Mount Rushmore - Breakfast Sides

As a part of Mount Rushmore Fridays going forth I'll be stating my top 4 leaders in a certain niche category every Friday.

Breakfast sides: the internal and eternal battle of how many are too many? Are they worth it? And how did halloumi and avocado become an $8 side?

These sides can make or break your breakfast. While the core of a good breakfast is undeniably the perfect egg, the additions you deem worthy comes right in second.

For this discussion, let's assume the base of the breakfast is fluffy scrambled eggs. How you like your eggs is a different Mount Rushmore for another day. Let's not get distracted from the task at hand.

We have fluffy scrambled eggs, well beaten before being whisked in a cold pan with a knob of butter. As you bring the heat up, stir the eggs frequently with an instrument of your choosing, considering the size of egg curds you want. Fluffy, golden scrambled eggs with flaky salt on nicely toasted sourdough, Turkish roll, or focaccia. I don't mind.

Just as if you've picked up a "choose your own adventure" book at the second-hand store, this menu choice becomes a sliding door and poignant decision that won't only shape your breakfast but ultimately the rest of your day.

You have the indulgent options that always jump straight off the page: bacon, hashbrowns, pork chipolatas, black pudding, beans (preferably Spanish), and sometimes even fried chicken. Then, you have the healthier options that add freshness and balance to the silky eggs: mushrooms, tomatoes, avocado, wilted spinach, halloumi, and maybe even some Greek feta.

Given the cost of living crisis and rising prices, I now feel the need to strip my choices back to two sides, sometimes even one. By no means is this Mount Rushmore a guide or suggested doctrine; it is merely my undisputed top four sides.

In no particular order: Top 4 Breakfast Sides

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Mushrooms

The perfect Robin to an egg’s Batman, good mushrooms offer a buttery umami earthiness that is second to none. Seasoned with salt, pepper, and a few sprigs of thyme, these humble fungi are elevated to the perfect side for breakfast. Sometimes, cafes may even throw in some wilted spinach as a bonus reward for a good choice—healthy, indulgent, and luxurious.

However, this side has to be ordered from a reputable spot. Mushrooms that languish in a sauna under a metal cloche, often served at hotels, boiled and halved to reveal just a portion of a button mushroom, aren't it. I want thick, juicy morels and cut-up field mushrooms sautéed in lots of butter.

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Pork Chipolatas

Thick, juicy Irish chipolatas are one of those sides that are reliably good. Just hope you get three or more because if you get only one sausage on your plate after paying $5 extra, I'd feel bad for you. But don't shoot the messenger. A real porky sausage provides you with some protein in the morning and, ultimately, the savouriness you're looking for.

I know most people would pick bacon over a chipolata. However, from personal experience, there are more ways to mess up bacon than a simple little chipolata. The more Irish they are the better they are. You want your chipolata's to arrive to your table cracking jokes whilst singing 'Sunday Bloody Sunday'.

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Avocado

Creamy, fatty, and packed with great oils, avocado often sparks debate. Many will say it's overhyped and overrated, and I'd agree—depending on the price. If it's extortionate, then no, but if it's reasonably priced, I'd say go for it. Let's put it this way: if there were no prices next to the sides and you picked based on pure preference, a lot more people would be choosing avocado with their breakfast.

A squeeze of lemon, some flaky salt, and a sprinkle of chilli flakes—can't go wrong.

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Black Pudding

I can already hear what you're thinking: "No, no, no." That's fine because maybe you've never had black pudding before. It's one of the best sides to smother on your bread of choice and then pile high with your eggs. Think sausage roll meat, but more savoury and meaty. If meat isn't your thing, then this isn't for you. However, it holds a special spot on my breakfast plate and fits perfectly with the other three items listed.

I'm not going to explain what is in it because it doesn't look great on paper. However, when the opportunity next presents itself, I'd say give it a try. Whilst I wasn't able to find any locally, there are indeed grocers that do sell. Try it, you won't regret it.

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What do you think should have been on the list? What's on your personal Breakfast Sides Mount Rushmore? Comment below.