Growing up, breakfast consisted of baguette, butter, jam, sometimes croissants or pain au chocolat, brioche and black coffee. I didn't imagine eating anything else really, and certainly not hot, savoury food. Sausages, bacon and eggs are for lunch, not breakfast!!
The first time I tried Irish breakfast was in a B&B a few months after I arrived. Fabrice, who had already embraced is newly found culture, forced me to try it. To be honest, after a night out drinking, and being mildly hangover, I was wondering how bacon and sausages would not affect my fragile stomach...
The plate came and I looked at Fabrice, who was already digging in. "OK, I have no choice then, so let's get started!" I began by a sausage, then I had some scramble eggs, and a bit of bacon. I decided I would give the pudding a go... Next thing you know, my plate was empty.
It was truly a revelation. Not only I loved almost everything that was on my plate, I actually felt better and my hangover had disappeared. And we were so full we didn't even eat lunch that day... I wonder if that's the reason why Irish people eat a very small lunch compared to the French. Even if they don't have a fry everyday, maybe the tradition of a sandwich at lunch time comes from the massive breakfast they used to have...
There is only one thing I'm not fond of: mushrooms. Eating them in a dish is fine, but on their own I think they have a funny taste.
Every time I go to a hotel or a B&B, I have the full Irish breakfast. And sometimes, Fabrice cooks it at home, especially when we have friends staying over. My French friends often look at me then, and I know what they're thinking: "That's it, we lost her! She's one of them now!"
This is definitely one aspect of Irish culture I didn't think I would appreciate and I was surprised I liked it. I used to be a croissant eater, and now I can stuff my face with bacon, sausages and scrambled eggs...
I've come a long way!
