Mediterranean simplicity
As many of you who have visited Italy already know, breakfast is widely neglected by Italians. Many just gulp an espresso down, maybe accompanied by a croissant or another type of small pastry. At home, they will probably stick to a cup of milk with a few biscuits or a couple of "fette biscottate", a kind of small slices of very crispy and toasted bread, spread with butter and jam. Me, as an Italian, would stick to that as well.
Then, when I started travelling and living abroad I realised breakfast can be much more than that. Actually, nowadays, I believe it SHOULD be more than that. Even though an Italian, along with most Southern Europeans, won't ever switch to a sausage, egg and bacon meal, I have learned that breakfast CAN be savoury as well! In Spain, where I currently live, I have fallen in love with "tosta con tomate", simply one or two pieces of toasted bread cut in two halves (usually a baguette or similar) served with fresh tomato pulp and extra virgin olive oil. Accompany with a coffee - either a small café solo or a longer café con leche (with milk) and maybe freshly squeezed orange juice and you have a perfect, tasty, cheerful breakfast. That's as delicious as it is simple.
In Turkey I've found a very good breakfast as well. Again, very simple, but tasty and extremely healthy. Fresh cheese, sliced tomatoes and cucumber, olives, bread and an egg, all accompanied by a tea. Fabtastic.
It's probably a matter of personal taste, and it definitely depends on the local climate and eating habits, but I find it much healthier to eat something simple and light rather than fried or very fatty food...
vivekw [i]Tosta con tomate[/i] sounds excellent! Have to try that tomorrow.
I fell in love with Turkish breakfasts. Such abundance and variety of flavors! I'd have skipped lunch if the Turkish lunches weren't so excellent as well. Turkey: not good for the waistline.