Pub Breakfasts - Morning Glory
Brighten up the day for your customers by serving quality breakfasts and watch trade rise, says early morning stalwart Richard Fox
How many times do we hear that breakfast is the most important meal of the day? Frankly, I used to get tired of hearing it from my mother as I downed my third cup of coffee, simultaneously dashing for the door to catch the school bus.
Little did I know then that a specific breakfast, taken at leisure a few years later, would become the most important meal of my life. Strangely, for such a grand claim, it didn't involve a near-death experience, visit from God, or any sexual activity. It did, however, spark an idea that came to fruition in the form of my first licensed premises, the Blues Café Bar, in Harrogate, North Yorkshire. You see, this landmark meal was taken in a small boozer in the city of Amsterdam, at a time when the UK was still under the influence of Draconian licensing laws requiring establishments to open just before lunch, and then close at what seemed like a few minutes later. In those days there was virtually no food provision in pubs, save for the odd packet of crisps; probably because there wasn't enough time to cook and serve a meal before you had to close again.
As I tucked into my Dutch breakfast of perfectly fried eggs a-top a slice of ham, melted cheese and toast, washed down with a double espresso, reading the morning paper, I reflected on what a Utopian world it would be if only I could experience this simple pleasure on my return to the UK. I vowed at that moment to make it happen.
Some five years later, as we flung the doors open for the first time at 10am (obviously no alcohol was served), put up the breakfast board, adjusted the music volume down from the night before and changed the CD from Billy Idol to Billie Holliday, I couldn't have foreseen how this would shape the rest of the business over the next decade (at one point we were serving more barrels of premium lager per square foot than any other bar in the north of England).
The thing with breakfast is it has to be cooked perfectly, which really sets a precedent for the rest of your food and drink offering. There are no creamy sauces, towers of presentation or fancy ingredients to hide poor cooking or ingredients. An over-cooked egg cannot be hidden; a cheap, processed sausage will always taste crap, while overdone bacon will serve better as the sole of your shoe than an edible morsel.
The good news is that just a few accurately cooked core ingredients can offer a breakfast repertoire to rival an à la carte dinner menu. From eggs Benedict to bacon sarnie, there's a different taste and texture experience to satisfy every palate. And a quality par-cooked mise en place is the key.
Cook the bacon under a hot grill on one side only, until the rind just begins to brown. The bacon will be cooked through but without losing succulence. A quick blast of heat when the meal is ready to serve will take it to perfection. Bake the sausages until just brown; the mushrooms pan fried to al dente, and serve with tomatoes and some carefully-chosen black pudding.
Even poached eggs can be par-cooked to guarantee a perfect egg on every plate. Simply break the egg into some gently simmering, acidulated water; remove them with a slotted spoon when the egg just holds together and plunge straight into iced water. For service, just heat through in fresh hot water. These perfectly poached eggs will take centre stage for your eggs Florentine, Benedict and the original classic Dutch breakfast - which was the source of this very journey.
Incidentally, that breakfast is still on the Blues Bar menu today, now under the diligent ownership of Simon and Sharon Coglan - some 15 years after it originally appeared. However, there is far more to a successful morning trade than the food offering. People don't necessarily want to go into a place early in the morning that reminds them of the extent of their partying from the night before, let alone get whiffs of the beer they spilt, or worse still, floor cleaner. So, there's a fair bit to consider before flinging open those doors early.
The breakfast experience should be a chilled-out, relaxing one - the music should reflect this: blues, jazz and even classical are perfect antidotes to an evening of excess. A sprinkling of morning papers , particularly at a weekend, can lure in the spontaneous solo punter, while creating a meeting point for post-party groups of friends.
And then there's the non-alcoholic drinks offering. Nowadays, thankfully, the espresso machine is virtually de rigueur - but make sure all the staff know how to use it. I've experienced a perfect espresso one day, only to receive a ¼ pint of insipid black coffee the next - after asking for the same thing.
Fresh juices displayed in jugs rather than the standard spirit bottle mixer are so much more appetising at breakfast, while a selection of detoxifying, herbal teas can really promote the feel-good factor.
Finally, as always, shout loud and clear about what you offer - and the quality. Don't wait until the morning to advertise your breakfast menu - let people know when you've got a packed bar on a Saturday night - a good combination of blackboards, table fliers and staff recommendations can have you potentially packed before the night's out. And if you are going to serve local sausages, free-range eggs, and saddle-back bacon, make sure you advertise the fact.
Well, it's now lunch-time; but you know what? I quite fancy breakfast - now there's a thought...
