wasn't that fond off. Today I ordered it with regular butter on the side and jam. They gave me a large slab of butter- I think what they gave me may have been from their cooking supply- because it tasted unsalted to me. So again it's little things like this that are just slightly off. Hopefully they will work on these small things.

 

So that was breakfast today- and may be breakfast again tomorrow. I'm glad y'all really seemed to like the topic. It was fun reading about people's different breakfast food tastes.

 

Gman

 

PS- I also like my steak well-done. That doesn't mean burned to me. It just means the meat is grey throughout. My brother has always wanted it that way. When I was younger, I didn't mind if there was some faint pinkness. I was cured of that folly 31 years ago in college after taking a class in Parasitology ( definitely not one of my favorite classes). I've pretty much nuked my food ever since. But at steak places- I don't understand why if I can grill a steak to the point of eliminating the redness at home- they can't do it without often burning the dang piece of meat. But this may be the subject for another thread. If anyone wants to start one on how they prefer steaks cooked- please be my guest

 

G

[Lookin]

Try adding a little milk to the eggs and put them in the blender for 3 - 5 seconds. Then cook them. They'll be light and fluffy whether you make them wet or dry.

 

Works with omelets too.

[+ deej]

Eggs are the bane of chefs everywhere. (Not to be confused with short order cooks, mind.) They (eggs, not cooks) continue to cook once they go on the plate so it's a guessing game how far to cook them before they leave the kitchen.

 

Chicagoans of a certain vintage will probably remember a dive diner called Arnold's (corner of Irving Park & Broadway). I used to be a regular. One day I switched my order from over-easy to sunny side up, and the waitress (who knew me) quizzed me about the change. I told her they'd been coming out a little closer to over-hard than over-easy recently. I didn't know it, but Arnold himself was back in the kitchen for the first time after a couple of weeks away and you'd think I'd just insulted his mother!

 

He came out of the kitchen and PROMISED he knew how to cook an over-easy egg, proceeded to prove it and delivered my order to my table personally. They were perfect. That man took PRIDE in serving eggs the way the customer wanted them!

[EZEtoGRU]

What a funny topic. I'm in Argentina right now and just had moist runny scrambled eggs at my hotel this morning. Mind you, its a regional thing here. In most of South America one gets runny scrambled eggs. I tend to prefer neither runny nor totally hard or rubbery. To Lookin's point, my mother always made scrambled eggs by adding milk. That is what I grew up with so I am used to that and it works for me. I think it's horses for courses on this one.

[Guest verymarried]

For super fluff (like some of us guys I like separating the whites, putting the whites in the blender, cooking the yolks slightly then placing the beaten whites over the yolks. Adding a touch of baking powder to the whites can make it even more crazy fluffy. The question is how do I make my eggs macho if im in that mood?

[N13]

When I order eggs I always ask for 'soft scrambled' eggs to get them the way I like them. When I cook them myself I add a bit of water which makes them less heavy then when done with milk or cream.

[wayout]

Great topic. I love breakfast and brunches...my favorite meals by far....and I could eat eggs every day in almost every way if it weren't for cholesterol. Some very good suggestions on making fluffy scrambled eggs above and I will try some of them. My favorite egg preparation is fried, sunny side up and that can be tricky to make as well to get the yolk just right and the whites not too rubbery.

[+ azdr0710]

 

my Mom did, too....she also made it a point to separate out that little bit of attached white stringy thing, like her mother (my grandmother) did, too....as I got older, I joked with her about what that little white thing might be....being the conservative, no-nonsense midwesterner she was, she ignored my suggestion.....I still wonder if they really thought it was you-know-what and that's why they separated it out...

[+ deej]

The question is how do I make my eggs macho if im in that mood?

 

That's what Tabasco is for.

[+ Charlie]

The hardest question of all: milk vs. water, and how much of each. Every time I make scrambled eggs, it's an adventure, which is why I prefer to fry or soft-boil them. (And then there are poached eggs, which I hardly ever can get at a restaurant--"Poached? What's that?")

[AdamSmith]

P.S. Off-topic a bit -- an omelet ought never to be the hard rubbery puck so accurately described in several posts here. Viz.:

 

[video=youtube;RThnq3-d6PY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=RThnq3-d6PY

[seeker630]

Great topic. I love breakfast and brunches...my favorite meals by far....and I could eat eggs every day in almost every way if it weren't for cholesterol. Some very good suggestions on making fluffy scrambled eggs above and I will try some of them. My favorite egg preparation is fried, sunny side up and that can be tricky to make as well to get the yolk just right and the whites not too rubbery.

 

When I fry eggs, I want them sunny side up. I used to tend them carefully, spooning the bacon grease over the top to make the top cook properly before they became overdone on the bottom. Then, a friend at work mentioned that she fried eggs with a lid over the skillet. Eureka! The trapped heat cooks the top as well as the bottom. A glass cover is best because you can check them without lifting off the cover.

[seeker630]

My pet peeve is eggs which were obviously 'scrambled' only after being broken onto the grill - they're more liked chopped up fried eggs!

 

I've only encountered that at a few diners in NYC.

 

I make scramble eggs for my family every Sunday morning. I add just a bit of low-fat milk, use lots of butter and a little bacon grease in the pan, and cook them over med-low heat. I take them out of the pan when they're still just a bit wet because I know they will continue to cook a bit.

 

At restaurants, I always specify 'soft scrambled eggs.

 

And I like my bacon VERY crisp. Since I've started making Sunday breakfast for 3, I cook my bacon in the oven on a shallow baking sheet. I find it does better on a lower rack, closer to the heating elements. 15 minutes at 375 is usually about right, though it varies with the brand & thickness of the bacon.

[+ Gar1eth]

P.S. Off-topic a bit -- an omelet ought never to be the hard rubbery puck so accurately described in several posts here. Viz.:

 

[video=youtube;RThnq3-d6PY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=RThnq3-d6PY

 

I'll match my Julia Child to yours

 

http://touch.dailymotion.com/video/x7tnc9_the-french-chef_fun

 

Gman

[AdamSmith]

I'll match my Julia Child to yours

 

http://touch.dailymotion.com/video/x7tnc9_the-french-chef_fun

 

Gman

 

Your wins!

[Epigonos]

Interestingly iHop adds a tablespoon plus of pancake batter to two eggs before scrambling them. They state this clearly in their menu. The batter makes the eggs VERY fluffy and slightly sweet. They look great but aren't really my thing.

[+ Gar1eth]

Interestingly iHop adds a tablespoon plus of pancake batter to two eggs before scrambling them. They state this clearly in their menu. The batter makes the eggs VERY fluffy and slightly sweet. They look great but aren't really my thing.

 

I think they also add it to their omelets. Frankly, I don't think I can taste the difference.

 

Gman

[Mark Gordon]

I don't care for scrambled eggs, but my pet peeve is places that try to serve pancakes/waffles without real maple syrup. I don't mind paying a bit extra for it, but if you don't have it, don't bring me no Aunt Jemima!

[Boink]

Oooo! Can I chime in with a peripheral restaurant pet peeve that's been driving me crazy? It happens all the time at all meals of the day, so I'll apply this example to the breakfast topic. Restaurants of America: PLEASE STOP STACKING MY FOOD!! Please put my toast on its own side plate - NOT draped over my eggs. Since you insist on adding garnish, please do NOT place a big chunk of cold, dripping wet melon (or any other kind of fruit) right on top of my warm dry eggs. Put the bacon on its own plate, too - I don't like covering it in pancake syrup. And while I'm grousing, please don't make me ask for coffee creamer - just have it there at the table. And yes, you should be 'leaving room in my cup for cream' whether I use it or not. What's the alternative - you fill it to the brim so I can't help spilling it? >>End rant<<

:-)

[bigvalboy]

Oooo! Can I chime in with a peripheral restaurant pet peeve that's been driving me crazy? It happens all the time at all meals of the day, so I'll apply this example to the breakfast topic. Restaurants of America: PLEASE STOP STACKING MY FOOD!! Please put my toast on its own side plate - NOT draped over my eggs. Since you insist on adding garnish, please do NOT place a big chunk of cold, dripping wet melon (or any other kind of fruit) right on top of my warm dry eggs. Put the bacon on its own plate, too - I don't like covering it in pancake syrup. And while I'm grousing, please don't make me ask for coffee creamer - just have it there at the table. And yes, you should be 'leaving room in my cup for cream' whether I use it or not. What's the alternative - you fill it to the brim so I can't help spilling it? >>End rant<<

:-)

 

Ditto to all of the above....and may I add that when you bring my toast, is it really too much to ask to bring the butter. I always have to ask for butter, then by the time it arrives the toast is cold and the butter won't melt.