well since you asked... pure maple syrup or bust. hell, even cracker barrel caught on to that necessity. good coffee? a must. and make it strong. gotta have it. bacon? thick cut and the real deal. benton, smithfield... yesyesyes... penelope, if you do it right... build it and they will come. seriously.

and bad bread? just no excuse. upcharge a bit and kill em with quality.

we'll talk you up around here. really we will...

we need a great breakfast spot. penelope, you're close...

I got a voice message today from someone who is planning to have her kid's birthday there it was so much fun for her family. That beats Chuck E. Cheese any day.

if i went into mcdonald's and submachine gunned down everyone in there, my pennance - the worst pennance would be an eternity in chuck e. cheese.

enuf said.

pennance = penance

Of course, you would have one token too few to play anything.

that is just too funny...

I fear there is not enough room on this page to discuss this topic. I hope someone reads this all the way through :-)

When it comes to being a relocated Yankee, this is quite possibly the biggest problem I have living here. The best way to ruin my day is to offer me no possible options for my first meal of the day. Yet, this is what happens - every single (working) day. Where I grew up on Long Island, and later in New Jersey, there was an inexhaustible choice of options no matter which way I looked. Bakeries, delis, diners, bagel shops. Everywhere. Here? I see you can grab a sausage biscuit at the *gas station* by the Loveless, or eat the fast food, Shoneys included. My one and only Waffle House experience left me outraged. Margarine? I don't have the luxury of going way out of my way every day to enjoy the few gems I have found: The Loveless, and Noshville, so far. Lately, not wanting any more mediocre bagels from the shop on Clofton, I just make me a PBnJ sandwich to eat at my desk...
So for my staples list.

BREAKFAST OUT:
Delicatessen: Taylor Ham, egg, and cheese on a Kaiser roll.
Diner: Two over easy, big fat plump sausage, home fried potatoes, rye toast.
Bagel shops: Cinnamon raisin bagel with scrambled and cheese.
Bakeries: Fresh hand made Boston Cream donuts.
NYC Chinatown: Baked roast pork buns, Ham and Egg with rice

HOME:
Eggs poached, boiled, fried, scrambled. Jimmy Dean or home made sausage, rosemary and sage roasted home fries, buttermilk pancakes, french crepes, home made waffles, french toast, steel cut oatmeal, farina, grits, cream of wheat.

Speaking of good bread, I have come to love everything that comes from Silke's in Clarksville.

http://www.silkesoldworldbreads.com/index.htm

I get it at the Turnip Truck and at Lazzaroli.

John makes syrup with - GASP!- RC cola...

It's the BOMB. We put it over waffles every Sunday morning while we watch Meet the Press

I guess being 1/2 tropical - 1/2 Basque, the whole "Good Ole' Breakfast Thing" was slow to catch up w/ me. growing up, breakfastwas a quick affair, with black coffee, a "fruit shake" (not sure what to call the concoction of fresh fruit and water or milk in a blender), and an Arepa (the original pupusa, but baked, not fried) stuffed with either scrambled eggs with tomatoes and onions or a slice of farmer's cheese and butter.

I'm not fond of pancakes, even if coated in Valrhona chocolate sauce (I tried!), but every once in a while I get a hankerin' for countryfied eggs Benedict, or bis-quits with w/ white gravy.

Diner: 3 extra-large eggs, over hard (runny yokes = gag). 3 buttermilk pancakes with softened butter and syrup (I like the cheap stuff), 3 slices of thick cut peppered bacon, 3 sausage links, a large chocolate milk and a six month supply of Zocor to counteract all the cholesterol.

Deli: Scrambled eggs with herbed cream cheese, onions, and lox. Lightly toasted bagels on the side.

At home: Biscuits & Sausage Gravy.

Silver Sands is awesome, if you want a downhome breakfast that'll shave six months off your lifespan.

Agreed about the sad state of Nashville bagels. Hey, remind me to bore y'all sometime about the time I walked 30 blocks out of the way to Kossar's in Manhattan just to sample a bialy.

Oops...meant to include this about Silver Sands.

I'm a fan of the Bachelor Bomb and Chick Bomb at Bongo East, which is just about the only breakfast I eat out anymore. Of course they would be better on a killer bagel, but they're certainly not bad to start... for a while last winter I was picking up a pain au chocolat and a hot chocolate (with homemade marshmallow) at Marche to go every morning on my way to work. I am sure I will die a year earlier because of this indulgence, but darn, so so good. I'm told they won't start serving the hot chocolate again until December 1. Considering a petition for an early date.

At home: big scramble with shallots, mushrooms, bell pepper, good gruyere, lots of black pepper. Ricotta pancakes or crepes, with a selection of jams and jellies from Jackson's Orchard in Bowling Green. And caramelized bacon (from Epicurious), which my family calls "pork candy," so good it will make you cry.

At least we have Bruegger's here in Nashville, or I'd go through bagel-withdrawl for sure. I think they're the only place in town that actually boils 'em.

Pat Embry wrote a review for the Scene? And I prefer Grade B maple syrup? And I like Silver Sands' lunch better than their breakfast because the drug dealers aren't awake yet at lunch? What is the world coming to?

I meant breakfast -- the drug dealers aren't yet awake at breakfast. Actually, the neighborhood is so spiffed up now that the local color is far less colorful. The last time I ate at Silver Sands there was not a single gold-toothed, corn-row-wearing brah in the place.

After listening to Jack talk about his Master Cleanse and all that grade-B maple syrup, I'm afraid of what it can do to a colon?

Grade B Maple is definitely better flavor wise. Those wiley Vermonters just switched the coding sytem to fool the NYC tourists into buying the lesser quality of "Grade A."

Now really Carrignton - it's not the maple syrup that cleanses, its the herbs that need something heavy and sweet to cover up the herby flavor. In fact maple syrup and lime juice will cover up just about anything nasty and medicinal. Also makes an awesome margarita.

I think this town can certainly use another good breakfast place that can compete with Pancake Pantry - whose coffee is so-so and whose pancakes and waffles come at Green Hills prices. Claudia is right - build it right and they will come.

Wow, Sarah Crow, Delaney Mae and Janet Timmons in the house!

With maple syrup, how does one tell Grade A from B? Is it on the label? This all sounds like some kind of conspiracy of Big maple Syrup.

I want to hear more about this RC Cola syrup. Is the other ingredient a Moon Pie?

I agree we need more good breakfast places in town but seriously, why would anyone go somewhere to cook their own breakfast? This question was raised in the review but never really answered. Seems like a novelty idea that would wear off fast after the first visit.

For one thing, you can eat at your own pace and your food stays hot.

Yes the grade of maple Syrup is on the label. It's definitely a conspiracy. You can also buy it in bulk at the soon to be closed Wild Oats self service section. Also a conspiracy.

No quibble with cooking for myself, but I do wish the place had better ventilation. My one and only time there, I left smelling like a greasy griddle. Also thought $6.50, plus $1 extra per toppings, was a little steep for someone like me who only eats 3 pancakes. Their mix is the only thing that's especially high-quality, so I think I'll buy that and use it at home.

I know, I know, but after 10 interminable days of Jack the Cleanser, I've just about sworn off lemon juice, cayenne and water, too. (Jack, defend yourself.)

I can eat at my own pace and my food stays hot at home too. AND at home I can eat in my underwear or, should the spirit strike me, in nothing at all.

Like I said, it's a spatula, not a subpoena.

Comin' in a little late on this, but I rarely make a hot breakfast, but nothing beats a good French toast. When I'm feeling naughty, I use white sourdough instead of whole grain bread.

And, don't hate, but I love my Aunt Jemima syrup or my own wild blackberry syrup.

I guess I was lucky with my cleansing experience. I had a fiend who was an herbalist in NYC who helped me tremendously. For 10 days I could eat as much fresh fruit and vegetables or dried fruit as I wanted. Had to drink at least a gallon of water a day too. He also provided me with liquid organic herbs of his own concoction and a recipe for irish moss tea. The irish moss tastes and smells like sea water, hence the lime juice and maple syrup. I have never felt so clear headed, calm and focused in my life as I did after I finished that diet. Lost 15 lbs too.

I had a fiend who was an herbalist in NYC who helped me tremendously.... Had to drink at least a gallon of water a day too. He also provided me with liquid organic herbs of his own concoction and a recipe for irish moss tea.

At first I thought you misspelled "friend," but now I think you had it right.

"AND at home I can eat in my underwear or, should the spirit strike me, in nothing at all."

davido -- just don't attempt to fry the bacon in the nude (trust me on this)...

Gadzooks man you're right! He did seem like a fiend after following his prescription for the first 3 days. But after that it got better.

I heartily concur on the nude bacon frying. Things can go very wrong very quickly. It could even lead to a navel disaster.

Sorry I couldn't resist.

I do know about the Silver Sands. If only they were open on the weekend....

But I also am curious to know if Arnolds ever followed through with their promise for a breakfast. I read it here?

Arnold's tried breakfast, but no longer does.