The 28th novelette, " – Hands of an Angry – ", continues, with a bit of sword-play:

https://thecityofroses.com/story/HandsOfAnAngryActI

#FreeBooks #IndieAuthors #FantasyLit #Waffles

#food #waffles #vegan

Chai spiced #vegan carrot cake waffles. #protein centric, very low refined sugar.

This is my baseline recipe for non-chocolate waffles. Best Ever Vegan Waffles - Nora Cooks https://share.google/EZR3Z2YYZmBOqqC9S

Matt’s Big Breakfast

It’s interesting how even the most adventurous eaters tend to be conservative about breakfast. People who gladly consume foods from outside their own family traditions in the afternoon and evening often revert to familiar dishes like eggs, bacon, pancakes, and waffles in the morning. Matt’s Big Breakfast, having recently expanded yet again with a new flagship location next to its old one, continues to embrace the familiar but does so with a high standard that emphasizes high-quality, locally-sourced ingredients and a hand-crafted approach to their preparation.

Matt’s current flagship is just two blocks from Roosevelt/Central station on the B Line and is the third version of the restaurant to exist on the same block of First Street during the restaurant’s two decades of operation.. Bike racks are found at the corner of Garfield and First with many more found among the surrounding blocks. Although this location is the biggest Matt’s yet and the first location with extensive shaded patio seating, there can still be a wait for a table during peak weekend hours. Solo diners or pairs can often be seated at the counter immediately.

The menu offers both classic breakfast fare and lunch items offered after 11 AM.. Daily specials are on a separate sheet labeled “Matt’s Traditions.” Expect generous use of butter, whole milk, eggs, white flour, and pork products in many dishes. At Matt’s, “big breakfast” seems to refer not only to generous portions, but also an ongoing trend towards re-embracing some formerly taboo foods. The results are hearty dishes like the Chop & Chick, which combines a pork chop and two eggs or the Five-Spot, a breakfast sandwich with eggs, bacon, cheese, and onions on a roll.

The other eggs dishes all come with toast, served with fresh local fruit preserves, and a choice of potatoes. The home fries are big chunks of Yukon Gold with rosemary and onion cooked in olive oil and sprinkled with ground black pepper. The hash browns are simpler — a rectangular cake of julienned tubers griddled in butter until crisp on top while still tender beneath. For anyone seeking a Southwestern touch, Matt’s offers a hearty Big Papa Burrito stuffed full of three eggs, Schreiner’s chorizo, roasted potatoes, pinto beans, jalapeños, and cheddar cheese.

The breakfast menu, which is served all the way until the 2:00 PM closing time, also has a few choices that focus more on carbs than protein. The griddle cakes are light, fluffy, and slightly sweet. There is a generous dollop of butter on top, and real maple syrup on the side. The waffle is supple and generously sized. It comes with two slices of thick-cut bacon while the griddle cakes, like everything else on the menu at Matt’s, can be supplemented with a side of bacon, sliced ham, or sausage, available as pork “country” links or patties or as chicken apple links.

Although Matt’s core appeal is found in hearty diner-style food, the restaurant has made a few concessions to lighter eating and contemporary trends. A big bowl of steel-cut oats has long been on the menu with simple toppings of brown sugar and raisins. A newer addition is the seemingly ubiquitous coffee house favorite avocado toast. In this case, the emphasis on fresh, local ingredients is expressed via a colorful assortment of cherry tomatoes, sliced radishes, and microgreens placed over a smooth layer of mashed avocado on a thick slice of multigrain bread.

While most customers seem to come for breakfast, the lunch menu is available beginning at 11 AM. A longstanding signature item is the Big Butter Burger topped with American cheese, and the Hickory Burger, accessorized with Canadian bacon, cheddar, and onion is a recent menu addition. The chicken sandwich contains grilled breast marinated in pesto and paired with provolone and romaine. The chili is described as “Midwestern style,” meaning, in this case, ground beef with a  mild spice level, shredded cheddar, diced onions, and oyster crackers.

Matt’s Reuben features thinly sliced corned beef placed between two slices of marble rye, griddled with just a little butter, and dressed with Swiss cheese, thousand island dressing, and plenty of sauerkraut. The Biltmore Club is built with roasted turkey with bacon, havarti, tomato, and romaine on toasted sourdough bread. All of the lunch sandwiches are served with potato chips by default, with the option to upgrade for a few dollars to either a creamy coleslaw or a macaroni salad with a nice sprinkling of black pepper to enliven this normally plain side.

The beverage selection is limited, but the fresh-squeezed orange juice, always sweet and slightly pulpy, is a dependable choice. Honey lemonade strikes the right balance between tart and sweet notes and can be enhanced with muddled strawberries or blueberries. Cola and other sodas on the menu, some from small batch producer Boylan Bottling. Coffee is available with unlimited refills, but don’t expect any espresso or matcha drinks. It’s just good straightforward coffee, roasted in Cave Creek and yet another ingredient of local provenance.

With several suburban locations scattered throughout the Phoenix Metropolitan Area, as well as an outlet at Sky Harbor Airport, Matt’s Big Breakfast has grown well beyond the confines of its original building in Downtown Phoenix. There has even been some talk of potentially franchising the concept outside of Arizona. That’s quite a departure from the modest and minimalist origins of the restaurant, but a testament to its success as well. For many, breakfast may often be the most cautious meal of the day, but at Matt’s, there is no reason why it can’t be the best one.

817 N 1st St., Phoenix AZ 85004
http://www.mattsbigbreakfast.com

#avocadoToast #breakfast #breakfastBurritos #breakfastSandwiches #EvansChurchill #hashBrowns #pancakes #reuben #RooseveltRow #sausage #waffles

National Maple Syrup Day.

#maplesyrup #maple #breakfast #pancakes #shoplocal #foodie #supportlocal #coffee #brunch #cinnamon #food #organic #maplesyrupseason #syrup #foodporn #maplesugar #vegan #lunch #waffles #farmlife #bacon #vermont #homemade #farmtotable #maplecream #familyowned #barrelaged #sustainable #delicious #gradea

https://itsmostamazingindia.wordpress.com/2025/12/18/national-maple-syrup-day/