Ready for your Spanish breakfast?

Full English breakfast, Continental Breakfast or Spanish Breakfast?

Spain’s olive oil industry is pushing for the Desayuno Español to join all the other options in hotels and eateries not just nationally, but in wider Europe and beyond.

What exactly is a traditional Spanish breakfast? It goes without saying that olive oil features. Fruit, dairy products, bread, tomatoes and coffee are other key ingredients and they could also be accompanied by ham, sausages, honey, eggs and nuts.

In reality, many Spaniards skip breakfast or suffice with just a café con leche or, at the most, some toast or yogurt. But around mid-morning we usually take a breakfast break and then tuck into a small baguette drizzled with olive oil – often rubbed with tomato and even garlic – along with a filling of ham, cheese, tuna or chorizo, etc.

So the concept is tied to reality, but will it catch on abroad?

Some of Spain’s top chefs and nutritionists are helping promote the idea.

Here three leading Spanish chefs propose their vision of a nutritionally-balanced Spanish Breakfast. Which one would you be more likely to order?

Alberto Chicote

Alberto Chicote 

• 7g EVOO
• 200ml water
• 100g of orange
• 30g Jamón Ibérico (a traditional, high quality cured ham)
• 10g honey
• 40g toasted farmhouse bread
• 40g fresh cheese
• Red tea

Adolfo Muñoz

Adolfo Muñoz 

• 9g EVOO
• 500ml water with fresh lemon or lime juice
• a pear
• a kiwi fruit
• low-fat yogurt
• a tomato
• 20g Jamón Ibérico (Spain’s high quality cured ham)
• 30g wholemeal bread

Paco Roncero

Paco Roncero

• 5g EVOO
• 350ml water
• 20g ham
• 50g tomato
• 40g of white or wholemeal toast
• low-fat yogurt
• 200ml orange juice
• Red tea

 Source:  Julie Butler published on April 27,2011