What's for Breakfast?

"The discovery of a new dish does more for human happiness

than the discovery of a new star."

--Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, THE PHYSIOLOGY OF TASTE

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It's the one meal you shouldn't miss as it gives you the energy to get you thru. So if it's the most important meal of the day - even more significant than lunch or dinner - then it must be the best meal you should prepare and eat every single day, right? But making breakfast can be a challenge. It can't be too cumbersome to prepare as most of us simply want to get it over and done with so we can be out of the house ASAP. At the same time, it has to have all the nutrients to keep you up and about the whole day. It's also a bit tough to whip up a delicious meal while still only half-awake.

Hence, for a lot of us, quick and easy breakfasts have become a daily ritual - milk and cereals and instant oatmeal. But no man can live on cereals and oatmeal alone. Even the surefire crowd-pleaser, the no-fail peanut butter and jelly sandwich, can become boring at a certain point.

Making breakfast has therefore, become a chore none of us want to get involved in, except maybe for doting mothers and desperate housewives. But making breakfast - a tasty, hearty meal to kick off your day with - can be a joy. A really good one will set your day right, as if on a day that you're able to sit down leisurely and enjoy a delightful cup of coffee, some sweet and flavorful pancakes with a juicy bit of ham or bacon or some perfectly-cooked eggs, nothing on that day can or will go wrong.

So what's for breakfast? A thousand and one possibilities. Here's one that I picked up a couple of months ago that makes for a healthy and really tasty morning treat: SPANISH-STYLE BANGUS IN PANDESAL with TOMATOES, HERBS & QUESONG PUTI.

Bangus or milkfish in cans or bottles can be a quick way to put together a gourmet snack. Get one ripe tomato and chop it up along with some quesong puti and some black pitted olives. Mix everything with some minced garlic and chopped basil. Add a little Italian seasoning and salt. Finally, pour some extra virgin olive oil and let the mixture rest for a bit so the flavors come together.

Meanwhile, mash some slices of bangus and set about a couple of spoonfuls on one side of a pandesal or any flat bread you have on hand. Then set some of the tomatoes, herbs, olive oil and garlic mixture on the other side of the pandesal. Toast the pandesal in your oven toaster for 2 minutes. With each bite, you get a burst of flavors that will send you off into heaven and keep you afloat throughout the day.