Breakfast

Always use fresh eggs. If you can't see the difference between the "thick" white and the "thin" white, the yolks will probably break in the pan.

Always deliver the eggs to the pan with a custard cup or large spoon. Avoid cracking directly into the pan.

When using a non-stick skillet cook in no more than an inch of water. If you don't have a non-stick pan, poach in a deep saucepan containing at least 3 inches of water.

Always acidulate the poaching liquid with either vinegar or lemon juice (1 tsp per each cup of water).

With only one test of these hearty pancakes, they’ve turned into a favorite lunch, snack and dinner in our house. Try them heated with a little grated cheese on top, or serve with yogurt. These look prettiest when you use black sesame seeds. 

Huevos Rancheros are perfect for entertaining since you can prep everything ahead of time and multiply the recipe almost infinitely. You can also make it more or less complicated: If you don't want to cook beans, make the variation. If you want to go all out, serve them with sliced or crumbled chorizo or other sausage, Radish Salsa, avocado slices, chopped fresh chiles, shredded lettuce, and limes. Some crema on the side is also nice. 

Just about every fast‐food joint now sells breakfast burritos, but few will be as good as yours. Fill them as you would tacos, with ingredients like chopped fresh tomatoes, cilantro, black olives, or scallions; minced fresh chiles; avocado slices or chunks; or small cubes of Crisp Panfried Potatoes (Home Fries). If you're really addicted to a hot and hearty meal on the run, double or triple the recipe, wrap the burritos well in plastic or foil, and tuck them away in your freezer.

These waffles, made with oats but no flour, bring the wheat-sensitive back to the kitchen table on Sunday mornings. Add a dollop of your favorite yogurt, some fresh fruit, and some real maple syrup. You need a waffle iron.

Of all the recipes in the Passover canon, one of the simplest is matzo brei. Soak matzos in egg and maybe a little milk or water until softened, fry in butter or oil. Top with powdered sugar or maple syrup if you like the sweet side of things, or salt and pepper if you have more savory hankerings.

It’s quintessential Passover brunch food, so bare-bones that I never really thought about altering it, or even eating it, more than once or twice a year.

My mom used to make breakfast for dinner every Thursday night when I was growing up and I always looked forward to it. Really, is there anything better than a big plate full of cheesy eggs, pancakes with melted butter and maple syrup, and fruit salad? I would love to continue this tradition with Apolinaras, but unfortunately, he isn’t a fan. I think it’s partly because he actually gets up early enough to make eggs every morning, while I prefer to savor every last minute of sleep and usually end up just having cereal.

The warm milk and melted butter mixture should be just barely warm to the touch, about body temperature – any hotter and it could kill the yeast. For a complex, super-yeasty flavor, leave the batter at room temperature overnight instead of in the refrigerator.

Not to draw a line in the sand here, but I’d take waffles over pancakes every time. I love how the browned, delicately crisp exterior gives way to a tender, practically creamy interior. And the pockets in the waffle pattern are custom-made for pooling syrup and melted butter.

While the waffles can be eaten as soon as they are removed from the waffle iron, they will have a crispier exterior if rested in a warm oven for 10 minutes. (This method also makes it possible to serve everyone at the same time.) Buttermilk powder is available in most supermarkets and is generally located near the dried-milk products or in the baking aisle. Leftover buttermilk powder, which can be used in a number of baking applications, can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a year.