Photo: spicy breakfast burrito at Red-eyed Mule, served with mule chips, by Brian Benefield
[This is the latest installment of “Cobb Cuisine, Culture and Community” by Brian Benefield]
I am at a loss as to how, in tarnation, I haven’t written about my all-time favorite meal, breakfast. So, let’s take a deep dive into the most important meal of the day, and I’ll let you know some places to get authentic Southern-style vittles that I can vouch for personally. The aroma of bacon cooking in a skillet, sneaking its way down the hall on a Saturday morning, brings back nostalgic memories of my childhood. I could smell the coffee and the syrup for the pancakes. Perhaps that’s where my love for the morning meal derives from, and I believe that food memories are deeply ingrained in our subconscious.
Sugar Cakes on Marietta Square has THE best bacon if you’re craving thick-cut, extra crispy, salty heaven on a plate. I have been accused of being weirdly fanatical about my bacon, but nobody likes thin, flaccid strips of sowbelly. My go-to order is the country French breakfast, which has eggs, the aforementioned bacon worth fighting over, sauteed potatoes, grilled tomato, and I opt for their hearty wheat bread to round out the dish. My wife, Cecilie, is not as big a brekky fan, but she’ll order something way too healthy, like a veggie egg white omelet with salsa on the side for a spicy kick. If a sweet option is your pleasure, then try their French Toast. Thick Texas toast dipped in Tahitian vanilla Creme Brulee, pan-fried to golden perfection, and served with seasonal fruit.
Another tried and true spot is Red Eyed Mule, where they serve biscuits and gravy that would make your Southern Grandma very proud. We ate there recently, and I ordered the Feed Bucket, which is precisely what it sounds like. A container filled with all the yummy goodness of layered grits, farm-fresh eggs, cheese, and a choice of bacon or sausage. Served with a…
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