The Best Part of Waking Up . . .

“L e dejeuner fait bonne memoire ,” claimed the 16th-Century French novelist Rabelais: “Breakfast makes good memory.”

I don’t know whether that is true, but I do know that some of the most memorable meals I’ve had were breakfasts. They weren’t great repasts with exotic foods. Quite the opposite. They were simple celebratory meals in the early hours of the new year, rambunctious times at the table when our family was snowed in, and jolly, spur-of-the-moment gatherings when friends dropped by on Sunday mornings. The menu was often no more than scrambled eggs, toast and coffee.

I’ve had memorable breakfasts alone too, including one in bed at an old English inn. Deciding I couldn’t face a “full English breakfast,” I had ordered tea in my room. It was early spring, gray and cold outside. Promptly at 7:30 a.m., there was a polite tap on the door and my “tea” arrived, scalding hot and accompanied by fresh orange juice, croissants (crisp on the outside, tender within), marmalade and whole strawberry preserves. All served with snow-white napery, gleaming silver and one sun-colored narcissus in a tiny vase.

The full English breakfast that I passed up included fruit juice, stewed fruit, porridge, eggs and bacon, grilled tomatoes, sausages and kippers, toast and marmalade, and coffee or tea. However ample, it doesn’t compare with the breakfasts that Britons served in earlier centuries. The first meal of the day--the “break” of the “fast” for a 16th-Century landed family--typically consisted of bread, five or six kinds of fish, several cold meats, cheeses, pates, beer and wine. (Wine was omitted for children in the nursery.)

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Colonial American breakfasts incorporated native foods, such as North American game, sweet potatoes, corn and maple syrup, but followed English models. At the time of the American Revolution, a wealthy Southerner was likely to toss back a julep (bourbon, water and sugar, garnished with mint) and then sit down to cold turkey, ham, fried hominy, skillet cakes, cider, bread and butter, tea, coffee and chocolate. New Englanders added fish and meat pies to the menu, and from the settlers in Pennsylvania came scrapple, a loaf made from cornmeal and pork scraps.

Breakfast in the 1800s was only slightly less rich. Sarah Rorer’s “Philadelphia Cook Book” (1886) offered menus for “small and less pretentious families.” One recommendation was oatmeal mush with whipped cream, broiled steak, stewed potatoes, quick muffins, coffee and fruit.

While average Americans were eating more mush than broiled steak, it wasn’t until late in the century that the grain floodgate opened, when J. H. Kellogg, a young Michigan physician caught up in the health-food reform movement, invented something he called granola and perfected a method of flaking grain to give us cornflakes. Henry Perky developed shredded wheat; C. W. Post made grape-nuts. Around the same time, Albert Webster Edgerly attached one of his aliases, Dr. Ralston, to Purina Wheat, and the morning meal was revolutionized. Cap’n Crunch’s Crunch Berries was only a few billion dollars away.

There were good reasons to change what we ate for breakfast, including those of cost, time and health. Historian John Harvey Young calls the 19th Century the “dietary dark ages . . . when overeating was a national habit, an evil compounded by a diet stressing starchy dishes, salt-cured meats and fat-fried foods.” Yet starting every day with cereal from a box, no matter how rushed we are, isn’t an altogether happy alternative. It probably accounts for Henry Beard and Roy McKie, contemporary American spiritual descendants of Rabelais, defining breakfast as “a meal without dessert, eaten without wine, and served on a table without a tablecloth. It is best slept through.”

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Not true. Not true. What follows are suggestions for dazzling breakfasts that are healthy, different and delicious. Several can be partially prepared the night before, leaving you time to believe as many as six impossible things before breakfast as well as get a quick start in the morning; others are more ambitious, ideal for leisurely weekend feasting. Memorable meals indeed, and worth getting up for.

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This is a new twist on strata, a layered dish that has been around for centuries. Baked in a springform pan, this lusty version is served in wedges, perfect for a weekend brunch.

SMOKED SALMON AND GOAT CHEESE STRATA

1/4 cup butter, softened, plus 1 teaspoon

13 slices firm white bread

5 large eggs

1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk

Salt

White pepper

Dash nutmeg

Dash cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried

2 teaspoons capers, drained

1 teaspoon dried ground green peppercorns

1 cup crumbled firm goat cheese

1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (dry, not oil-packed)

6 ounces smoked salmon, cut into strips

Use 2 teaspoons softened butter to grease 9-inch springform pan. Lightly spread remaining softened butter (reserving 1 teaspoon) on both sides of bread slices. Cut slices diagonally in half. Line sides of pan with about 9 bread triangles, overlapping slightly with long edge down. Line bottom of pan with about 8 bread triangles, cutting to fit as necessary. Reserve remaining triangles.

Whisk together 3 eggs, 1/3 cup milk, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon white pepper, nutmeg and cayenne in small bowl. Drizzle about 1/3 of mixture over bread slices in bottom of pan. Reserve remaining mixture.

Whisk together remaining 2 eggs, 2 tablespoons milk and dashes of salt and white pepper in another small bowl. Melt remaining 1 teaspoon butter in small skillet over medium heat. Add egg mixture and stir with wooden spoon until eggs are softly scrambled. Spread eggs over bread slices. Sprinkle with dill, 1 teaspoon capers and peppercorns. Top with 1/2 cup goat cheese, tomatoes and smoked salmon, reserving some salmon strips for garnish.

Cover filling with remaining bread slices and drizzle reserved egg mixture evenly over top. Sprinkle with remaining goat cheese. Cover and refrigerate overnight, along with remaining smoked salmon and capers.

To bake, place pan of strata on baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees until top is golden, 35 to 40 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Remove sides of springform pan and transfer strata to serving plate. Garnish with reserved smoked salmon and capers. Makes 8 servings.

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Combine cooked dried fruits with fresh oranges and pineapple, and you have a tangy, fresh-tasting source of fiber, ideal for quick breakfasts. Serve topped with yogurt.

DRIED AND FRESH FRUIT COMPOTE

1 cup dried apricots

Water

1 1/4 cups pear juice or nectar

2 tablespoons honey

1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger root, peeled and quartered lengthwise

Zest 1 lime removed with vegetable peeler

1 cup large, pitted prunes

8 dried figs, cut in half

1 large seedless orange

1 cup peeled and diced fresh pineapple

1/2 cup orange juice

2 tablespoons lime juice

Place apricots in small bowl. Cover with boiling water and let stand 5 minutes. Drain. Combine 1 1/2 cups water, pear juice, honey, ginger root and lime zest in large saucepan. Bring to simmer over high heat. Reduce heat to low. Add drained apricots, prunes and figs. When mixture returns to simmer, cover and cook gently until fruit is tender, 30 minutes. Check occasionally to be sure liquid is simmering, not boiling.

Transfer mixture to bowl. Remove ginger root and zest. Let cool to lukewarm. Remove zest and white pith from orange with sharp knife and discard. Cut orange segments from surrounding membranes and add to fruit mixture. Add pineapple, orange juice and lime juice. Mix gently. Cover and chill. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

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Keeping a batch of crepes in the refrigerator or freezer makes it easy and quick to put together a variety of healthy breakfast treats. Here are some simple fruit fillings, alternatives to the traditional glass of orange juice. They make elegant, colorful breakfasts that both adults and children will enjoy.

CREPES

3/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon sugar

Dash salt

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1 cup milk

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons melted butter, slightly cooled

Oil for brushing pan

Warm Blueberry and Raspberry Filling

Maple-Applesauce Filling

Banana-Filling With Warm Strawberry Sauce

Stir together flour, sugar, salt and lemon zest in medium bowl. Whisk together milk, eggs and melted butter until well blended in small bowl. Add to dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

Lightly brush surface of 8-inch crepe pan or skillet with oil. Heat pan over medium heat until drops of water flicked from fingers sizzle. Remove pan from burner and hold at slight angle. Pour in 2 tablespoons batter and tilt pan back and forth so that batter forms thin, even layer on bottom of pan. Return pan to burner and cook until surface is set, 30 to 40 seconds. Loosen 1 edge with spatula and turn crepe with fingers. Cook about 30 seconds and slide crepe onto plate. Repeat until batter is used up. (If crepes begin to stick, lightly brush pan with additional oil.)

To store, seal cooled crepes in plastic food bag. Refrigerate up to 3 days. Freeze up to 4 weeks. To reheat in microwave, stack up to 8 crepes on plate and heat on HIGH (100% power) 1 minute. To reheat in oven, stack crepes in pie plate and cover loosely with foil. Heat at 325 degrees 5 to 7 minutes. Use filling of choice. Makes about 16 crepes.

Warm Blueberry and Raspberry Filling

1 1/2 cups frozen, unsweetened blueberries, thawed

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 cups frozen, unsweetened raspberries, thawed

8 Crepes, warmed

1/4 cup sour cream or yogurt, optional

Slightly crush 1/2 cup blueberries with wooden spoon in small saucepan. Stir in sugar and cornstarch. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture starts to thicken, about 1 minute. Add remaining 1 cup blueberries and cook, stirring gently, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Gently stir in raspberries and cook 1 minute more.

To serve, spoon 2 tablespoons filling in center of each crepe and fold into quarters. Place 2 crepes on each serving plate and top with 1 tablespoon filling. Add dollop sour cream. Makes 4 servings.

Maple-Applesauce Filling

1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce (preferably homemade)

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon butter

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon plus extra for sprinkling on top

8 Crepes

1/4 cup sour cream or yogurt

Combine applesauce, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, butter and cinnamon in small saucepan. Cook and stir over high heat until hot. Spoon 3 tablespoons applesauce down center of each crepe. Fold over sides. Place in broiler pan. Brush tops lightly with remaining 1 tablespoon maple syrup.

Place pan under broiler and broil until crepes are lightly golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer crepes to warmed serving plates. Top each with dollop of sour cream and sprinkling of cinnamon. Makes 4 servings.

Banana Filling

With Warm

Strawberry Sauce

1/3 cup strawberry preserves

1 pound strawberries, trimmed

4 bananas

8 Crepes, warmed

1/2 cup sour cream or yogurt

Cook and stir strawberry preserves in small saucepan over medium-low heat until heated through, about 1 minute. Add strawberries and cook gently over high heat until berries release juices and sauce is bubbly and hot, about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat.

To serve, slice bananas diagonally and arrange row of slices down center of each crepe, 1/2 banana per crepe. Spread with 1/2 tablespoon sour cream. Fold over sides. Place 2 crepes on each serving plate. Spoon warm strawberry sauce on top. Add dollop of sour cream. Makes 4 servings.

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The upside-down aspect of this handsome coffee cake makes it look like a dessert, but it is intended for breakfast or brunch. The classic combination of caramel and bananas is only improved by the addition of pecans.

UPSIDE-DOWN COFFEE CAKE

1/3 cup dark-brown sugar, packed

Butter

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 cup pecan halves

3 bananas, halved lengthwise and sliced

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

2 large eggs

1 cup plain yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla

To prepare topping, combine brown sugar, 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in small saucepan. Cook and stir over high heat until mixture comes to boil. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook, without stirring, 1 minute. Pour immediately into greased 9-inch springform pan. Arrange pecans decoratively, flat side up, in bottom of pan.

Combine banana slices and remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice in medium bowl, gently mixing to coat slices. Carefully arrange slices in even layer over pecans.

To prepare cake, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Stir in sugar. Cut in 1/4 cup butter with pastry blender or fingers until mixture is crumbly. Stir in lemon zest.

Beat eggs with whisk until frothy in medium bowl. Stir in yogurt and vanilla. Stir egg mixture into dry ingredients until just moistened. Spoon batter gently over bananas, smoothing top. Bake at 375 degrees until cake is golden-brown and tester inserted in center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack 5 minutes. Slide knife around sides of cake to loosen. Invert onto serving platter. Remove sides and base of pan. Cool 10 to 15 minutes. Serve warm. Makes 12 servings.

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This batter, which must stand in the refrigerator at least 12 hours, produces muffins that are especially moist and richly flavored. Serve with tangy Yogurt Cheese. The recipe makes a batch of 18, but any leftovers will keep in the freezer.

REFRIGERATOR MULTIGRAIN MUFFINS

1 cup raw wheat bran

1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup sesame seeds

4 teaspoons grated orange zest

1 cup boiling water

1 cup milk

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup oil

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup dark-brown sugar, packed

4 teaspoons vanilla

2 large eggs

3 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup pitted and chopped dates

1/2 cup coarsely chopped peeled apple

Stir together bran, oats, sesame seeds and orange zest in large bowl. Stir in 1 cup boiling water. Cover and let stand 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together milk, orange juice, oil, honey, brown sugar and vanilla in medium bowl. Add eggs, whisking well. Stir into bran mixture.

Stir together flour, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Add dates and apples, stirring until fruit is coated with flour. Stir flour mixture into bran mixture just until dry ingredients are moistened. Cover and refrigerate at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours.

To make muffins, lightly grease 18 muffin tins or line with paper liners. Without stirring, spoon in batter, filling cups nearly full. Bake at 375 degrees until firm to touch, about 20 minutes. Makes 18 muffins.

Note : Raw wheat bran is sold at health food stores.

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Nonfat Yogurt Cheese contains 1/60 as much fat as cream cheese--reason enough for the extra effort required to make this alternative. Three cups of yogurt yield about one cup Yogurt Cheese.

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YOGURT CHEESE

Nonfat, plain yogurt

Salt

To make Yogurt Cheese, use nonfat, plain yogurt that does not contain starch, gums or gelatin. Line strainer with double thickness of cheesecloth. Set strainer over large bowl. Spoon in yogurt. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Discard liquid in bowl and transfer thickened yogurt to clean container, adding salt to taste. Yogurt Cheese can be stored, covered, in refrigerator up to 1 week.