Showing posts with label Dining. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dining. Show all posts

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Second Breakfast? Sounds Like Heresy to Me

I ran into an interesting phenomenon in Europe known as second breakfast. I still don't quite understand it. After all, while I generally stick to cereal for breakfast, most people I know consider coffee or a pop tart to be sufficient. And, some college students are fine with an un-toasted, frozen waffle and a Mountain Dew. Ahhhh, the breakfast of champions.

There are special occasions when a significant other may make eggs, sausage, pancakes, or even crepes (if they're feeling fancy) for breakfast. But, otherwise breakfast doesn't get much attention or acclaim. I was amazed to discover that Europeans seem to love breakfast enough to have it twice. Especially since they don't eat the same things for breakfast that I do. I don't consider tomatoes, cold sandwich meats, and cucumbers to be breakfast food. To me, that sounds like it's time for a picnic.

The idea of second breakfast caused me to raise a few questions. If you have breakfast twice, when do you eat lunch? Is it like an afternoon snack? Then what happens to dinner? Am I going to be eating at midnight?

So many questions. Oh nooooooooooooooooooooooo! It's absolutely overwhelming!

As most people are visual, I decided to explain this with a graph. I apologize that it is informal. I can just imagine past science teachers criticizing me for the lack of units. Hopefully none of you are grading me.

In case you don't remember anything about how to read graphs, I'll explain. First and second breakfasts occur at approximately 7 and 11 am, respectively. Lunch is around 2 or 3 in the afternoon and is the biggest meal of the day. Dinner is around 8 pm.

Remember this if you're ever looking for a restaurant. I ran into issues that some don't even open their kitchens until after 1. As I don't eat two breakfasts, I was frickin' hungry at noon and no one would feed me! And if you're looking to beat the crowds, eat dinner at 6. No one is going to be there so you can be as awkwardly American as you'd like. The waiters may even speak in their native languages so as not to bother you (wink wink). More like make sure you can't understand them insulting your habits.

Until next time, God bless America.