Extra Crispy does some of the deepest thinking about breakfast and brunch on the internet, so it’s no wonder that their second annual food fair—dubbed the BreakFestival—hustled up an array of truly exceptional morning bites at Industry City in Brooklyn. Whether you enshrine breakfast as the most important meal of the day or are the sort of godless barbarian who skips it entirely, this year’s lineup likely had something for you. Here are some of the fest’s greatest hits.
Molly Jean Bennett is a writer and multimedia producer based in New York City. Her essays, poems, and strongly worded letters have appeared in McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, Atlas Obscura, VICE, and elsewhere.
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Breakfast Hot Dogs from The Great Northern Food Hall
I'm fully in the pro-hot dog camp, so a breakfast hot dog was not a hard sell for me. Still, the Great Northern Food Hall's oblong meat creations exceeded my expectations. At the BreakFestival they served up several options, all based on NYC boroughs. I opted for the Manhattan, which featured smoked salmon, pickled cucumbers, horseradish and cream cheese on a bed of soft scrambled eggs The whole thing was topped with crunchy rye bread crumbles. I did question whether calling this dish a hot dog was a stretch. Yes, it was served in a (very good) hot dog bun, but I couldn't tell what the dog itself was supposed to be. The folded up piece of salmon? The scrambled eggs? Not that I'm complaining. I ate it. I liked it. The Great Northern Food Hall provides free health insurance for all its workers. I'll eat their "hot dogs" any day.
Photo by Molly Jean Bennett
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Olive Oil Pancakes from Society Café
Goodness gracious. These pancakes. They're velvety, thin, and more delicate than your average American flapjack. Topped with fresh strawberries and a browned butter and vanilla syrup, I am only exaggerating a little when I say they knocked me flat on my back.
Photo by Molly Jean Bennett
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Shallot Yogurt from The White Moustache
If savory yogurt is on the verge, it seems that The White Moustache is poised to lead the charge. Their shallot yogurt, served at the BreakFestival with bacon and potato chips, is creamy and perfectly tangy—like a decadent onion dip you can eat by the cup-full and still fall within the bounds of social acceptability.
Photo by Molly Jean Bennett
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Blueberry Pie from Petee's Pie Company
Petee's Pie company came to the BreakFestival to make the case for pie for breakfast. Again, this was not an especially challenging proposition for me to swallow. After all, my first word was pie. I learned recently that rural Americans often ate pie with breakfast, lunch and dinner during the 1920s. If Petee's has anything to do with it, this practice will soon come roaring back. Their buttery blueberry pie has the perfect crust to filling ratio. No soggy bottoms here.
Photo by Molly Jean Bennett
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Gravlax Crostini from Speedy Romeo
I like avocado toast as much as the next spendthrift millennial, but let's be real: ricotta toast is really where it's at. Creamy ricotta is the perfect base for a salty, herby, fishy finish.
Photo by Molly Jean Bennett
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Loxness Knotster and Cornbread with Rhubarb Jam from Gristmill
While not monstrous in size, Grismill's Knotser was sturdy and intensely flavorful. The bread was chewy with an oily bottom, just the way I like it. Their cornbread dish was also special. Energized by a tart rhubarb jam, the whole thing was topped by a black pepper and honey whipped cream that nearly made me weep. Why doesn't all whipped cream have a savory element?
Photo by Molly Jean Bennett
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Natto from The Brooklyn Kitchen
Natto, a Japanese breakfast food made from fermented soybeans, often gets a bad rap from unfamiliar eaters. Some people find it offensively stringy and smelly. Brooklyn Kitchen, which offers workshops promising to teach you to "cook like a grown-ass adult," was handing out natto samples at the BreakFestival to showcase their fermentation class. After trying it, I couldn't see how this food could make people so angry. The fermentation brings out all the bean's best qualities. It may seem like a cop-out to describe a bean-based food as "beany," but truly—this natto was a tender, beany triumph.
Photo by Molly Jean Bennett