New Jersey Breakfast Sandwich

Taylor Pork Roll, Egg and Cheese Sandwich & Tiffany Blue Ribbon Bone China Mug—The Perfect Juxtaposition.

Deluxe New Jersey Breakfast Sandwich with Blueberries, Avocado and Easter Peeps!

Nourishment Before Responding to a 20″ Early Spring Snowfall…

It’s not only a Jersey thing—it also includes Philadelphia, and some of the tri-state area (New York, New Jersey with a hint of Connecticut). This hand-held breakfast delicacy from South Jersey gained popularity as a utilitarian to-go meal for factory workers in 19^th century London, and became increasingly popular after the Civil War. Moreover, James Beard further theorized that “it was invented by Chinese railroad workers and loggers who were longing for egg foo young, though other historians think the added ingredients helped mask the taste of less-than-fresh eggs carried by pioneers traveling west.” Don’t worry, our eggs are only hours or a few days from their nests! The breakfast sandwich really took-off in the 1950s and 60s when a faster-paced society began to emerge. Today, you can find the breakfast sandwich in every deli and fast food joint. Don’t stray from tradition—Fried Egg, Taylor Pork Roll*, Melted-American Cheese on a lightly butter-toasted Kaiser roll— sometimes, we offer a Vermont English Muffin.

Introduced by New Jersey Assemblyman, Tim Eustace, District 38, in 2016, “Designates Taylor Ham, egg, and cheese as New Jersey State Sandwich. An Act designating the Taylor Ham, egg, and cheese sandwich as the New Jersey State Sandwich and supplementing chapter 9A of Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.” Over time, Taylor Ham, especially the Taylor Ham, egg, and cheese sandwich, has become synonymous with New Jersey, and an important part of the State’s history and popular culture.

*Taylor Pork Roll is the main flavor ingredient in our New Jersey Breakfast Sandwich. John Taylor’s Original Pork Roll is what most New Jerseyans and Philadelphians ask for by name.  Made since 1856, it’s a main staple of diners, kitchens, holiday tables, and boardwalks of the Garden State—and it’s absolutely delicious!

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Stone Ground Marsh Hen Mill Heirloom White Grits

Our southern guests asked if we could make grits. Not until a gourmet chef with a twenty-five person Baptist contingent from Mississippi showed us the way. Now, we occasionally serve this southern staple, and it may be the best grits that you’ll ever have—promise. Walt, from Florida says it’s the best grits he’s ever had! Now, our grits are even better! Our South Carolina guests, Nikki and Carl, sent us their favorite—Marsh Hen Mill White Grits, straight from Edisto Island—milled the old-fashioned way from a third-generation miller. The fresh corn taste of stone-ground grits is indescribable! And, grits are the official food of South Carolina!

Marsh Hen Mill White Grits are the kind preferred by purists, produced the old-fashioned way by grinding with a water-turned stone. They have a course texture that retain a more natural and richer flavor, and take about 45 minutes to cook. Traditional recipes are ubiquitous—and, they’re all great—with enough butter, salt & pepper, sharp cheddar cheese, heavy cream, and milk, you can’t go wrong. And, I recently read that there only two kinds of grits—good and bad. However, let’s consider a third, “great.” Our grits have now reached the “pinnacle of greatness!”

Our Grits are so delicious, you can taste the corn flavor—the savory, creamy-rich texture will have you asking for more… and, that’s our bacon that we sustainably raise on our neighbor’s property.

Grits—still simmering in the pot…

We carefully select our suppliers at Pond Mountain Inn to ensure that we get the best possible ingredients…

It’s difficult to decide which grits to prepare… after stacking a cord of kiln-dried wood.

The Origin of Grits

The dish came from Indigenous people, specifically, from the Native American Muskogee people that dates back to the 16th century, perhaps earlier. Made from Indian corn similar to hominy or maize, the Muskogee would grind the corn in a stone mill, giving it a course texture. The local Native Americans shared this dish with the colonists and early settlers that ultimately became a breakfast staple of the American south. In recent years, this dish has journeyed from traditionally southern kitchens to chefs preparing grits at leading fine-dining restaurants.

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Marsh Hen Mill Grits

 

Salt—Be Careful What You’re Consuming!

Table salt contains a shocking number of microplastics. Microplastics are found in 90 percent of table salt, said National Geographic’s Laura Parker. She went on to say that “salt produced on Madura Island; Indonesia found that salt made in this region contains some of the highest microplastics sampled.” New studies find microplastics in salt from the United States, Europe and China are adding to the mountain of evidence that plastic pollution is pervasive in our environment. Furthermore, Himalayan salt is often touted for its health benefits, however, it is important to be aware of the potential presence of toxic heavy metals says another recent Australian study. This is especially disturbing here at Pond Mountain Inn where we recently changed over to Himalayan salt believing it was better for us and our guests—perhaps there’s no concern, however we cannot confirm that “our Himalayan salt” came from a reputable source, which is why we disposed of all our Himalayan salt.

The Good News is… Today, we now only use Redmond Real Salt®. From their mine to our table—harvested in Utah from a deep ancient Jurassic Era seabed just the way nature intended. It’s safe from modern pollutants, unprocessed, unrefined, nothing extracted, additive-free, with over 60+ natural occurring trace minerals that gives it a subtly sweet flavor all its own—and, its healthier too! Moreover, Redmond Real Salt is certified organic by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI), and is accompanied by elemental mineral analysis and Kosher certification.

We carefully select our suppliers at Pond Mountain Inn to ensure that we get the best possible ingredients—right down to the salt and pepper we consume… Here’s their link: Redmond Real Salt®.

 

Skillet Breakfast Potatoes

Directly from the Skillet…

Kay’s Vinegar Potatoes Have a Crispier Texture…

Wagyu Potatoes… at Brunch.

Our Skillet Breakfast Potatoes are crispy on the outside, tender and creamy in the middle. We only use Yukon Gold potatoes either peeled or unpeeled, Avocado oil or any premium neutrally flavored high heat oil, Kosher salt, and slightly garnished—that’s it, and they’re perfect every time!

Another Extraordinary Breakfast Side Dish at Pond Mountain Inn.

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Traditional Cheese Blintzes

Simple Cheese Blintzes are Just Plain Delicious!

Blintzes & Sour Cream… Not Normally Our Recommendation, But It’s Delicious With Just a Dallop…

It is said, two fried blintzes set side-by-side bear a remarkable resemblance the Ten Commandments Tablets…

Unmixed Blintz Filling & Traditional French Laundry Crêpe Batter in the Background with Fresh Seasonal Garden Chives…

Creamy Golden Yellow Blintz Filling.

Veselka, is a 2023 James Beard Award Nominee. Serving Ukrainian food from the heart of the East Village, we were compelled to try their award-winning Ukrainian single-blintz, filled with lightly sweetened farmer’s cheese… it was delicious, but our recipe still remains unchanged.

From the Pond Mountain Inn Menu…

Cheese Blintzes with Mixed Berry Sauce or Sour Cream (Best Plain).

Traditional French Laundry crêpe and seasonal garden chives filled with Friendship Farmer Cheese, Daisy Cottage Cheese, and one farm-fresh egg, then folded into a rectangular shape. Pan fried in butter until the outside becomes a crisp golden-brown with a warm creamy filling. It is said, two fried blintzes set side-by-side bear a remarkable resemblance the Ten Commandments Tablets, and are a delicacy to be eaten on many Jewish holidays—a match made in heaven.

Brief History & A Hint of Family

The blintz originated from Eastern Europe from an Ashkenazi Jewish community. This tradition was adopted by the Russian orthodox church and is carried on to the present day. Throughout the ages they’ve remained a seminal Jewish comfort food. Blintzes were served in our family as far back as I can remember, a staple around any holiday, especially Christmas. My grandfather was Russian Orthodox from Zhytomyr, Ukraine, while my grandmother was from Lepiel, Belarus, which was heavily Jewish. Given that grandmother’s arrival was sponsored by Jewish immigrants in the United States, it’s likely that she had mixed Jewish ancestry. Today, Kay is the last one in the family to make this cherished dish… Recipe Upon Request.

Furthermore, you may not be aware that in 2006, President George W. Bush set a law that Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM) was to be annually recognized, each May, to celebrate the 350-year history of Jewish contributions to American culture.

Another Extraordinary Breakfast Entrée at Pond Mountain Inn.

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#cheeseblintz #blintz #frenchlaundry

Our Eggs—Straight From the Nest!

That’s Kay holding a basket of five-dozen eggs.

Our chickens live a great happy hen life…

A chicken’s instinct is to forage provides essential nutrients they get from the grass, weeds, grubs and small insects they find…

Unwashed Winter Eggs from Our Neighbor…

“The Rooster” Watching Over His Hens… That’s 43 eggs over four days!

A clutch of eggs on this early spring day… with a couple of Easter Eggers in there!

Our farm fresh eggs come from pasture-foraging chickens raised by our neighbor and from one other local farm where they spend their entire lives outside eating all the good things that nature provides. Our eggs are known for having rich yellow yokes, and firm clear whites. In autumn, our chickens are fed pumpkins, and the yokes become a seasonal deep orange. Our eggs are served only days after being gathered from their nests. Pond Mountain Inn only sources the finest ingredients available…

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Today’s Breakfast at Pond Mountain Inn

The Morning Begins with Fresh Seasonal Fruit

Our Signature French Crêpe-Like Sautéed Spinach & Tomato Omelette

Three Varieties of Sautéed Mushrooms

Our Guests from Colorado

This Morning’s Breakfast… begins with fresh seasonal fruit…

We started with Champaign Mangos, Rainier Cherries, Driscoll’s Blackberries over a bed of Watermelon Slices, which has been outstanding this year.

Three of our signature French crêpe-like sautéed mushroom omelettes, one sautéed spinach & tomato omelette, Dakin Farm Cob-Smoked Bacon, and Gratin de Pommes de Terre garnished with our seasonal garden chives and organic pea shoots.

See our menu when you have a chance: https://www.pondmountaininn.com/breakfast-menu

 

 

Escargot Scrambled Eggs for Two

Premium Escargots are Sautéed in Artisanal Butter Minced Parsley, Garlic, Shallots, Salt & Pepper..

Bourgogne Escargots… the most recognized and consumed escargot in France.

We bring this traditional French bistro dish to the breakfast table from sidewalk cafés on The Avenue des Champs-Élysées. Our large premium escargots are sautéed in artisanal butter with finely diced Champlain Valley Mushrooms, lots of Vermont organic garlic, fresh seasonal herbs, parsley, then presented in a delicately shredded potato nest surrounded by our velvety French-style scrambled eggs.

A Brief History

We’ve been eating snails for millennia—first in Spain, about 10,000 years earlier than France. And, recent studies have found evidence that consuming by humans began about 30,000 years ago near Benidorm, Spain. This legendary French dish is most popular in Paris, and, of course, Burgundy, and more recently, the Bordeaux-style escargot where snails are prepared in a white wine broth is a non-traditional alternative.

“The popularity of escargots is attributed to the then French Minister for Foreign Affairs, Talleyrand, who, in 1814, was organizing a reception for the Russian Tsar who was in Paris. He wanted to impress him and serve him something he’d never eaten before. His chef was Antonin Carême, a Burgundian, and escargots was in its beginnings a Burgundian dish.”  National Escargot Day: everything you need to know about the French delicacy, Matilda Marseillaise.

Chef Kay has transformed this time-honored hors d’oeuvres into a gourmet breakfast dish at Pond Mountain Inn. Kay sought inspiration from L’Escargot Montorgueil, which is considered the best in Paris, and Benoit Restaurant and Wine Bar in New York, which we feel serves the best classic French escargot in the city.

Join us for National Escargot Day—celebrated every year on May 24^th that honors this delicious French hors d’oeuvres.

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Incredible Breakfast Diversity

The morning begins with fresh seasonal fruit— an assortment of five types of melon and berries. “Elegant, Local and Delicious.” is how our guests describe the morning’s first course.  From exotic fruit, Asian mangos, to locally grown berries, fall apples from Champlain Orchards, to the best and freshest melon found in surrounding markets. We serve mostly local, organic fruit provided by family farmers…

Fresh Georgia Peaches—Local Blackberries and Blueberries, and that’s our mint leaf…

Raspberries and Blackberries from Champlain Orchards.

Philippine Mango or the Manila Mango are the Sweetest Variety.

Sometimes, it’s just about the morning view… and, those are Rainier cherries.

Freshly Picked Local Strawberries

Pomelo—The Principal Ancestor of the Grapefruit Found Throughout Southeast Asia.

In late-spring, summer, and early fall, our legendary gourmet farm-to-table breakfasts are served al fresco surrounded by perennial gardens, early sheep pastures and lush undisturbed distant mountain views, “It’s just magical here, and one of the prettiest outside dining spots in Vermont!”

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French-Style Omelettes at Pond Mountain Inn

Dakin Farm Big Link Smoked Sausage and Shredded Pan-Fried Potatoes with Seasonal Garnish.

Today’s Omelette Interior has Chestnut, Lion’s Mane and Oyster Mushrooms.

Freshly Foraged Sautéed Chanterelle Mushroom Omelettes

In Vermont, as in France, Chanterelles are Treasured in a Simple Omelette…

Our signature French crêpe-like omelettes may be the best farm-to-table omelette you’ve ever had. We only use freshly harvested mushrooms from a local farmer, while all our omelette ingredients are locally sourced. See our menu to read why our guests return year-after-year for Chef Kay’s omelettes, and all our exquisite collection of breakfast dishes…

We found a treasure trove of Chanterelles on our property. Chanterelles are as rare as a Bigfoot sighting—chanterelles run for about $224 per pound. Just to compare, we spend upwards of $20.00 for local mushrooms from “our mushroom guy.” Our guests, who identified these mushrooms, had Sautéed Chanterelle Mushroom Omelettes the next morning! 

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