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- Breakfast at O'Rourke's
Gourmet American recipes with Irish roots
Since 1941, O'Rourke's Diner has been a beloved eatery and a second home to generations of Middletown families, Wesleyan students, and diners from all over the Connecticut River Valley. Capturing the magic of the diner itself—classic, hip, eclectic, and full of positive energy—Breakfast at O'Rourke's is a trove of hearty gourmet recipes from one of Connecticut's most beloved diners. The book features menus for twenty-three complete O'Rourke's breakfasts and over eighty recipes, including Irish Soda Bread, Eggs Galway, Bread Pudding French Toast with Caramel Sauce, Firecracker Omelet, Breakfast Cheesecake, Pumpkin Brie Quiche, and Red Flannel Hash. Each main dish is paired with a side, baked good, and sauce—so that cooks at home can recreate their favorite O'Rourke's brunch. The book is lavishly illustrated with over fifty photographs from food photographer Tom Hopkins, and includes many vegetarian options. This is a must-have cookbook for diner aficionados and food lovers everywhere.
Introduction
PART ONE: OMELETS
The Dubliner Omelet
The Bob Wolfe Omelet
Tri-Pesto Omelet
Firecracker Omelet
Swiss, Crab, and Asparagus Omelet
PART TWO: OTHER EGGS
Eggs O'Rourke
Eggs Oscar
Eggs Galway
Andouille Apple Crab Cakes
PART THREE: PANCAKES AND FRENCH TOASTS
Napoleon Pancakes
Banana Bread French Toast
Irish Bread Pudding French Toast
Whoopie Pie French Toast
Irish Soda Bread French Toast
PART FOUR: FRITTATAS, CHEESECAKE, AND QUICHES
Harvest Frittata
Cheddar and Leek Frittata
Savory Breakfast Cheesecake
Winter: Butternut Squash Quiche
Spring: Asparagus and Brie Quiche
Summer: Tomato Basil Quiche
Fall: Pumpkin Brie Quiche
PART FIVE: OTHER BREAKFASTS
Baked Stuffed Apples
Breakfast Shepherd's Pie
Index
BRIAN O'ROURKE has been owner and chef at O'Rourke's Diner in Middletown, Connecticut, for over thirty years since he began peeling potatoes and scrambling eggs in 1959. By infusing traditional American diner cuisine with globally inspired food, O'Rourke's caters to a multitude of cultures and palates. Brian has travelled the world, learning skills and techniques all over America, Ireland, and the Caribbean. Brian uses his big personality and love for food and people to make O'Rourke's Diner one of the world's most special places.
"... captures the magic of the classic, hip, and eclectic diner."
~Connecticut Explored
"It is a joy to have recipes for some of the best diner breakfasts anywhere—even better are the invaluable words of wisdom, advice, local history, and color with which Brian O'Rourke introduces them."
~Michael Stern, author of Road Food
"You haven't really experienced breakfast at its finest until you've had breakfast at O'Rourke's Diner. In this wonderful book, Brian O'Rourke unveils many of his secrets to making a wide variety of scintillating, satisfying—often show-stopping—breakfast fare. This book will completely transform the way you experience that all-important first meal of the day."
~Mike Urban, author of The New England Diner Cookbook
"Reading this book I realized my mouth was, in fact, watering. Yours will, too, because Brian O'Rourke understands what a recipe needs to make it deliver soul-satisfying pleasure. My kind of guy."
~Faith Middleton, host and founder of WNPR's The Food Schmooze Party