Post Road Trip Irish Cheddar Apple Breaky Sams (Recipe)

Note:  It has been reported that the Sarasota, Florida Trader Joe's store will open September 7, 2012.  (How about adding a Tampa Bay store, Trader Joe's?)

Once upon a time, I worked at a very boring job where the best part of the day was escaping work in the morning to grab a breakfast sandwich in the cafeteria with Miss JBC (a.k.a. "Rae-Rae of Minnesota."  We tried to make ditching work an art form.  Each morning by 9:30 a.m. or so, a "Breaky sam (breakfast sandwich) break?" question would hit the cubicles.  I love a good breakfast sandwich!  I am pretty sure it was Miss JBC who first coined the term "Breaky Sam" - but I have been using the phrase ever since!

So yesterday, LM and I went on a road trip to the first ever Trader Joe's in Florida in Naples - three hours away from Tampa Bay.  We had decided to stop for brunch at The Lucky Dog Diner in Venice, Florida.  We had never been to The Lucky Dog Diner, but their website looked super cute and I love any local joint with great merchandising.  (I now own 2 Lucky Dog bags and a t-shirt!)  I had my heart and my stomach set on a breakfast sandwich.  However by the time we arrived at The Lucky Dog Diner, they were out of EGGS!  Argh!  Damn you breakfast eating residents of Venice, Florida!  LM decided to have the strawberry and blueberry pancakes with whipped cream.  I went for a Philly steak sandwich and fries. Both were amazing.  However, the delicious Philly steak did not quench my Breaky Sam craving.

LM and I basically bought seventy-four tons of food from the Naples Trader Joe's and we are in anxious anticipation for when they finally open a Trader Joe's in Sarasota - sometime in 2012.  When I woke up this morning, the Breaky Sam craving was still with me.  So I decided to whip up my own Breaky Sam, Trader Joe's style!

I try not to keep too many starchy products in my house - because I love bread, pasta and potatoes - I could eat that stuff every day.  So to keep the starch-lover in me at bay, I try not to stock the house with such items.  However when LM and I were at the Naples, FL Trader Joe's, I could NOT pass up the "San Francisco Style Sourdough Asiago Peppercorn Boule."  (I'm not a saint, for heaven's sake!  Who could pass up such a delight?)

Side Note: while we drove to Naples, Florida - I saw a bar announcing that C + C Music Factory was performing there that night.  Who knew C + C Music Factory was touring?  Everybody dance now!

To make an open-faced breaky sam, I grabbed the largest piece of bread from the middle of the bread boule.

Channeling my inner Paula Deen, I slathered one side of the piece of bread with BUTTER!

I slid the piece of bread into a frying pan, warmed to medium heat.  I then buttered the top of the slide of bread.

Meanwhile I grabbed a Granny Smith apple.  I love tart apples.

Channeling the inner Japanese chef in me, I whipped out the CLEAVER to shave off some thin slices of Granny Smith apple.

I ended up slicing some very nice thin rounds and one not so thin!  Oops!

I had also purchased some light sharp Irish-style cheddar cheese from Trader Joe's.  (Now I can hear KRG saying "Hey, I thought you bought that cheese for me!  Hands off my cheese!"  Relax- I bought TWO bricks of Trader Joe's "Trader O'Joe's Aged 12 Months Lite Sharp Celtic Cheddar."  One for you, one for me!)

I shaved off some thin slices from the Celtic Cheddar with my cleaver.  Luckily not one of my fingers went with it!

Unlike yesterday at The Lucky Dog Diner, I had plenty of EGGS!

After getting a nice golden color to one side of the bread slice, I did not toast the other side but instead took it out of the frying pan and set it aside.

In the same pan, I lightly sautéed the Granny Smith apple slices.  There was some butter remnants in the pan.

However feel free to add a pat of butter to get more flavor and more color from your apple slices (um and more fat and calories too!)

I wanted to get the slices warmed through with a light golden color.  I left the largest slice in the pan the longest.  It was too thick for my breakfast sandwich but I was planning on using it for a garnish.

Remove the apple slices from your non-stick frying pan and crack an egg in.  I kept my frying pan at around medium-high heat.

I love pepper - so I put a healthy dose of freshly ground black pepper on the egg.

I flipped it over for a sunny side down egg.  

I slid the bread slice back in the pan, untoasted and butter-side down.

I then layered the thinnest cooked Granny apple slices on the bread slice.

I took three of the Celtic Cheddar slices and put them on top of the apple slices.

I lifted the cooked egg and put it on top of the bread slice.  I then covered the frying pan with a lid to let the heat intensify to melt the cheese.

And there is my Post Road Trip Irish Cheddar Apple Breaky Sam with the too thick apple slice used as a garnish!

The verdict?  Absolutely delicious.  The rich buttery spicy asiago peppercorn sourdough was a great contrast against the tart apple and tart cheese.  The yolk of the fried egg added a rich lushness that tied all the flavors together.  It was hearty, tangy and complex.  A perfect way to start your morning!

Try this Lily creation today!