Ham, Cheese with Basil Omelet

I’m a breakfast person. I love breakfast but I only get to enjoy a really good breakfast every weekend. One of my favorite breakfast dishes is omelet because you can do practically anything with it.

Just this morning, July 28, I prepare ham, cheese and basil omelet.

Ingredients


1 onion, chopped
3 slices of cooked ham, chopped
Button mushroom, chopped. (I used the canned one. For this recipe I used up 1/3 of the can. For the unused portion, I place it in plastic container and then refrigerate. I make sure I don’t store it too long. At most, around one week. Most likely, I’ll use it up tomorrow anyway.)
1 small carrot, grated. (I find it easier and faster to grate than to chop finely.)

Bunch of basil, chopped
Grated cheese. (I always make sure I have ample supply of queso de bola. During Christmas I look forward (and am very thankful) to getting them as gifts. Some say it’s a “too traditional” gift but who said tradition was all bad?)
Salt and pepper, to taste
3-4 eggs, beaten. (I usually add milk but this time I added around 3 tablespoons of mushroom water – the one from the canned button mushrooms.)
Oil for sautéing and the omelet.

Procedures - The filling
1. Put oil in a heated pan
2. Sauté onions until translucent

3. Add ham, sauté for at least 1 minute


4. Add carrots and mushroom

5. Add basil. Sauté for 1 minute and then remove from fire.


The Omelet Pan – very helpful in making the perfect omelet.



My love for cooking is mostly influenced by my Mom, Maloy. What I admire about her is how she’s able to play with taste. How she’s able to remedy too salty, too sweet, too bland dishes. She’s also great with sauces – the sawsawan. It was because of my Mom that I learned to appreciate the slimy saluyot – she told me to squeeze fresh calamansi over it.

Despite being based in Dallas, Texas, her cooking-influence is still there – she sends me kitchen stuff and gadgets. For this recipe, I’m using the non-stick omelet plan she sent. Oh yes, like any other Filipino bases abroad, my parents send us regularly balikbayan boxes full of different items. Used and brand new items. We’re always excited and thankful to get them. I’m always excited to find out anything to add to my kitchen.

Preparing the Omelet

1. Beat eggs
2. Add mushroom water
3. Add salt and pepper
4. Heat the omelet pan
5. Put some oil (optional) before putting the egg mixture
6. Put the omelet filling at the middle and top with grated cheese

7. Flip the sides of the egg to cover the filling

8. Serve hot.

The omelet went well with corned beef and fried rice. Breakfast was good today.

So-So Father’s Day All Because of Breakfast

Come Father’s Day, it was my turn to treat Erwin. I decided to start the day early. So how do you start a good day? With a good breakfast of course! So off we went to my favorite place – no other than Tagaytay. I wanted it special that’s why we went all the way to Tagaytay looking forward to great breakfast and a great day. Since I read so much about it, we went to Breakfast at Antonio’s. Looking at the menu, the food was on the pricey side, but we’re the type that feel that price is relative, so long as you’re getting your money’s worth, then there shouldn’t be any problem.

I had Eggs Florentine and Erwin ordered Italian Omelet. Both of us had a cup of coffee.
Eggs Florentine

Italian Omelet

We paid close to P1k. As I said, price is relative. This time, I was relatively disappointed. Why?
• Coffee was not refillable. You’d expect at least one refill if the price is P105 per cup. There was nothing spectacular with the coffee, by the way.
• The servers/waiters do not smile and are not very friendly. They’re not rude but you don’t feel any warmth at all. In fact, they seem very cold. No “welcomy” atmosphere at all. The guard at the parking space seemed more approachable.
• It was not warm or hot that morning but the waiters were perspiring profusely. It could have been excusable or understandable if we also felt warm (it’s temperature this time) but we didn’t. The weather then was just right. The sights of profusely perspiring food servers make you worry about the food. It’s a good thing food is served covered.
• Service was slow. Since the servers do not look at you, it's so hard to get their attention. When you finally have it, there's another waiting time for whatever you requested - the menu, a glass of water, the bill, or your change.

My verdict? The food was ok but everything else is disappointing. If we just talk about the quality of the food versus the price, it’s forgivable. But in its entirety, overrated. Nothing compels me to come back to try the other dishes in the menu. When I like a restaurant, I make it a point to come back for two reasons – first, to check if they consistently do have good food and good service; and second, now that I have a reason to come back, I have a reason to try the other dishes. With Breakfast at Antonio’s, well, maybe I will try again; I just have to find a reason to do so. Right now, I don’t.

Because of the not-so-exciting breakfast, we were not able to jump-start the day properly. The original plan was to go around till noon and try another restaurant for lunch. Since the energy went pfft we just went to Good Shepherd to buy some pasalubong and then to Mahogany Market (another disappointing experience), then by noon, we were already home.

Oh, well. I know my next Tagaytay breakfast will be better.