Ode to Breakfast

I (Connie) love breakfast – almost any kind of breakfast, but I am particularly fond of coffee (1/2 pot), eggs, berries, mushrooms, cheese, and fruit (my bliss foods).  Which is not to discount fresh sourdough or whole grain breads with butter, bacon, sausage, pancakes, French toast, olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet peppers, pannekoek, crepes, some cereals, Greek yogurt, fried potatoes, and rice pudding (also acceptable foods on my bliss list).

On the Camino, pilgrims typically start moving around 6am – eat “breakfast” at 6:30-7:00, and have at least 10 kilometers under their feet before 10am.  Many Albergues serve a “pilgrim’s breakfast.”  The core breakfast is a cup of coffee, 2 slices of toasted white (like Wonder-bread white) bread, and something to put on the bread (typically Katherine & jam). Well, I have a hard time acknowledging this as breakfast.  We joke they should advertise “bed and 2 pieces of white bread” rather than “bed and breakfast.”

We have been experimenting with how to get our breakfast desires met.  One way is to find a small cafe open by 6:30.  They will typically serve coffee, fresh orange juice, and an egg/cheese/potato pie they call a tortilla (many blissful ingredients) or even better, a toasted egg/cheese sandwich on a sliced baguette (move-over Mickey-Dees).  Alas those cafes are not always available, so we look at the guidebook maps for small villages 2-3 hours into the day’s journey where we can breakfast later.

Today we are staying in Najera at a Pension rather than an Albergue.  This Pension is between an Albergue and a hotel.  There are no bunk beds here – only twin beds.  There are 4 rooms with 2 twin beds each and one big room with 6 twin beds.  There are two shared bathrooms and a shared kitchen.

Last night we had a great “pilgrim’s dinner” at a nearby cafe.

Prior to arriving at Najera, we had been walking through miles of olive, almond, and grape fields, occasionally interspersed with beautiful gardens with red peppers, lettuce, and tomatoes.  It appears that restaurants & stores here mainly prepare what is being grown right here – this season (as they should!).  But, my spoiled American has kicked in and I have been Jonesing for broccoli.  So, we found fruit & veggie market and bought the only heads of broccoli & cauliflower (1 head each) along with onion, garlic, mushrooms, zucchini, sweet pepper, and a carrot.  And, we found soy sauce and rice.  Looking forward to a meal which we will probably prepare to be ready to share with the first group of tired pilgrims who should start trudging in about 3pm today.