A Few Things for the Morning

Now that I’m mostly cooking for a family audience rather than a fine-dining one, though, I’ve got a constituency of small eaters (my two daughters) that needs to have something in the morning, and this has inspired me to get breakfast dishes back in my repertoire. Some of the recipes in this chapter—such as the Gianduja French Toast and the Lemon Ricotta Pancakes—are adapted from stints I’ve had over the years at establishments with a breakfast or brunch service. Others—like the frittata, or the Polenta Waffles—are technically breakfast menu items but work well at any time of day, in my opinion. Personally, if I’m not making breakfast for the girls, I’m fine with a little slice of one of the baked goods in chapter 10, like the hazelnut cake, the plum tart, or biscotti—basically anything that you can pair with coffee sounds like a good breakfast to me. But for mornings that call for heartier fare or on weekends when you want to make breakfast a real family meal, these recipes are my go-tos.