I joined Mr. Gastroanthropologist in his home town for a few days during my recent American Escape. While I'd rather be mixing sugars and spices, he'd rather be hiking and exploring...a modern mountain man if you will. So we do a little of this and a little of that. As a reward for hiking up a giant mountain I was treated to the most delicious brunch at Boulder's best creole cafe: Lucile's.
The best way to start a meal at Lucile's is with the beignets. The New Orleans donut. Complete with house-made strawberry rhubarb jam.
What could trump this beignet? Biscuit.
At Lucile's they bake them in huge sheet pans - no muss, no fuss with cutting out biscuits into circles. You get a giant square of biscuit - crunchy, salty top and fluffy inside.
So biscuit trumps beignet. And what trumps biscuit? Waffle.
Not just any ordinary waffle. Waffle with fresh apples, whipped cream, and candied pecans.
P.S. The absolute only reason I didn't finish every bite of the above was with the hope that I will live a long, healthy life so I have many more days to enjoy breakfasts like these! It might not be good for the heart, but its good for the soul. That's why they call it soul food.
Heading a bit more west --> If your in San Francisco and looking to get your fix of good french soul food check out Brenda's. This creole cafe is a little hole in the wall in the Tenderloin and serves the best creole west of Boulder. Beignets, fried shrimp and fried oyster poboys, sloppy Josephine's (an updated, but delicious version of the sloppy joe), and the best sweet, spicy, chunky peach jam ever. Ever? Yes, ever. Oh, not to mention the house-made sweet watermelon tea to wash everything down.
If your in SF and looking for beignets but your not into everything else creole, check out Boulette's Larder for Sunday Brunch. If you are lucky enough to be there during cherry season - the cherry jam is divine when spread over the hot beignets.
I'm now on the search for a the world's best beignet recipe...if you have one or know someone I can sweet talk into giving me one let me know!
