Breakfast is often said to be the most important meal of the day and just by looking at the breakfast platter from across the globe we understand how beautifully and remarkably diverse the world’s cultures are.
Apart from offering a variety of tastes and a multi-dimensional choice to people the diverse breakfasts that people have around the globe remind us how we must be cosmopolitan, open-minded and mentally agile in the way that we approach the issues of difference, diversity and cultural exchange.
Anuradha Apte is a Culinary Expert, based in Mumbai.
INDIA
Indian breakfasts are as diverse as India itself! Depending on the region you’re in the menu in breakfast could vary from parthas, poori-sabji and jalebi to poha (flattened rice) to idlis and many other regional dishes, when it comes to food India has more than one preference.
SPAIN
Unfortunately contrary to popular belief that churros dipped in chocolate are the everyday breakfast in Spain. Instead, many inhabitants of Spain enjoy fresh bread seasoned with garlic and tomato spread over it with olive oil and salt to taste.
SOUTH AFRICA
The South African breakfast is as simple as its people and for breakfast all they prefer is a bowl of hot porridge with milk.
PHILIPPINES
If you feel that fruits are the best way to start the day then a Filipino breakfast is suited to your taste. They often accompany it with fried eggs and sausages.
CUBA
When it comes to breakfast the Cubans keep it simple, they have grilled toast dunked into their milk coffee (cafe con leche)
TURKEY
In Turkey for breakfast? You can expect platters of cheese, olives, eggs, tomatoes and cucumbers and spiced meats.
MEXICO
Depending on the region of Mexico, typical breakfast items may vary widely, but certain common elements that are largely found despite regional differences include ingredients such as corn tortillas, eggs, beans and sauces, compiled in different way. One common breakfast item is chilaquiles — fried corn tortilla chips topped with green or red salsa (or mole) eggs, pulled chicken, cheese and refried beans etc.
This was a glimpse of breakfast from across the globe. Imagine if we only had one type of picture and thus only one kind of breakfast all over the world?
Perhaps this is why diversity and difference are inherently beautiful ideas that if respected and understood have the potential to colour the world with the shades of human creativity. Homogeneity, uniformity and sameness are the characteristics of industry production not the rich tradition of human civilization. Therefore much like the breakfast around the world, we must relish diversity and difference and not have wars because of it.
