Why I prefer catching up with friends over breakfast

There’s something a little bit delectable about meeting a good friend for breakfast. Having lunch or dinner, or even “let’s do a coffee” — or “a matcha tea at that organic place” — is too boring. I find brunches very pretentious even as you try to eat as much as you can, they become a stuffing-your-face contest… unless it’s one of those ‘set brunches’ where expectations are set too high, and usually come crashing down. But since you cannot be whining about it, you make do with some effete claim like “Oh, how nice the food is!”

When someone agrees to meet you for breakfast, it probably means they care about you. They want to have the first meal of the day with you, break the fast literally. Also, they don’t mind waking up earlier than usual, and giving up on some precious shuteye time (especially if it’s the weekend when most of us sleep in late).

I like how unfussy a breakfast usually is. I’m perfectly happy to have a nice omelette and some crisp toast and a cappuccino. Or idlis smeared with ghee, and filter coffee. You don’t have to beat your head against the wall and try and come off as a culinary expert: any half-decent café will serve your purpose, and you can never be in a quandary over not being spoilt for choice — not unless you are being horribly nitpicky.

Wasn’t it John Gunther who said “All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast”? He probably included the word “leisurely” because it is one meal that can indeed be leisurely: it doesn’t lend itself to be taken seriously — in the ambient sense. Another great thing about it is you don’t have to “dress up” for breakfast. It’s a given that you are probably going to be dressed down — even if it’s somewhere fancy — because who bothers thinking about high fashion and colour coordination while having breakfast? The men waddle in in their shorts and tees, the women are not compelled to have makeup on and hair done. There’s a sense of utter homey-ness.

sushmita@khaleejtimes.com

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