BROKEN EGG CAFE

In the heart of old Mandeville, just off the lakefront on Gerard Street, is a delightfully restored 1920s vacation cottage. It houses the Broken Egg Café, where owners Mark and Liam Dixon welcome you with an “Egg-Straordinary” selection of South Louisiana specialties. Features like fresh crabmeat or crawfish omelettes abound, along with such delicacies as Belgian waffles topped with either Louisiana pecans or locally grown strawberries and blueberries. Even familiar favorites like French toast take on new heights of taste sensation with the addition of traditional Bananas Foster Sauce.

Bananas Foster French Toast

French Toast
12 large eggs
1 cup half-and-half
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 oz. vanilla extract
12 slices sourdough bread (allows 3 slices per person)
4 tablespoons butter, approximately, for griddle or skillet

Preheat griddle or skillet to 350°. Coat with butter.

Add half-and-half to beaten eggs, then season with cinnamon and vanilla, thoroughly blending ingredients.

Dip bread in batter, liberally coating each side. Place in pre-heated buttered skillet or griddle and cook on each side until golden brown – approximately 3 minutes on first side, then 2 minutes on other side. Cut each slice in half to form triangles.

Bananas Foster Sauce

1/2 pound unsalted butter
2 oz. orange liqueur
4 oz. banana liqueur
1/2 pound dark brown sugar
1/2 oz. pure vanilla extract
4 medium-size ripe bananas, sliced lengthwise
1 cup chopped pecans

Melt butter in a thick-bottomed heavy pot. Stir in brown sugar, making sure to whip thoroughly. Gradually add liqueurs and vanilla, being careful to avoid igniting the alcohol. Simmer for 3-5 minutes on a low flame to reduce liquids and allow alcohol to cook off. Stir sugar until completely dissolved, then remove from heat.

Just before serving, add warm sauce to a sauté skillet, then add sliced bananas and chopped pecans. Heat thoroughly, allowing bananas to become soft and light brown.

Assembly

On each serving plate, place 6 triangles of toast. Top each serving with 6 ounces of sauce. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.

TASTE OF BAVARIA BAKERY, RESTAURANT AND DELI

With a passion for authentic German cuisine, co-owners Lori Reed and Justine Hedrich have fulfilled their dreams with the Taste of Bavaria Bakery, Restaurant and Deli. They have woven their magic of freshly baked breads and European pastries into an amazing menu that includes many traditional German favorites, such as bratwurst, weisswurst and knockwurst sausages and Butter Crumbled Eggs. Add the house specialty, German Apple Pancake, for a taste sensation not to be missed, along with some locally grown fresh fruit, delicious coffee or a pot of specialty tea. Your visit to this charming bungalow in the woods of Ponchatoula will have you savoring the flavors while planning your return trip back.

German Apple Pancake

4 eggs
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup plain flour
1 1/2 cups sliced, peeled apples (reserve liquid)
1/3 cup sugar
6 tablespoons cinnamon
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons rum extract

Beat eggs. Add cream, vanilla, rum extract, flour, 2 tablespoons cinnamon and 3 tablespoons sugar, mixing until smooth. Pour mixture into a greased shallow 9-inch round baking pan.

In a saucepan, combine remaining sugar, cinnamon and apples with 1/4 cup of apple liquid. Sauté until apples are tender.

Evenly distribute apples on top of pancake batter. Bake in a pre-heated 375° oven for 15 minutes, or until center of pancake is firm. Serve immediately, topped with a light dusting of powdered sugar.

Butter Crumbled Eggs

2 eggs
2 cups boiling water
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 cups iced water
1 cup breadcrumbs
4 tablespoons butter

Fill a shallow pan with water and vinegar. Bring mixture to a full boil, then reduce to a simmer. Break one egg directly into water and poach for approximately 2 minutes. Transfer egg carefully from hot water with a slotted spoon and immediately place into chilled water for one minute.

Hand whip additional egg to a light froth. Dip poached egg into the beaten egg, then gently roll in the breadcrumbs, thoroughly coating. Melt butter in a skillet and pan fry coated egg until golden brown on all sides. Serve immediately.

THE PASTRY BOX

Stepping inside The Pastry Box in Lacombe is like being inside a Paris café, amid hand-painted murals of Parisian scenes and toile window boxes planted with seasonal flowers.

With recipes from Andrea’s mom to rely on, owners Andrea and Anthony Cousin have brought a variety of French pastries and local favorites to this delightful little restaurant and bakery. Breakfast selections include egg and cheese sandwiches, with your choice of sausage, ham or Canadian bacon, served on freshly made croissants. Homemade muffins come in several choices, including banana nut, apple cinnamon and fresh blueberry. Order ahead for takeouts, then head to one of our scenic waterway parks for an instant breakfast picnic treat!

Fresh Blueberry Muffins

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups sugar, plus more for sprinkling tops of muffins
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup milk or buttermilk
1 pint fresh blueberries, rinsed, drained and dried

Place baking rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375°.

With an electric mixer, cream the butter, gradually mixing in the sugar and salt until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until smooth.

Thoroughly mix together the flour and baking powder and, alternating with the milk, stir mixture into the batter.

Place 1/4 of the berries on a saucer and mash with a fork. Stir into the batter, then fold in remaining whole berries. Spoon the batter into a paper-lined muffin pan and sprinkle tops with sugar. Bake for about 30 minutes until golden brown, then cool muffins in the pan. Yield: 12 muffins.