10 BREAKFAST BRAAI FACTS & TIPS

The fire lit at the crack of dawn for the rugby game would flavour your coffee, bacon and eggs with a smokiness that awakens the senses like nothing else.

Burning your hand using peevish braai tongs in the early morning is almost as bad as beginning the day with a hangover. Exercise moderation, invest in sturdy braai tongs and avoid the scissors type that is more difficult to handle.

While the opposition in Argentina, Chile and Uruguay are warming their cast-iron chapas for huevos rancheros, our braai nation uses a ploughshare to make breakfast for the entire neighbourhood.

While South Africa is not the birthplace of rugby, no other country can claim that their ancestors lit the first cooking fires. The remains of the oldest prehistoric cooking fires were found in Wonderwerk Cave in the Northern Cape.

In the 19th century, the typical breakfast of a British aristocrat consisted of up to 24 courses. Nah, just give us pap, wors and smoor – that’s truly food fit for a king.

The most people who ever enjoyed breakfast in bed together were 547 – a Guinness World Record set in Johannesburg in 2019 for the benefit of charity.

Harvest the smoky leftovers from last night’s braai in the morning as the perfect beginning for a frittata – wriggle veggies like onions, pumpkin and sweet potato into the last of the coals and leave overnight.

Shakshuka, the delicious breakfast dish of egg and tomato with a kick that has become so popular here, hails from Tunisia in North Africa. Shakshuka means “all mixed up”, and this delight is prepared in an iron pan.

The long-handled jaffle iron was patented in Australia in 1949 by a doctor who enjoyed camping with his children. To start your day sunny side up, break a small egg into your jaffle sandwich, or use only the yolk.

Another dish of eggs in a tomato relish with a strong chilli hit is called “eggs in purgatory”. And eggs with grated cheese melted on top are known as moonshine eggs.