Irish Breakfast Traditions
In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, we thought we’d explore Irish breakfast traditions. The morning after all the St. Patrick’s Day revelry, we figured the good folks in Ireland must sit down for a hearty meal. As it turns out, a full Irish breakfast is nothing short of a small feast! Here are a few breakfast staples from the Emerald Isle:
Rashers – Rashers are the Irish version of bacon. This pork treat more resembles Canadian bacon, although it is a fattier cut and is served as a round patty. Where American bacon is traditionally cooked until crispy, rashers are typically fried in Irish butter until cooked through and lightly browned.
Bangers – Bangers are a traditional Irish breakfast sausage. Either made with pork or a combination of pork and beef, bangers are typically short in length and fat in diameter. The word “banger” refers to the sausage’s tendency to split and explode out of its casing when cooked.
Boxty – Considered a traditional Irish potato pancake, the boxty actually more resembles American hash browns. Riced potatoes are compacted into a pancake shape within a hot skillet and fried to make this breakfast staple.
Black & White Pudding – Black pudding is essentially blood sausage, or cooked and congealed blood from pigs or cows mixed with pork, beef, or sometimes oatmeal, bread or potato. White pudding is a similar soft sausage made without the blood. Both varieties are usually sliced and then grilled or fried.
And more still! – All Irish breakfasts are served with fried eggs. In addition, a full Irish breakfast will include Irish brown bread, baked beans, fried tomatoes, and sautéed mushrooms. Whew! With a meal this large, you are sure to have energy for a full day’s work or fun! If you don’t want to fly all the way to Ireland for your next morning meal, we’d be happy to serve you an Irish inspired breakfast in Denver at the Original Pancake House with our very own Corned Beef Hash and Eggs. From all of us at the Original Pancake House, Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
The Delicious History of French Toast
At the Original Pancake House, one of our favorite brunch menu items is French toast with a rich French toast history. In fact, we love it so much, we offer four different types on our breakfast menu including Sourdough French Toast, Seasonal Berry French Toast, Cinnamon Almond French Toast, and the Denver breakfast favorite, Banana Praline French Toast.
With French toast on our minds, we were wondering, where did this delightful dish originate? We were intrigued to find that, though the name implies a French origin, the first mention of this meal appears in Roman times. In a cookbook attributed to Apicius, from the 4th or 5th century, a recipe simply called “aliter dulcia," or “another sweet dish,” describes soaking.
Bread in a milk and egg mixture, frying in oil, and then serving with honey. French toast next appears in medieval cookbooks throughout Europe. In France, it was called “pain perdu” or “lost bread,” which probably referred to the fact the cooks used stale or old bread in this dish with a fascinating French toast history. German, English, and Scandinavian cookbooks refer to the dish as “poor knights” bread, which is also a nod to the use of old bread.
The first references to this ancient dish as “French toast” appear in the late 18th century in North America. In New Orleans, the dish maintained its original French name of “pain perdu.” However, in English speaking areas of the North American colonies, the dish became known as French toast as it was popularized by French immigrants.
So, the next time you are out for breakfast in Denver, share the ancient history of French toast with your fellow diners. It is a fascinating story!
Breakfast of Champions: What are Olympic athletes eating?
With the 2014 Winter Olympics underway, we were wondering, what is the true breakfast of champions? With nutrition being just as important as the innumerable hours spent training for the Olympic Games, what do Olympic athletes eat for breakfast? With a bit of research, we found some astounding facts. Did you know that many Olympians, especially those in endurance sports, require 9,000 to 12,000 calories per day?! Amazing! If we were so lucky as to have one of these athletes join us for breakfast in Denver, we might have to serve them one of each item on The Original Pancake House Denver menu!
For a day of training and competition, we found that Olympians focus on a substantial, yet healthy, breakfast. After all, this first meal provides the foundation of energy needed to go for the gold. In general, Olympians start their day with a healthy mix of carbohydrates, fruits and protein. Many will combine a large bowl of whole grain oats with fresh fruit, and milk or yogurt. In addition, you will likely see athletes enjoy eggs, a great source of lean protein, with toast or a bagel for additional energy. Some athletes are reported to eat a whopping 12 eggs for their first meal of the day! And because they continually burn so many calories between training and competition, you will often see competitors munching on bananas and enjoying a glass of chocolate milk to keep their energy high.
From The Original Pancake House Denver, we wish all the athletes on Team USA “good luck” in the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games. And for the twenty Coloradoans competing in Sochi, we would love to have you stop by for an Olympic-worthy breakfast in Denver when you return home!
Escape Cabin Fever: Fun winter activities for the whole family!
We all know the feeling. It’s too cold to play outside, indoor games have lost their charm, and everyone is feeling restless. So what to do when cabin fever hits? Take an excursion! Denver offers many fun, family-friendly activities for cold weather days. Here are a few of our favorite winter activities:
Denver Museum of Nature and Science -
The Denver Museum of Nature and Science offers a fun and educational experience for Denver families. Visitors explore neat exhibits on everything from the solar system to dinosaurs. Be sure to check out the planetarium or see an IMAX film when you visit.
Ice Skating at Big Bear Ice Are
na –
If the kiddos are bouncing off the walls, then a trip to the Big Bear Ice Arena might be a good choice. Located in the heart of Lowry, Big Bear offers public ice skating, broomball, figure skating lessons and ice hockey leagues. If your kids have a need for speed, strap on a pair of skates and let them go!
Denver Aquarium -
The whole family will love strolling through Colorado’s largest aquarium. With a maze of different aquatic habitats and thousands of sea creatures to admire, the Aquarium features a shipwreck and sunken temple to delight the kids. Make sure you check out the Mystic Mermaids interactive show and get a tasty snack at the Aquarium restaurant.
Fun City -
Grab a few friends and head to Fun City for hours of family entertainment. Fun City offers oodles of activities including laser tag, a foam factory, go-karts, miniature golf, an arcade, and rock climbing.
Enjoy Your Favorite Denver Breakfast-
At The Original Pancake House Denver, we love to take our whole crew out to breakfast on cold winter days. With big plates of pancakes, eggs, waffles, and crepes to share, everyone will have a smile on their face! And once your bellies are full, you’ll be ready to try one of Denver’s fun, indoor activities.
Heart-friendly Breakfast Ideas
With the start of the New Year, we all strive to make healthy decisions and fresh starts. Thankfully, breakfast is one of the best ways to kick start healthy habits. If you start the day on a good note, it is much easier to continue the trend throughout the rest of your day, week, month, and year. Here are a few breakfast ideas to get your day, and New Year, off to a heart-healthy start.
Breakfast Smoothie
– Combine one cup of low fat milk or soy milk with frozen strawberries and a sliced banana. Blend in your food processor or blender until smooth and frothy. For extra protein, add a scoop of protein powder. Create variety by mixing and matching your fruits.
Incredible Egg-white Sandwich
– Assemble this delicious morning meal with a toasted whole-wheat English muffin, scrambled egg-whites and a slice of tomato. For extra protein, add smoked salmon and you have the perfect brain-boosting breakfast.
Spunky Oatmeal
– Spruce up your oatmeal with the addition of fruit and nuts. Adding tangy rhubarb, blueberries, raspberries, currents, or cranberries can add a much needed zip of flavor to this pantry staple. By adding nuts you’ll get an extra boost of protein, healthy fats, and vitamins to help keep you full and feeling great all morning.
And when you are heading out for breakfast in Denver, try The Original Pancake House Denver’s “Lighter Side” menu. We offer breakfast favorites like Old Fashioned Oatmeal, Cream of Wheat, Scrambled Egg Whites, and Homemade Granola, to name a few. With these heart-friendly options, you can enjoy a delicious, guilt-free breakfast out with your family!
Winter holiday food traditions around the world
At The Original Pancake House Denver, we love the holiday season. Each year during the months of November and December, we add a few holiday favorites to our Denver breakfast menu – Sara’s Granola Waffle with Maple Whipped Cream, Egg Nog French Toast and our much loved Ho! Ho! Ho! Pancakes, to name a few. These special breakfast traditions always make our season brighter and we love sharing them with our OPH Denver family. Which got us to thinking – we know what we love for a holiday breakfast in Denver, what are some holiday traditions celebrated by other cultures and religions? We did a bit of research and found a multitude of delicious dishes to make your mouth water!
Mexican Holiday Feast
In a traditional Mexican holiday feast you will likely find tamales on the menu. Because they take so much time and care to prepare, many families only serve them on special occasions. Mexican tamales are wrapped and steamed in a paper or a corn husk and are filled with masa, a corn based dough, and either meat, cheese, fruits, vegetables, or chiles.
In addition to tamales, pan dulce is traditional treat during the holiday season. These sweet rolls are made fresh daily in local panaderias. Almost like a Mexican doughnut, you might find them with a red or green topping and festive sprinkles.
Filipino Christmas Treat
Just after Midnight Mass on Christmas Day, many Filipino families enjoy a Bibingka Especial. This coconut and rice flour cake is lightly sweet, and made with rice or cassava flour. Traditionally, these cakes are cooked over charcoal in a banana-leaf-lined clay pot. Served with tasty toppings, Bibingka Especial is very popular in the Philippines during the Christmas holiday season.
The German Fruitcake
Ah, the infamous fruitcake! Dresdner Stollen, the original and famous fruitcake recipe from Dresden, is sold throughout Germany during the holiday season. Made from rich yeast dough and mixed with candied fruits and nuts, these special holiday loaves are folded before baking to symbolize the baby Jesus in his swaddling clothes.
American Kwanzaa Traditions
Kwanzaa is a weeklong celebration that links African traditions and American customs. Kwanzaa runs from December 26 through January 1 of each year and is always accompanied by friends, family and feasting! On each day of a Kwanzaa celebration, the host serves a dish from a different symbolic place, such as Africa, the Caribbean, and South America. These dishes might include black-eyed peas, shrimp creole, mashed yams, corn bread, or creamed collard greens.
Hanukkah Brunch
Also known as the Festival of Light, Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days and eight nights in the Jewish religion. A typical Hanukkah brunch always includes several delectable dishes. Potato latkes, or crispy potato pancakes, are a staple of many Hanukkah meals. In addition you might find a simple applesauce, or delicious egg frittata. To round out the meal, Jewish families often serve homemade doughnuts, a tribute to the oil that lasted eight days and nights, and traditional rugelach cookies.
Whatever holiday you celebrate this season, and whatever your heritage, we hope you are able to share a good meal with friends and loved ones! Happy Holidays from The Original Pancake House Denver!
Holiday Stocking Stuffers!
It’s that time of year! The hustle and bustle of the holiday season has us bundled up and running around town finding little things to bring joy to our family and friends. To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite stocking stuffer ideas! 
For the forgetful spouse
– Trying to get to your favorite Denver breakfast spot and they can’t find their keys…again? This key fob locater may be just the gift! Now they just have to remember to attach it to their key chain!
For the eco-conscious friend
– For the tree-hugger in your life, Carbonfund.org offers several gift options. Choose between offsetting their carbon footprint or planting trees, for as little as $10 you can make your green friend a happy camper!
For the over-worked
– She canceled your Saturday morning Denver breakfast date again because she had to work? Brighten up her cube with some fun games from officeplayground.com. This fun website offers little gadgets such as mind bender games, stress balls, and even solar powered flowers for her desk.
For the techie
– For the family member or friend who is attached to their new iPhone, these gloves are just the gift. The North Face E-Tip glove has full palm conductivity so you can stay connected and active on your touch screen without exposing fingers to the frosty elements.
!For the Foodie – Give the gift of Pancake Cheer! Did you know The Original Pancake House Denver offers gift cards? Share the joy of a delicious breakfast with co-workers, friends and family! Nothing says love quite like the gift of a warm and delicious breakfast in Denver.
Happy shopping and Happy Holidays from your OPH Denver Family!
What’s cooking? The Original Pancake House Denver chefs share their favorite home recipes!
The chefs at The Original Pancake House Denver are up early every morning to create delightful breakfast treats for our customers. Pancakes, crepes, waffles and omelets are hand-crafted and cooked to perfection by our hard-working team. So what do our chefs do when they head home for supper? They cook, of course! Here are a few of their favorite recipes to make at home. Read on as these dishes will warm you up on the coldest winter days!
Ceviche Recipe by Guillermo Jimenez
Ingredients
2 lbs. tilapia
5 tomatoes, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 carrot, shredded
2 cucumbers, diced
1 jalapeno, diced
1 bunch of cilantro
8 lemons, juiced
Salt to taste
Directions:
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Place tilapia in boiling water for 3 minutes. Once tilapia is cooked, shred the tilapia into a bowl and add the fresh lemon juice. Stir to coat. Place tilapia in the refrigerator for an hour. After an hour, add remaining ingredients and salt to taste. Allow the mixture time to marinate. Enjoy on a tostada with sliced avocado.
The Original Pancake House Denver Chefs’ Homemade Salsa
Ingredients
4 tomatoes
1 jalapeno
1 onion
1 clove of garlic
Directions:
Grill or boil the tomatoes and jalapeno until soft. Once soft, place all ingredients into blender and puree. Add salt and pepper to taste.
We appreciate Guillermo and The Original Pancake House chefs sharing their kitchen secrets with us! We are lucky to have such a talented team in the back of the house to bring you our much loved breakfast recipes. What winter recipes are a staple in your home? Share them with us on Facebook @OPHDenver.
Share your Pancake Cheer!
Join us this Holiday Season in sharing Pancake Cheer! During the month of December, we'd like to share the JOY that our pancakes bring to you and yours. 
Helping us share this message is as easy as...
1. Snap a photo of you and friends or family enjoying breakfast.
2. Upload your photo to Facebook and/or Twitter to share the JOY!
3. Tag @OPHDenver and include #PancakeCheer in your post (we don't want to miss your photos!)
And what is better than sharing Pancake Cheer? We'll randomly select two winners from #PancakeCheer photos on social media to receive $25 gift cards to The Original Pancake House!
Happy Holidays!
Thanksgiving Tradition…is delicious!
Funny how perfectly our saying “Tradition is Delicious” fits the Thanksgiving holiday. Whenever we gather around the table with our loved ones, it’s hard not to include tradition. And in the case of Thanksgiving, most traditions are delicious! We’ve collected a few interesting turkey day traditions from across the United States; read on to find out how folks celebrate
around the country.
What’s on the menu?
Perhaps the most important part of the holiday is the food! But the Thanksgiving spread varies widely depending on geographic location. Southerners often deep fry their turkeys, in New England you are likely to find a salt-brined bird, and in Hawaii they rub their turkeys with coffee grounds. Side dishes also vary widely with variations on sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, stuffing, veggies and cranberry sauce. In the Pacific Northwest, locally foraged mushrooms are usually featured in the meal, while in the southwest, you might find Mexican influences such as spicy chorizo, chilies and cilantro. And for desert, the most common choice is usually the pumpkin pie, but in the south you are likely to be served a pecan pie and many mid-westerners opt for apple deserts.
What do we do after the meal?
Due to the tryptophan in the turkey, many folks find themselves napping after such a large feast. But of those who manage to stay awake, many families opt for football on TV or perhaps a game of tag football in the backyard. In New York City, you can’t miss the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, an annual tradition since 1924. And the local Turkey Trot is a great family activity for those who want to work off some of that gravy! As it is a holiday of thanks, many families also use Thanksgiving as an opportunity to volunteer and give back to those who are less fortunate in their communities.
Giving thanks
One common theme among all American families is a pause during the gathering to give thanks. It is important to remember the reason we gather on Thanksgiving Day and appreciate the wonderful food, family, and friends that we have in our lives.
At Original Pancake House Denver, we are very thankful for all of our loyal customers and wonderful staff who support us. We are so grateful to all the folks who make The Original Pancake House Denver part of their breakfast tradition.
Happy Thanksgiving!
All About Pumpkins!
Halloween is just around the corner and pumpkins abound on almost every front porch in our Denver neighborhood. With this healthy gourd on our mind, we came up with a few ways to incorporate pumpkin into your breakfast recipe repertoire. Read on to learn how you can make pumpkins part of a perfect fall morning.
Pumpkin Pancakes
We have our own secret pumpkin pancake recipe at Original Pancake House Denver, but here is a variation to try at home. Simply grind the oats with a blender or coffee grinder and combine with the remaining ingredients. Cook pancakes following the standard process and top with pecans and warm syrup!
Ingredients
½ cup oatsl
6 egg whites
¼ cup grams pumpkin puree
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp pumpkin spice
Splash of vanilla extract
Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal
This healthy fall recipe couldn’t be easier and tastes just like a fresh-baked pumpkin pie! Cook oatmeal according the package instructions. Once water is absorbed and oatmeal is nearly ready, stir in pumpkin puree and fall spices. Top your oatmeal with syrup, yogurt or toasted pecans.
Ingredients
1 cup steel cut oats
1/2 cup pureed pumpkin
2 tsp cinnamon
1 large pinch nutmeg
1 pinch cloves
1/4 tsp cardamom
2 Tblsp maple syrup
Yogurt & toasted pecans (optional but delicious)
Pumpkin Yogurt Parfait
Another healthy fall breakfast treat, this parfait is guaranteed to be a family favorite! This recipe is so easy you could even make it for the family before work and school. Combine granola, pecans and crushed gingersnaps to make the parfait topping. Mix one half of the pumpkin spice with the yogurt and the other half with the pumpkin puree. Alternate layers of yogurt, pumpkin, and toppings and breakfast is ready!
Ingredients
1/4 cup low-fat granola
2 tbsp. pecans, chopped/pieces
2 gingersnap cookies, crushed
1/3 cup 100% pumpkin puree (not pie filling!)
1/3 cup. fat free vanilla Greek yogurt
1/8 Tsp. pumpkin pie spice
And of course we recommend you stop by Original Pancake House Denver for one of our favorite breakfast dishes and try Sara’s Pumpkin Pancakes! Ours are filled with rich pumpkin, molasses and fall spices, then topped with warm butter or fresh whipped cream. We can’t think of a better way to start the day!
Original Pancake House Denver’s Kids Recipe Challenge Winner!
This past August, The Original Pancake House Denver hosted the Kids Pancake Recipe Challenge. Open to all young pancake fans, the contest challenged youngsters to create the wackiest, most creative pancake recipes to share with the Original Pancake House Denver community. All recipes were put up for popular vote on our Facebook page and the winner was announced on National Pancake Day, September 26.
We are thrilled to congratulate Cole Brody on his winning recipe for Vanilla Brown Sugar Gluten Free Pancakes! Recently we took a few moments to chat with Cole about his love for pancakes and his recipe inspiration. Here is what he had to say:
OPH Denver: What was your inspiration for Homemade Gluten Free Vanilla Brown Sugar pancakes?
Cole: I was trying to make really good pancakes that are gluten free and I love brown sugar for the sweetness that it makes the pancakes.
OPH Denver: Do you and your family make pancakes together at home often?
Cole: I make pancakes every Saturday and Sunday for my family, unless we sometimes go to Pancake House. My favorite part of going to the (Original) Pancake House is they make the best gluten free pancakes ever and I love them and I love the bacon.
OPH Denver: What are your favorite pancake toppings?
Cole: We usually eat our pancakes with maple syrup or whipped cream but my favorite toppings are chocolate chips and strawberry syrup. But not together.
OPH Denver: What is the craziest pancake you've ever had or made?
Cole: We made Lifesaver Gummy pancakes once and the Lifesavers melted and turned into jelly. We also made Fruity Pebbles pancakes and they tasted like fruity pancakes.
OPH Denver: What is your favorite part about breakfast?
Cole: Making pancakes for my family and they tell me how good they are.
OPH Denver: What grade are you in and what do you want to be when you grow up?
Cole: I am in 3rd grade at Greenwood Elementary and I want to be an airplane pilot and own an airline.
From the entire OPH Denver family, we would like to congratulate Cole on his winning recipe! Want to make Cole’s Gluten Free Vanilla Brown Sugar Pancakes at home? Cole was kind enough to share his secrets. Happy cooking!
Cole’s Gluten Free Vanilla Brown Sugar Pancakes
1C Pamela's GF baking mix
3/4C Vanilla Soy milk
1 Egg
1 TBS oil
1 Tsp Vanilla
1 TBS Brown Sugar
Makes 8-10 medium sized pancakes