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There’s magic and romance within the siren call of “Breakfast All Day!”
I am what is commonly referred to as a cheap date. No fancy-shmancy dinners for me, no sir. I am not interested in any place that serves up snooty pretension as a condiment to the meal. I’ve done that and it was fine, but it wasn’t very nourishing. Not for the tummy and certainly not for the soul. But oh, if you take me to a good, old-fashioned, family-run diner that has breakfast any time, I am over the moon.
Seeing a sign that says, “breakfast served all day” is as compelling to me as a sign that says, “free diamonds.” I will always stomp on the brakes and turn in. I have got to see what they’re offering and what the house specialties are. There’s always something special, you can count on that.
Here’s another tidbit about me. I have a soft spot for pancakes. Pancakes are a happy food. I do not think it’s possible to hold an argument over a platter of pancakes. They ooze kindness. They make people smile. You simply can’t be angry while diving into a stack of warm pancakes. Maybe you can start off a little grumpy, but once you’re pouring syrup and watching butter melt, your mood lifts. I believe that everyone should eat pancakes at least once a week, to keep a sunny perspective on life.
Pancakes also remind me of hunting with my dad. Getting up super early, trekking out in the woods as quiet as a Ninja, sitting on a deer stand not moving until you were so frozen you almost couldn’t move, and maybe bagging a deer. If you went through all that and didn’t even see a deer, you got the hunter’s consolation prize. We went to the truck stop and got a short stack of pancakes with a side of extra-crispy bacon.
I have to admit, some frigid mornings when my fingers and toes were numb, the thought of hot pancakes and bacon sounded a whole lot nicer than field-dressing and dragging a deer out of the woods. I confess I may have looked the other way a time or two when a deer wandered nearby. I know you hardcore hunters are mortified that I might’ve let a deer go. Hey, at least I never shouted, “Shoo!”
A couple of summers ago I found myself on a road trip, exploring and eating my way through Virginia. There it was, in neon no less, a sign proclaiming, “Breakfast All Day.” Flashing red. What could I do but answer the call? The place was hopping, but I got seated in a booth fairly quickly and discovered an all-time new favorite food, sweet potato pancakes. Wow. I didn’t think pancakes could get any better and then sweet potato pancakes took it to a whole new level. They were awesome.