Many Saturday mornings my Dad made waffles.
Real waffles.
Waffles on a gigantic waffle iron the size of a sheet of plywood.
But Dad’s waffles weren’t normal. They had personality. They often resembled Mickey Mouse, butterflies, and I vaguely recall my alpha/omega initials “AZ” being burned into those wonderful little divits.
Breakfast is magic. What other meal is it permissible to douse the food with syrups, sugars and whipped toppings?
Years later, I met the woman of my dreams and asked her father and mother for permission to marry her. They happily said yes, but I distinctly remember tears coming to my father-in-law-to-be’s eyes when, later in the conversation, I told him I made waffles.
“He makes waffles?” He said.
“Yes, he loves to make breakfast,” my wife-to-be relayed to her blurry-eyed Dad.
“Sounds good to me,” he congratulated, “welcome to the family.”
What is it about men and breakfast?
Why do we love blurry-eyed cooking?
3 Reasons Why Men Make Breakfast
1. Funnest Meal of the Day
People who don’t love breakfast scare me. It’s just not natural to get the day going without it. A morning without breakfast is like saying “I don’t want to have a fantatsic day so I’ll deny myself fruit, pancakes, bacon, and other amazingness just to be stoic.” Nah, not for most guys. Breakfast is fun.
Before my wife and I got married, we went to our favorite breakfast place that morning, just her and I, and enjoyed a feast of morning foodie worship. We’ve been having breakfast and a happy marriage ever since.
Thanks breakfast.
And it’s not just having breakfast that contributes to the ‘fun factor,’ it’s making it that puts the icing on the … waffle. Which brings us to the second reason why men make breakfast…
2. It’s Easy
Another reason why men make breakfast: it’s low-maintenance with a high payoff. Perfect combo.
Most breakfast recipes…
[box options]One bowl to mix batter + One giant skillet or griddle = Fantasticness[/box]
We’ll forgo the difficulty of the time, effort and clean-up dinner requires. Within about fifteen minutes, we can have the home smelling like heaven and a beautiful spread on the table for ourselves and our loved ones.
3. Superhero Status
When we make breakfast for others, we become superheroes for the day. And what guy doesn’t like being a superhero?
“Wow, these eggs are uh-maz-ing honey! I don’t know how you do it.” Contented sigh of satisfaction.
“You make the best breakfast. We should open our own breakfast place.” Hmmmm, maybe we should.
“Look at the waffle Dad made for me! It looks just the Mona Lisa!” Why yes Timmy. Yes it does.
Yes, breakfast bolsters our egos. Let’s admit it gents: we want our loved ones to tell us how amazing we are over a plate of maple syrup soaked carbohydrates. Who doesn’t want to start the day that way?
So gents… go fire up the waffle iron, the griddle and make some good, strong coffee while you’re at it. It’s just a good way to start the day.
Enjoy!
Guys: why do you make breakfast? Ladies: what does your guy make the best?
You’re right ADZ, I LOVED that blog entry. Lots of fun memories of days begun with the savory delight of your Dad’s “fun” in the kitchen.
We’re into pancakes these days having the waffle iron relegated to the resale bin.
ILY
Good memories!
My grandfather who immigrated from Italy as a child was a master Sunday breakfast maker. Grandma cooked every other meal. Good memories.
Now-a-days, I’m digging on having my daughters (age 9 and 10) make ME pancakes!
The words “Italian” and “breakfast” are a perfect combo. I bet it was fantastic.
Just as having your kiddos fire up the griddle for you.
I was just talking about this with Kathy, when Jack, my 2-year old walked into the kitchen this morning and said “Smoothie, Mommy.” We laughed how he saw her in the kitchen first, so he associated her signature breakfast with her presence.
Most days when he sees me first, he says “Waffles.” He loves to eat them, and as you said, I love to make them. My son Ryan gets EXTREMELY upset if I start to prepare the mix without him. Once I mashed a banana in the bowl before waking him…it was ugly.
So, Ryan mixes and prepares, I cook, Jack eats, and Mommy sleeps. Everyone’s happy.
There is something inherently secure about waking up to you father making breakfast. I don’t know why, but as a kid, when I knew Dad was making breakfast, it was a great day! Salami and eggs, cottage cheese and eggs. That’s the stuff!!!
Brilliant. So fun that Mommy = Smoothie and You = Waffles.
I love that breakfast reads as security to us.
This post made me hungry!!! ANY breakfast that is made for me is THE best breakfast 🙂 One thing that is funny, is I think breakfast can be the most complicated meal to make for a group- most breakfast food is time sensitive if you want to eat it while it’s hot.
Tis true. It is a challenge to make breakfast happen all at once.
Thanks for stopping by the blog Stephanie!
LOVE. I still have my Snoopy waffle iron. When I go back home, my Mom makes waffles with the Mickey Mouse iron, which had all the perfect nooks and crans to hold syrup – which then gets all soaked into the waffle. Perfection right there.
I love making breakfast because it sets the tone for my day. I may not be in control of what happens throughout the day, but I can still make a stellar meal for starters. That feeling of accomplishment helps me keep my chin up.
Dang. I need to find me some bacon. Stat.
“Breakfast sets the tone for my day.” Amen.
Okay I’m a little nervous to admit this but most mornings I… (wait for it)…SKIP BREAKFAST. There I said it. I am so ashamed. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good breakfast. Thick, crisp, salty bacon that fills the house with that unmistakable aroma. Stale bread soaked in a batter of eggs, vanilla and cinnamon, and grilled to a golden brown and doused in hot syrup (yes the syrup has to be warmed). Omelets of every description, those light and fluffy eggy rolls that house any combination of goat cheese, ham, bacon, sautéed mushrooms and onions, herbs (fresh rosemary, thyme, chives), chicken, marinated artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes or anything else that is in the fridge. and eggs of any variety: creamy scrambled, fried sunny side up, poached, soft boiled, coddled sheared and the list goes on. And yes waffles from our ancient counter top waffle iron.
My problem is most mornings is that I get up at 5 am shower, shave and dress, make my son’s lunch, feed the cat (and clean up any cat vomit on occasion), get the newspaper, and take out the trash ad recycling all before I brush my teeth and race out the door at five minutes of six. If I am going to eat breakfast I WANT TO EAT BREAKFAST, if you know what I mean. I want to kick back and savor a pot of coffee and sip (rather than gulp) my OJ. I want to pan fry a good 6 rashers of bacon low and slow until it’s perfectly crisp. I want to go back for seconds of french toast. But sadly I don’t have time for all of that and besides one of the most important parts of eating breakfast is SHARING that experience. At 5 AM the rest of my family is still in bed. I do eat breakfast on the weekends and we sometimes have breakfast for dinner. but sadly during the week there is no room for that kind of indulgence.
Andy, I read this whole comment aloud to my wife.
Your descriptions are mouth-wateringly scrumptious.
I feel another foodie post coming on. Food for thought. Thanks for the idea…
Bring it! 😉
No wonder I like you, Andrew 🙂
I make breakfast because coffee and bacon are the only things that allay my distaste for mornings enough to allow me to get started on my day.
We should have breakfast sometime!
For a morning person, it’s a perfect time to be creative and off the wall while satistfying ones need to eat! Also, can’t forget the nutritional impact this normally offers. It’ a win win!
P.S. Also energizes great conversation.
“a feast of morning foodie worship.” mmm…that sounds really tasty!
You can almost tast it, can’t ya?!!?