Gold in the pantry

There is a restaurant in Chicago called Toast. We went there for lunch one day and I remembered one of the things I miss most about the US - breakfasts. With great coffee (even though I don't drink much right now), and great food. Take this stunning example - stuffed french toast. One of each flavor they had: mascarpone, strawberry, and chocolate. With powdered sugar. And berries. Ooh, and look at the fresh squeezed orange juice. I could go on and on...

Not quite the same here in Zurich. Although, they do seem to celebrate the concept of brunch, and Bohemia has french toast on the menu, there is something a bit missing when there is muesli at the buffet and not, well,....that stuffed french toast. No, actually, they do okay when there is a brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. But you can forget the all-night diner and eggs (with tater tots!) at midnight.

So what do you do? Well, you stock up when you visit the US. In my case, you stock up at Whole Foods' baking aisle....whole-grain buttermilk pancake mix, chocolate chip cookie mix, blueberry muffin mix, wheat germ. Oh, I'm sorry. That is what I do. Maybe you just crack open a cookbook, but when it is a Sunday morning, all the shops are closed (all day), you just barely got your shopping done on Saturday, there isn't a bakery open in the whole city and you live outside of town....I whoosh open the pantry, and pull out a box of gold.

Last weekend, it was the pancake mix, carefully measured out so we only used 1/3 of it. I had one egg left to put in it, and then I sliced some of the apples we had. Lovely. Even had maple syrup found at a local store. So good. Someday, the blueberry muffins will make an appearance. If you happen to be over for breakfast that day, you're pretty special. But just know, I may make them just for me and M, and it doesn't mean you're any less special if they are not on that day's menu.

Gold, I tell you. And tastes like home.