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THE FRY, A darling of our nostalgic taste buds, is not so much an everyday breakfast anymore – but we love it nonetheless. There is much debate as to what’s right and wrong.
Putting together the perfect breakfast does not come without its challenges. Food writer Georgina Campbell, who runs the annual Irish Breakfast Awards, points out that what should be on the plate depends on the region.
“The traditional basic fry may start with rashers, sausages and fried eggs, but there are many regional specialities,” she says – mentioning potato bread in the North, boxty in the North-West and black and white pudding which used to be a Cork thing but is now pretty much universal.
And of course the Irish fry has quite the reputation around the world. The late Anthony Bourdain tucked into a full Irish in an early house when he popped to Dublin for his show The Layover. And more recently Phil Rosenthal from Netflix’s ‘Somebody Feed Phil’ came to town and went on a breakfast journey. He tried a perfectly good Turkish eggs menemen and moved onto pimped up porridge, but only looked truly content when he got to sit down in Darina Allen’s kitchen and tuck into a proper fry.
“She whipped up this breakfast, the full Irish breakfast, in ten minutes,” he proclaims. And while whipping it up Darina seems disappointed he only wants two sausages “That’s a bit of a feeble effort, but anyway,” she says. Which brings us to our first bone of contention…
There is no doubt sausages take pride of place on the breakfast plate. Anyone who’s been out of the country for more than a day will have heard (or indeed lamented themselves) that there’s nothing like an Irish sausage.
We’ve a great tradition of brilliant pork products that come into their own for breakfast, so it seems the only question is: How many sausages actually belong on the breakfast plate?
Chef Paul Flynn tells me he’s happy with one, but knows this isn’t a popular opinion. Writer Leslie Williams reckons two or three are essential as do many fans, according to a hearty debate started on the matter on Twitter.
The general conclusion I found is if you’re going big and artisan for the sausage, one can sometimes be OK – but two is preferable. If you go for the classic plain pork sausages that tend to be a bit smaller, put three on the plate just to be sure.
And Georgina Campbell tells me: “Less is more in many cases – just don’t let anyone near the deep fryer, especially where sausages are concerned.”
Along with sausages, bacon, eggs and pudding are the other essentials in all descriptions I came across of an Irish fry.
Bacon, rashers, whatever you call them, these salty, umami slices simply belong on a breakfast plate. Most people seemed to favour back bacon, at least two slices and a bit crispy, but not the ‘crispy’ you’d find on a stack of American pancakes.
Pudding is a no-brainer. Include it or you are missing out. I prefer just black but if the white is there, throw it on.
And the eggs? Don’t be fooled by thinking eggs are the easy part. Fried eggs it is, scrambled or poached shouldn’t get a look in. And if you don’t serve that yolk a bit runny, breakfast can be ruined. So how to get it right?
Firstl, use a clean pan and clean fat to cook – do not cook your egg in the remains of your fried meat (but this is exactly what you should fry your bread in, if you are frying your bread). Cook the egg slowly and gently, basting the whites with the fat as they cook. Drain your eggs before serving, you can even trim them a little if needed but whatever you do – make sure the yolk is runny. A yellow, jiggly runny yolk can make or break your entire plate.
It’s a unanimous opinion that bread is a very important component, but the choice of baked goods is about as varied as it gets on the breakfast plate. Paul Flynn insists that when he’s cooking at home nothing but fresh, squishy sliced pan is acceptable, smothered in butter.
Clodagh McKenna likes classic, homemade soda bread on the side. Hilary O’Hagan Brennan tells me: “Never too many bread options in my books!” She’s a fan of soda bread too, but cooked on one side only. She adds that in recent years she was introduced to soda farls and potato bread by her husband’s family from Monaghan.
The bread it seems changes quite a lot depending on your geography. Whatever bread you go for, don’t be stingy. Remember there’s lots to be dipped and mopped up. Gaz Smith from Michael’s in Mount Merrion wants extra bit of toast with his “for having with marmalade as a dessert”, as does O’Hagan Brennan: “The finisher is saving a bit of toast to have with marmalade afterwards as a dessert course.” Wondering now if I need to add marmalade to the list?
Beans probably cause the most debate. Lots of people are a flat-out no to beans but experience and my own preference makes me lean towards giving beans the OK.
I do wholly agree with Paul Flynn though who tells me: “If you you’re having beans, they need to be served separately so as not to swamp the breakfast.” So I’m going with a yes for beans, but definitely optional and definitely on the side.
Tomatoes also seem to cause quite a bit of vitriol. Gaz Smith insists “No tomatoes, and double definitely no tinned tomatoes.” Paul Flynn gives me a firm and simple “No tomatoes.”
I don’t really care for them on my breakfast, but they do seem to sneak into every fry up photo and every menu so do they belong? Darina Allen even serves them up on the breakfast plate to Phil Rosenthal, but they are never mentioned. Tomatoes, I conclude are simply there as a garnish. Add them if you want some colour on your plate, no-one’s taste buds are going to thank you, although it might look good on Instagram.
Many say if your eggs are right that’s all the sauce you need, but otherwise, it’s a simple choice between red or brown. For Hilary O’Hagan Brennan, though, they are paramount. “Never underestimate the importance of condiments in a fry. I’m a fan of ketchup or brown sauce, depending on the day. But always sauce, don’t forget the sauce!” I would tend to agree.
Get the kettle on, this one is fairly unanimous. Almost everyone I talked to insisted tea, or in fact ‘tae’ was the only thing to wash down your morning feast.
In fact wine writer Leslie Williams gives tea with fry the critic’s thumbs up, informing me that the tannins in the tea go so well with breakfast as they cut through the grease. Can’t argue with that.
Don’t hold back, if you’re making a mug, make it big and strong. In fact most would be in favour of a good old steaming pot. And top it up halfway through, you’ll need more.
Chips. The addition of chips will ruin your breakfast and in fact make it into an English breakfast or a mixed grill. Just don’t risk it. And I couldn’t bring myself to include hash browns. I think they should stay in breakfast rolls where they belong.
What do you think? Have I figured out the fry?
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Top tip. Don’t listen to the tips on the journal. Changing wipers blades every 6 months is a complete waste of money.
Keep it between the ditches.dont drink and drive and make sure there is a good reclining seat for the bit of “How’s your Father” with girlfriend /boyfriend .
If it’s moving and it’s not supposed to…duct tape….if it’s not moving and it supposed to..wd40
Never pay a garage for a pre nct check. Biggest rip off ever. Just put it in for the test and let them tell you whats wrong for a fraction of the cost.
If you hear a noise you don’t like the sound of, turn up the radio and it magically disappears
@Pat Maher: only if it is company car
Don’t go to main dealers or big mechanic shops for service or repairs they will charge you a fortune, use your small local independent mechanics.
Change wiper blades when they are done
You aren’t a mechanic. The blokes in the garage. They are mechanics. Paying someone who knows what they are doing will save you time and money in the long-term.
This is more a big of driving advice than car maintenance advice, but back when learning to drive nearly 30 years ago, I was told: always assume everybody else on the road is a f***ing eejit. And never give them reason to think the same of you. In other words, always make sure you have time and space to react if they do something stupid and unexpected. And don’t do anything like that yourself. Never had an accident yet, touch wood…..
@Jumperoo: best advice on here.
Anyone can drive fast, it’s a smart person that can stop.
Avoid the three “F’s”….
French cars, Fiat and Ford!
Warnings Lights on your dashboard are not for decoration when they stay on.
“Never drive on a flat tyre”. Unbelievably moronic advice. The number of times I’ve seen idiots trying to change a wheel on a busy motorway.- even on the driver side. Squatting on the edge of lane one. It’s just insane. Sacrifice the tyre and crawl to the next exit or pull-in
Best car advice…buy a Toyota
@skeyes: or a Lexus.
@William Grogan: same thing
@skeyes: if you’re cheap & tacky !!!!
Practice changing a flat tyre before you have to do it.
Before my parents let me borrow the car for a long journey, I had to show them that not only did I know how to change it, but also that I was physically capable of jacking up the car and getting the spare into position.
Mercedes, Audi & BMW cars are often prone to leakage of indicator fluid, so make sure yours is always topped up before any journey.
I have my car 12 years and replaced the bosch wiper blades three times. Every six months i take them off and give them a scrub with warm soapy water. They are like new once back on.. thats a tip.
simple and regular oil changes by me has my car at 230,000 miles with a strong engine. Learn to do oil changes and other handy thing from youtube.
Change your gearbox oil..
Check your oil and other fluids and levels such as tyre thread and pressure regularly – 1st of every month is usually a good time keeper to stick with. Once you get a system going it should take you less than 5 minutes.
If buying a used car, let an expert examine it for you. The guys at The AA (http://www.theaa.ie/aa/vehicle-checks/car-inspection.aspx) have a team of engineers with decades of experience and reasonable price for great piece of mind.
Before you go anywhere make sure to put some fuel in the tank.
The arrow on the fuel gauge tells you where the filler cap is. Worked in a petrol station in school and most people have no clue.
Fake news.
@eoin lee: You had a petrol station in your school? Far out man.
Never ever go near a Renault
Sell your modern car ( which is just another grey bubble on the road) and buy a Morris Minor…no computers lots of parts easy to fix and fun to drive and it looks classic!
The most dangerous part of a car is the nut behind the wheel .
Nothing to with car repair, I was told all ways imagine there a child about. To keep you from hitting some one or something.
As a mechanic myself never listen to a mechanic about saving money.
Put it in ‘H’
Send you car through the NCT before you get it checked as the NCT ( although it a money racket) will tell you what you need to get done before you bring it to a mechanic.
@Nucky: NCT doesn’t check everything
Don’t even dream of getting one if you can help it at all. Between exorbitant costs for tax and insurance in this country along with the high cost of the car because of VRT(which no other country pays) Then comes servicing, Tyres, the NCT test, retests, repairs, mechanic costs, the intermittent ECU problem that no one can fix or has ever seen before, but you get charged a arm and a leg to get it looked at, depreciation, replacement costs, etc etc etc. The car just seems to be a bottomless pit to gobble up our hard earned cash, collectively being a cash cow for our government. There is simply no avoiding the costs when we have one. Then we have to get lessons, driver testing, and if were unlucky enough to get caught out on a big wide road going down a hill with a 50 kmph limit by some uniformed sod looking for promotion, the prices rise further with a few points on the licence. Then comes fuel costs, parking costs, the frustration of sitting in traffic queues for hours, toll costs…… Need I go on. Avoid getting a car at all costs if you can, unless you like bleeding money.
@Ian Oh: Check out Jerry Reeds “Lord Mr Ford” on YouTube. Great tune echoing your points
Stay between the ditches. Words to live by.
Check your oil level between services. Don’t ask for advice and still ignore the problem !
Keep it serviced and it will last. My last car had over 300k miles and is still on the road and my current car has over 210k miles and is still flying it and i tow the boat with it on a regular basis.
Also, never buy a french car or a fiat either. Balls of sh ite the lot of them.
My Dad told me: if you are driving through the desert and your car breaks down, shoot a hole in the radiator. The thirst will eventually drive you to drink radiator water, which is poisonous, so remove the temptation straight away.
@Crocodylus Pontifex: so either you’ll die from thirst. .
@Suzie Sunshine: he also said “when fighting Indians always keep the last bullet for yourself”. I’m sure it applies here too.
Expect the unexpected!
change oil and filter every 10,000 miles
Dont buy ford or renault
E stands for EMPTY not enough.
FORD used to mean Fix or Repair Daily…. However in recent years they are much better and reliable..
Have owned several Fords over the years, They do break down occasionally (like every other make ) but they are an honest, good value, solid car. Usually good for up to 300,000 km. still, I prefer Saab. A tank of a chassis, and Scandinavian style. Pity they stopped making them back in oh’11.
A tip for the rural driver…. for every mile of road they are two miles of hedges and ditches
If you can’t find it grind it!
Never had a problem with a Citroen that I couldn’t sort out, great car, great suspensions.
Best advice I can give is ‘never use the handbrake whilst driving’
Unless you are in a Citroen of course and then it can be used to slow the car down if your brakes fail because the handbrake is connected to the front wheels.
In other standard cars the handbrake is connected to the rear wheels and if you lift it whilst driving you will lose control of the car.
Sell the bleedin thing!
Ride me bike instead.
Scrap it.
go electric
Remember every other driver is out to kill you . Drive as if your life depends on it
I was given that advice 30 years ago and ive given it to all my kids
Drove through flood water a few years ago and car wouldn’t start the next day. Guy from AA got me tap starting motor with a sick and hammer while he turned ignition, she started, had to keep them in car until motor was fully dry
Cars kill,
Drive on the correct side of the road!
My dad’s advice was to keep between the ditches.
Don’t put petrol in a diesel car
Stop buying Diesel cars..
Dip! Dip! Dip! – always check the oil!
“The car is a lethal weapon, it can kill anyone, its the most dangerous weapon you will ever have in your hands” I still get the goose bumps on my neck at the very thought of it being true. No truer words were ever spoken to me about driving after my father said that to me. And this was a time when a few pints was able to be had “on the way home” after a match.
My mechanic told me to get rid of my car it was a piece of shit
Don’t be knocking if the rig is rockin.
Beware of the gritting machine as it looms ahead in the dead of night, might aswell get a brillo pad to your paint work.
To never take car advice from a sponsored car add
Don’t buy one.
They’re a money pit.
Drive on the left give way to the right
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