If I’ve mentioned it before, it’s been quite a while but every Sunday I prepare brunch for my wife and me. For guests, too, if we have them which we do on rare occasions.
My brunch usually consists of some sort of egg dish—scrambled eggs (my wife doesn’t like eggs that stare back at her), omelet, frittata, savory bread pudding, what have you—and sort sort of breakfast pastry, usually biscuits. I’ve made muffins, sweet rolls, bread rolls, and scones but I usually make biscuits. I’ve got it down to quite a science. I’ve post my recipe for biscuits before and I generally stick pretty close to that. The more frequently you make biscuits, the better your biscuits become.
Lately we’ve also been having bacon for a reason that makes sense to us but probably wouldn’t to anybody else. We both like bacon but in general I rarely prepare it. However, for the last several months Tally has preferred her food with a little bacon grease on it so I buy when it’s on sale, prepare it for our Sunday brunch, and save the grease for her.
One of these days I’ll need to write a little diatribe on bacon. I find it practically impossible to get good bacon any more. What is the world coming to?
We drink tea with our brunch. My wife doesn’t care for coffee and I’ve found it makes me jittery. This morning I’m preparing Scottish Breakfast from Tea Source. If you’re a tea drinker, it’s a great place to get good tea at a reasonable price.
The vet in me cringes at the bacon grease for Tally, but whatever you are doing for her is obviously working.
Believe me, we get it. Tally has been a finicky eater since puppyhood. The older she gets, the less she’s inclined to eat.
Encouraging her to eat more or, indeed, anything has become a major challenge. We do what we need to do. We try to balance her diet between what she needs to eat and what she’s willing to eat.
Well, in case anyone reading this misunderstands, the cardiovascular effects don’t seem to be a significant concern for dogs but acute pancreatitis is. I suspect there is individual variation, and there seem to be dogs who can handle the high fat meals with impunity. Others definitely can’t though (the worst cases I’ve treated were cocker spaniels and chihuahuas- particularly the one little guy who ate the entire skin and pan drippings from the Thanksgiving turkey.)
That’s an interesting note, CStanley, and thank you. Is that also the reason that pork and ham are off the menu?
“I find it practically impossible to get good bacon any more.”
I like bacon. A former partner and a CEO friend of mine who both grew up as self described “pig farmers” both looked at me incredulously when I complained about fatty bacon. They simply said “you put the feed up the hill today and down the hill tomorrow. You won’t have fatty bacon.”
Northern breeds (Samoyeds, Sibes, malamutes, etc.) have their own distinctive health issues. As you mention, cardiovascular issues as a consequence of a high fat diet are not a worry. I’ve never heard of a Sam developing acute pancreatitis. They are said to be less susceptible to it than other breeds (including other Northern breeds) and I believe it.
I’m more worried about liver or kidney issues and in Tally’s particular case our greatest concern is probably wasting.
Of course, Tally is so old that she’s outlived the actuarial tables. We’re in uncharted territory with her and we’re largely just taking things one day at a time.
I understand. I like Hills prescription B/D for geriatrics but they only have dry formula, so it’s not always palatable enough. Sardines are sometimes a good additive, with caveats about salt if you’re already dealing with kidney issues and/or hypertension.
Janis- I guess a lot of cuts of pork, especially the cheaper cuts that would go for feeding animals, have a high fat ratio. I don’t know that there’s a strict rule against all pork products though.
Really, CS? For some reason I’d picked that up. But I found with the parrots that people often transferred their preferences or allergies into dietary rules for their animals.
And I’ve just started drinking P&G Tips.
You, Mr. Schuler, sir, have become unpredictable.
In the commentary on the DVD of The Princess Diaries Julie Andrews told Anne Hathaway that PG Tips was the best. We’ve tried it and it’s now a staple around here. For bag tea it’s not bad.
Oh, Lord. Not another teapot. When I was in the house on Madison, my co-worker and I exchanged different colored teapots one Chistmas.
You are now on Scottish breakfast? How is that different from Irish breakfast? Irish is pretty dark. It takes sugar well. That’s my “spell” tea.
By the way, my latest report from 23andme shows me at .4 Sardinian. Knocked out the Asian Indian altogether,
You’re right about bacon – it’s not like it used to be when I was a kid. If I want something that isn’t 90% fat, I have to go to a specialty meat store.
BTW, any bacon fanatics should google “Bacon Explosion.”