Mexican Breakfast

If Mexico had given nothing else to the world (which of course is not the case), it could still be proud of having given a whole new dimension to the concept of breakfast. Personally, I'm not a big breakfast eater, but I do make an exception when visiting Mexico. If I'm newly arrived from Europe, and still adapting to the time difference, I find that breakfast comes just at the moment when your body is telling you it's lunch time.

My own experience of this magnificent institution has been mostly in hotels, but it is also on offer in cafes and restaurants, with greater or lesser formality. You can take it as read that throughout, your coffee cup will never be empty - it is filled up more or less automatically by an attentive waiter every time you take a sip. You can start with a plate of freshly prepared fruit, which may well include melon, sandia, pineapple, mango, grapes, orange, papaya, all chopped and arranged in an exquisite display. There will normally also be a selection of freshly prepared fruit juices too. If you like orange, but would like to try something just a little different, try freshly squeezed manadarin. Follow that with a visit to the hot buffet, where you will find a selection a prepared dishes to rival a dinner menu, including 'frijoles', 'tortillas', 'tocino' (bacon) spicy meats in sauces, and a chef standing by to prepare your eggs in whatever way you request. If you still have room, round it all off with with something sweet from the baked pastries table.

It really sets you up for the day, and gives you the courage to face the Mexico City traffic. Mid-range hotels offer all this for a modest US$ 10,00 or thereabouts. For a real taste of old-fashioned Mexican charm, try the restaurant in the central store of Sanborn's, situated in a magnificent colonial palace, just off the top of the Av. Reforma in Mexico City centre.