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Attending Simbang Gabi is a common practice for many Catholic families during Christmastime. Traditionally, churchgoers hear mass in the wee hours from December 16 to 24. Sometimes, the activities start as early as 3 a.m.
Because of the unusual schedule, many leave parishes hungry for breakfast. The quickest solution to fill tummies is to get unhealthy fast food. Not quite rewarding, right? But this doesn’t have to be the only recourse! After mass, you can prepare and serve your family a homemade breakfast board. Intrigued? Keep reading to find out what this trend is about.
A breakfast board features a selection of breakfast or brunch food on a wooden board or platter. It follows a specific theme, ranging from small and simple to elaborate and fancy. Partakers gather around it and choose their preferred items – almost like a mini buffet. It’s similar to a cheese board but filled with typical morning treats.
And like grazing tables, breakfast trays are incredibly versatile. But a good board should have a mix of sweet, salty, spicy, and sour elements. Besides preparing a variety of flavors, it's also crucial to offer a balance of textures. Make sure you have something creamy, crunchy, or crumbly in there.
Don’t have enough energy to cook a feast so early in the morning? No worries! Preparing a breakfast board doesn’t require much effort. If you’re thinking of assembling an agahan platter, these are the essentials you’ll need.
There’s no right or wrong way to make these boards. You can pick any theme you want and build from there. Consider these options when putting together a modern Filipino breakfast board.
Now that you know how to make a breakfast board, here are some tips to make your job easier.
Pick food items that are easy to prepare. Consider recipes that you can already make the night before. And don’t shy away from store-bought products.
Prepare and lay room-temperature food first. Add hot food just when you’re about to serve.
You can start by placing bowls and saucers on the board. Add large food items next and fill empty spaces with smaller components. You can also scatter random ingredients all over the board. For example, sprinkle nuts in small nooks and gaps.
One thing often overlooked is making the platter enticing with different hues. Plan your food so complementary colors are next to each other. You can even use edible flowers to zhuzh up your board.
Don’t forget your beverages! Besides coffee and tea, you can also serve hot cocoa, freshly squeezed juice, or fruit shakes. Or how about warm salabat?
Breakfast boards are relatively easy to make. But to lighten the load, you can already begin assembling components before heading out for Simbang Gabi. Make it a family activity and assign each member a task or dish to prepare. It might even become a new tradition to look forward to annually.