"All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast."
~ John Gunther
A strong cup of coffee in the morning is an ideal way to begin any early morning and no cup of coffee is more satisfying than the classic French roast that my dad brews when I am home in Indianapolis. It seems like during the holiday season, we get so caught up in our tasks, our to-do lists and our commitments that we temporarily take for granted all of the wonderful and special people around us. As we prepare for the Christmas season, we must all take a second and recognize just how thankful we are to have loving and selfless people in our lives who have shaped us into passionate and unique citizens of the world.
I am very blessed to have such a strong and close-knit relationship with my grandfather. He is the reason I adore cooking so much and most of my earliest food memories are watching him prepare family dinners. My grandparents' house is always filled with assorted chocolates, pretzel rods and caramel candies which always seem to be discovered by my father and brother before every meal. It seems fitting that the Norwegian word for grandfather is bestefar, as he is one of my best friends and role models.
My grandfather and I are fortunate to have many opportunities to chat on the phone about life, future plans and new recipes. A couple weeks before I was scheduled to come home for the first time in several months, he raved about a new breakfast establishment just north of Indianapolis. A place called Another Broken Egg, a smaller chain that featured Indianapolis-unique elements in their Indiana location. I almost drooled on my phone as he described their rendition of Eggs Benedict with fresh crab. We decided that my first order of business upon my arrival would be a brunch date for just the two of us. Just an adoring granddaughter and her wise grandfather.
He adventured out into the world of seafood for breakfast and ordered the Shrimp 'n Grits. Both of us are huge fans of cocktail shrimp and always have been. He still teases me for my minor obsession with shrimp growing up and unfortunately, I had trouble pronouncing 'shrimp' until the age of 6 and called them 'slimp' to my family's amusement. The dish featured a sautéed mix of shrimp, Andouille sausage, red bell peppers and green onions. The mixture was cooked in a low country reduction sauce with a spicy kick which paired well with the creaminess of the cheese topping the grits. The fresh vegetables provided a lighter element to the heaviness of the cheesy grits and the entire dish reminded him of New Orleans. The Shrimp 'n Grits is served with crispy, garlic French bread; perfect for dipping in any leftover sauce or cheese.
I chose the Crabcakes Cavallo which features a crab-inspired rendition of my favorite breakfast dish- Eggs Benedict. A crispy English muffin is topped with two sizable crab cakes and two perfectly poached eggs. Adorning the eggs are an Andouille infused hollandaise sauce, chopped green onions and fresh red bell peppers. The dish is served with fantastically crunchy & salty breakfast potatoes which compliment the savoriness of the crab cakes. Probably my favorite breakfast dish in Indianapolis yet!
Overall, Another Broken Egg is an excellent breakfast or brunch choice in Indianapolis and I intend on revisiting whenever I am home. Splendid food and fascinating company, this brunch was one of the highlights of my Thanksgiving weekend.
Mary
PS: Love you Grandpa!
(He's the #1 fan of this blog)
Crabcakes Cavallo
Shrimp 'n Grits
