Wakey Wakey Eggie Weggie

Perhaps you have heard the expression “Wakey, wakey  - rise and shine." The expression began as a reveille for British “squadies” to rise and shine (as in shine their boots before roll call.) It was later cheerily broadcast at Butlins’ UK Holiday Camps during the 1960’s to get vacationers up in the mornings. A variation of the saying "wakey, wakey eggs and bakey," was popularized by Michael Madsen in the 2004 movie "Kill Bill: Volume 2." We use this phrase quite often in the Romeo house to beckon one another to the breakfast table.

Several years ago Dom came home from a trip where he had enjoyed a perfect plate of Eggs Benedict. He started out to duplicate the dish at home, but none of us truly like Canadian bacon. We did, however, have smoked salmon in the fridge (which would normally accompany bagels and cream cheese with finely sliced shallot and tomato.) Being a huge fan of Ernest Hemingway and of smoked salmon, Dom replaced the Canadian bacon in the recipe with smoked salmon to make Eggs Hemingway.  Another adaptation was the use of a fried egg (or “eggiweg” in the UK vernacular) prepared sunny-side-up rather than poached eggs (fried eggs are faster and easier) which lead to the creation of the Romeo “eggie-weggie!” Needless to say, our morning wake-up call has been changed to reflect this addition to our family repertoire!

Homemade Hollandaise

• 4 egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (1 stick)
• Pinch cayenne
• Pinch salt

Whisk the egg yolks and lemon juice together in a stainless steel bowl until the mixture is thick and has doubled in volume. Place the bowl over a saucepan containing barely simmering water (you can use a double boiler if you have one,) the water should not touch the bottom of the bowl. Continue to whip egg mixture rapidly; an immersion blender works beautifully for this task! Be careful not to let the eggs get too hot or they will scramble. Slowly drizzle in the melted butter and continue to whisk until the sauce is thickened and again doubled. Remove from the heat and whisk in cayenne and salt. Cover and place in a warm spot until ready to use for the eggs benedict. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. If the sauce gets too thick, whisk in a few drops of warm water before serving.

Eggs Hemingway

• 4 English muffins, split and toasted
• 8 slices of smoked salmon
• Butter for pan
• 8 eggs
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Hollandaise sauce
• Fresh chopped chives or scallions (optional)

Gently break eggs into a non-stick pan coated with butter and cook on medium heat until whites are set but yolks are still translucent. You may need to work in batches.

To assemble the eggie weggies, lay a slice of smoked salmon on top of each toasted muffin half, followed by a sunny-side-up egg. Season with salt and pepper and then spoon hollandaise sauce over the eggs. Garnish the plates with chopped chives or scallions. Lastly, prepare your taste buds for a flavor sensation you won’t soon forget!