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Morning glory

Even if it’s all downhill from here, with these adventurous breakfasts, you’ll at least get off to a good start.

No immediate plans to visit anywhere exotic? There’s nothing to stop you getting a bit of cultural fix by eating like the locals with new cookbook Stay for Breakfast. Simone Hawlisch is a food, lifestyle and travel photographer based in Berlin, who has compiled a selection of first meals of the day into a read that has options from all corners and for every eventuality, taking us on a culinary journey that gives a glimpse into what mornings taste like around the globe.
Choose from breakfasts for eating in bed, for families, for loafers, for health buffs and hangovers. Make stuff to take on the go, snack on later, or eat outside. And, hey, if you’re staying for breakfast, why not make it dessert? There are several dishes in here that could totally do double duty, like the Frenchy chocolate number below.

Maple drizzled pistachio and avocado waffles
Serves 2-4

1 cup buckwheat flour
½ cup rolled oats
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp sea salt
1 egg
300ml buttermilk
4 tbsp melted butter
Canola oil
150g cream cheese
1 ripe avocado
4 tbsp chopped pistachios
5 tbsp maple syrup

Preheat a waffle maker, then make the batter. Combine the flour, oats, baking powder and salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk and melted butter.
Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well with a stick blender or food processor until it forms a smooth dough that looks like pancake batter. Set aside.
Once it’s hot, brush the waffle maker with canola oil. Pour 3-4 tablespoons of batter per waffle onto the iron and cook until golden brown. The cooking time will depend on the waffle maker. Allow the waffles to cool slightly.
To serve, spread the cream cheese onto the waffles and top with sliced avocado and the chopped pistachios. Finish by drizzling a generous spoonful of maple syrup over the top.

Dark chocolate clafoutis
Serves 2

150g cherries
85g dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
2 tbsp salted butter
1 pinch ground cardamom
3 medium-sized eggs
½ cup raw sugar
½ cup flour
Icing sugar, to serve

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Pit the cherries and cut in half, chop the chocolate and melt the butter.
In a large bowl set over a pot of simmering water, melt the chocolate with the cardamom. Work carefully to avoid any water splashing into the chocolate or it will go grainy.
Whisk the eggs and sugar together in a separate bowl. Add the flour, mix well, then pour in the melted chocolate and combine to form a silky dough.
Brush two small cast-iron frying pans or ovenproof tins with a tablespoon of melted butter each. Pour the batter into the pans, and divide the cherries between them. Place in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and dust with icing sugar.

Cheese plate with spiced pickled grapes
Serves 2-4

Cheese plate
A variety of different cheeses, around 115g per person: hard (aged comte or cheddar), soft (camembert, brie or tallegio), firm (manchego or mimolette) and blue (gorgonzola)
Figs
Grapes
Honeycomb
Olives (green and black)
Pears
Roasted and salted almonds
Capers

Spiced pickled grapes
250ml mild white vine vinegar (about 5.5% acid)
1½ cups raw sugar
1 tsp coriander seeds
3 star anise
4 black peppercorns
6 juniper berries
2 tsp mustard seeds
300g small seedless black grapes (on the vine if possible)
3 small jars, sterilised

To make the spiced pickled grapes, place the vinegar, sugar and spices in a saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally to help the sugar dissolve. Simmer for about half an hour to enhance the flavour and until it reaches a syrup-like consistency.
Carefully wash and dry the grapes, then divide them into three portions, trying to keep them on the vine. Divide between three sterilised jars, cover with the hot pickling liquid, and seal.
Allow the pickled grapes to infuse for a couple of days before serving them as part of your cheese plate. They should keep for around six months if stored in a cool, dark place.

Black sesame crackers
Makes about 30

1 tsp pink Himalayan salt
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, plus extra to garnish
3 tbsp black sesame seeds
¾ cup whole wheat flour
1¼ cup rye flour
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
¾ cup warm water

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then add the olive oil and combine well by hand or in a food processor. Start by adding ½ cup of the warm water and knead the mixture into a smooth, soft dough; add the remaining water if required. Cover the dough with a clean, damp dish cloth and allow to rest for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 160°C fan bake.
Place the dough on a sheet of baking paper with another layer of paper on top. Then, using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to 2mm thick. Remove the top layer of baking paper and trim the edges of the dough with a pastry cutter. If you want to ensure that the edges are straight, use a clean ruler.
Transfer the dough to a baking tray and score with the pastry cutter into about 30 rectangles, depending on your preferred cracker size. Brush with water, sprinkle with the extra thyme leaves and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Allow
to cool completely before serving.
Stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place, these crackers will keep for 10 days.

Kimchi fried rice
Serves 2-4

125g smoked bacon
300g kimchi
5 sliced spring onions
1 garlic clove
2 cups cooked jasmine rice
Ground black pepper
3 tbsp kimchi juice
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp chilli flakes
Sesame oil
Toasted black sesame seeds, to garnish

Cut the bacon into thin slices, chop the kimchi and spring onions, and finely mince the garlic clove. Heat a frying pan or wok over a medium heat.
Add the bacon to the pan and fry until almost crispy, then add half the spring onions (save some to use as a garnish) and the garlic, and fry until lightly browned. Add the kimchi and stir-fry
for another 1-2 minutes, then add the rice and carefully stir to combine. Season with black pepper.
Pour the kimchi juice and soy sauce over the rice. Stir well and cook for a couple of minutes, allowing the flavours to mingle, then season with the chilli flakes and a drizzle of sesame oil.
Serve in bowls, garnished with toasted black sesame seeds and the remaining spring onions.

Virgin mary cocktail
Serves 1

2 drops Tabasco sauce
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp lime juice
1 cup tomato juice
Sea salt and ground black pepper
Celery sticks, to garnish

Place the ingredients (except the celery) in a cocktail shaker and shake well. Serve over ice in a salt-rimmed highball glass, garnished with celery sticks.

Edited extract from Stay for Breakfast by Simone Hawlisch. Published by Gestalten, $99.

Recipes & photography Simone Hawlisch

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