There’s something magical about the big, stick-to-your-ribs kind of breakfast I enjoyed on the weekends growing up in Texas.  Demeter and Zeus really know their way around a kitchen.  So breakfasts like this one are really up there in terms of comfort foods for me.   How happy was I that we could find OH so many local products to recreate the kind of breakfast that will give you a nice food coma to nurse for the rest of the afternoon?  Let me answer that: very.  

One of the first things I was dying to try this week was making my own butter.  I get it: you think I’m off my rocker for trying something like that and that you would never have the time to do it yourself.  Let me ask you a question: do you have ten minutes on the weekend?  You do?  Do you have a food processor?  You do?!?  Well guess what?  You’ve got no more excuses.  It’s a totally great thing to do with your kids, if you got any.  It’s downright fun! (I realize now, that was more than one question.)  

Butter  

In a food processor pour in heavy cream (we used, of course, Snowville, because it’s the best tasting stuff around here) to the liquid fill line.  Flip on processor.  Process for approximately 3 to 4 minutes, stopping the machine and scraping down the sides two or three times during the process.  First you’ll have whipped cream, then really firm spreadable whipped cream, then butter!   

Remove the butter to a very clean kitchen towel over a bowl.  Wrap up the towel and twist to squeeze out all the liquid.  Buttermilk!  I am such a food nerd.  

At this point you can do whatever you want to it, salt some, leave some plain for baking, add some herbs or a wine reduction (awesome).  It’s tremendous and I think a lot cheaper than the stuff you get at the store.  Plus, it’s freezable, so you can make a bunch and chuck it in the freezer until you need the rest of it.  I’m sold.  

The Big Breakfast, in Pictures:  

Fried eggs from Manchester Farms, sausage from Curly Tail Farms, grits from Stutzman Farm, scratch whole wheat (from Flying J Farm) buttermilk biscuits, sausage gravy (keep the sausage drippings, sprinkle a bit of flour over them while still hot and cook over medium heat for a few minutes, pour in milk and whisk, adding more until you get the gravy the consistency you like, season with salt and pepper), homemade butter and local honey.  And Silverbridge coffee.  Thank goodness for the coffee.  

Complete sourcing can be found on the Farms and Producers page.  

In a nod to my Texas roots, the playlist included Twenty Cycles to the Ground by Molina & Johnson.  Jason Molina (of Magnolia Electric Co, from the great lakes area) and Will Johnson (of Centro-matic from that hotbed of music Denton, Texas).  Gosh, I just love Will’s voice.  He’s the music version of comfort food for me.